CLARKSVILLE – A late second half run helped Austin Peay State University women's basketball team escape with an 85-71 exhibition victory against Martin Methodist, Sunday afternoon at the Dunn Center.

Austin Peay finished undefeated in its two exhibition contests and now prepares for its season and home opener, 6 p.m., Friday against Wright State, the Mid-American Conference defending champion.

The Lady Govs were unable to gain control of the game until the 15:13 mark of the second half. Junior Jennifer Nwokocha made a pair of free-throws that gave APSU the lead for good at that point and a layup by sophomore Tearra Banks on the next possession pushed the lead to four points.

Martin Methodist was able to keep the deficit within two possessions for the next nine minutes, but Austin Peay finally put together a 13-2 run that put the game away. The Lady Govs burst started with junior Kristen Stainback hitting a jumper at the 5:37 mark and ended with Stainback hitting a three-pointer just in front of the APSU bench at the 2:43 mark. That three-point pushed the lead to 18 points, 81-63, and Austin Peay was able to coast the game's remainder.

Both teams started the game perfect from the floor in the opening 90 seconds, Austin Peay hitting four field goals while Martin Methodist made a pair of three pointers. Austin Peay would push the lead to five points, 13-8, with 14:05 left but then went four minutes without a field goal.

The Redhawks used that lull to piece together a 12-2 run to build its own five-point lead, 20-15, with 8:40 left. Martin Methodist nursed that lead for four minutes until Banks converted a traditional three-point play to take a 33-30 lead with 4:05 left. Austin Peay would take a five-point, 39-34 lead into halftime.

Nwokocha led Austin Peay with a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double performance that saw her make 6-of-8 from the floor and 5-of-7 from the free-throw line. Junior Tiasha Gray added 21 points, nine assists, six rebounds and five steals.

Sophomore Tearra Banks added 17 points and six rebounds off the bench, posting a perfect 5-of-5 at the free-throw line and a 6-of-9 shooting effort from the floor. Stainback recovered from a slow start to score 12 points.

Austin Peay shot 49 percent (33-of-67) from the floor and won the rebounding battle by a 46-39 margin. However, the Lady Govs had to overcome a 21 turnover outing.

Haley Rutledge led Martin Methodist with 15 points while Abby Clayton and Tenisha Hobson each added 12 points. The Redhawks shot 38 percent (25-of-65) from the floor, including 47 percent (7-of-15) from three-point range.