CLARKSVILLE—After nearly a month away from the Dunn Center, Austin Peay State University men;'s basketball team finally will return home when it faces Lipscomb, 4 p.m., Saturday, in Dave Aaron Arena.
The Govs return home desperate for a victory—they went just 1-5 on the more than 4,000-mile trek—but more importantly the Govs must rediscover that formula that worked well in that lone victory. When APSU defeated Brown, 79-58, Nov. 27, they did it was an efficient offense (53.2 percent shooting) and a stifling help-oriented defense (41.8 percent Brown shooting, 26.9 percent in the second half).
Post players Chris Freeman and Chris Horton both shot the ball better than 50 percent against Southern Illinois but combined for just 15 shot attempts as APSU committed 18 turnovers.
Defensively, the Govs have allowed 55.1 percent shooting over the last two games and 154 points total. As a result, the Governors are coming off a pair of 20-point losses to Stephen F. Austin and Southern Illinois.
The Govs will welcome a Bisons team that has experienced some early season struggles of their own but come in with a 3-5 record after defeating Tennessee State, 77-68, last Saturday.
Josh Williams leads Lipscomb in scoring at 15.9 points per game while also hauling down 5.6 rebounds per outing. Clarksville natives Malcolm (13 ppg) and Martin Smith (12.7 ppg) also are averaging in double figure as is point guard Nathan Moran (10.3 ppg).
Freeman and Horton, each at 12.6 ppg, lead the Govs while Khalil Davis is at 10.3 ppg. Horton (9.8 rpg) is ranked 22nd nationally in rebounds per game and 13th in blocked shots per game (3.25 bpg). Freeman is ranked 19th in field goal percent (63.6 percent).
-AP-
