OXFORD, Ohio – After wrapping up a successful season-opening homestand, Austin Peay State University women's basketball team begins its season's first road trip with a 6 p.m. (CT), Thursday contest at Miami University.
The Govs posted a 2-1 record during their homestand which spanned just four days from the season's start to Monday's win against Trevecca. Austin Peay began the season with a close loss to a California squad that enters this week ranked nationally. The Govs then picked off a pair of Division II foes in wire-to-wire victories.
Three different players led Austin Peay in scoring and seven different players posted a 10-point outing during the homestand. Senior guard Tiasha Gray finished the homestand averaging 20.3 points per game, including a 28-point effort against California. Junior center Tearra Banks scored a team-best 18 points against Christian Brothers while sophomore center Brianne Alexander posted 22 points against Trevecca.
The Miami contest begins a three-game, five-day excursion that will see it face Wright State, Saturday, and Ball State, Monday, before returning to Clarksville for a brief interlude in its overall five-game road trip.
THE MORE YOU KNOW
GRAY MILESTONE WATCH STARTS: Senior guard Tiasha Gray began the 2015-16 season within reach of the following Austin Peay milestones:
APSU Career Steals | Currently 3rd (241) | Record: 243 by Tracie Mason (1987-91)
APSU Career Points | Currently 7th (1,353) | Next: 1,442 by Amanda Behrenbrinker (1994-98)
APSU Career Assists | Currently 5th (377) | Next: 387 by Ashley Haynes (2002-06)
MIDLICK MUSINGS: The biggest story line during the Austin Peay offseason was the hiring of David Midlick as the program's 15th head coach. He is a familiar face to Austin Peay fans, returning to Clarksville after previous stints as a men's basketball graduate assistant (2003-06) and women's basketball assistant coach (2010-12). Midlick was involved in the recruiting for the current senior class, but did not have the opportunity to coach them, departing to become head coach at Delta State in 2012.
GOVS LEDGER: Midlick inherits an Austin Peay women's basketball team largely unchanged from its 2014-15 edition. Four starters and 11 letterwinners return from a team that posted the program's best record since 2010-11. Senior guard Tiasha Gray highlights the returning group after earning Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors last season. Also returning are junior Tearra Banks, sophomore Brianne Alexander, senior Jennifer Nwokocha and junior Beth Rates – composing five of the team's top six in both scoring and rebounding.
ABOUT THE REDHAWKS: Miami, which was picked to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference's East Division, is a young squad boasting five sophomores and five freshman among its 14 -woman roster. Sophomore Baleigh Reid, a All-MAC Freshman selection last year, has roared out of the gates with 23 points per game in two outings, including 28 in Monday's double-overtime victory against Evansville. Freshman guard Leah Purvis has 32 points to begin the year while sophomore guard Ana Richter leads the team in rebounding (7.0 per game) while averaging 13.5 points per game. The RedHawks contest against APSU is their first of three straight against Ohio Valley Conference teams, with Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State visiting Oxford next week. Miami also will travel to UT Martin in December.
AN AUSTIN PEAY WIN WOULD: Be its third-straight win, its first three-game win streak since the 2013-14 season (42 games ago)… Be its first-ever victory against Miami… Be its second straight win in a road contest, dating back to last season… End a 10-game losing streak in nonconference road games (last win Nov. 12, 2013 at Southern Illinosi)… Make Midlick 3-1 in his first season at Austin Peay and 48-17 in his third season as a head coach overall… Make the Govs 454-651 overall since 1976-77.
AN AUSTIN PEAY LOSS WOULD: End its two-game win streak… Keep it winless against Miami (0-3)… Be its 11th straight loss in nonconference road games… Make Midlick 2-2 in his first APSU season and 47-18 in his third season as a head coach overall… Make the Govs 454-652 overall since 1976-77.
