JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Call it the second season…the new season…or the real season…but whatever the case Austin Peay men's basketrball will open Ohio Valley Conference play, 8 p.m., Thursday, when it faces Jacksonville State in Pete Mathews Coliseum.
The Governors come in after an uneven 5-9 non-conference season. Last week, the Govs rallied to defeat North Florida, 65-60, holding the Ospreys 12 points below their scoring average. Then Saturday, the Govs played some of their season's best basketball in the first 17 minutes against Ole Miss. It unraveled in the final 2:40 of half and the Rebels' size inside and depth caught up to the Govs in the second half in the Govs' final non-league game against an Ole Miss team that took No. 1 ranked Kentucky to overtime, Tuesday night.
As a result, APSU hopes it can take some momentum into the contest at JSU. Senior forward Chris Freeman is shooting 70 percent from the floor over the last three games, averaging 16.7 points per game. Junior forward/guard Khalil Davis has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, including 20 points against Ole Miss.
Meanwhile, senior guard Ed Dyson has tallied double figures in five of the last six games while junior preseason All-OVC center Chris Horton has recorded double figures in four of the last five games, including a trio of double-doubles.
Despite the Ole Miss final outcome, it is on the defensive end where the Govs have displayed the most improvement. In the season's first eight games, opponents shot greater than 47 percent from the floor. In the last six, opponents are shooting 44 percent. It will be the defensive end that ultimately that will decide APSU's OVC fortunes for a team that at times incurs offensive challenges.
The Governors come in one of three OVC schools who have yet to play a league game. In fact, JSU comes in 0-2 in the league after losing both at SIUE, 73-57, and Eastern Illinois, 59-50 in overtime. It was the Gamecocks fourth and fifth straight losses, dropping them to 7-9 on the season.
But Jacksonville State is a different team at Pete Mathews Coliseum. It is 6-0 at home, including verdicts against Winthrop, UNC Asheville and Dartmouth.
The balanced Gamecocks are led by senior guard Darion Rackley, who is the team's only double-figure scorer at 13.4 points per game. Rackley has been a Govs nemesis in the past. Juco transfer JaQuail Townser, a 6-3 point guard, has provided the Gamecocks with an impressive lift in his first season, leading the team in assists (3.8 apg) and steals.
Like the Govs, JSU relies on its defense. The Gamecocks permit just 68.4 points per game. Also like the Govs, they can struggle on the offensive end, scoring just 63.8 points per outing.
APSU coach Dave Loos will have another potential weapon at his disposal. Damarius Smith, who sat out the first 14 games as a result of an athletic department suspension, is eligible to return. The Clarksville native led APSU in assists a year ago at 5.6 per game. However, he will have to find his niche with the 2014-15 club over the next few weeks in getting comfortable with his teammates.
-AP-
