THE LEAD
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Senior guard Tiasha Gray handed out a school-record tying 13 assists to lead Austin Peay State University women's basketball team to its first road win this season with a 96-75 Ohio Valley Conference victory against Morehead State, Wednesday night at Johnson Arena.  

WHO GOVERNED
Gray's 13 assists tied the APSU record held by Kelly Chavez, who handed out her baker's dozen assists against Eastern Illinois during the 2000-01 season. She added a game-high 28 points while nabbing six steals and grabbing five rebounds in her 33-minute outing.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Austin Peay started out cold from the floor, making just one of its first six shots and trailed by seven points, 9-2, just over three minutes into the contest. Morehead State made four of its first six shots during the opening stanza.

The Govs turned the tide by making their next five shots, Gray hitting a three-pointer at the 4:47 mark to give APSU its first lead, 12-11. It was part of a larger 22-9 run – Austin Peay making 8-of-13 shots during the run – that saw APSU grab a 26-20 lead at quarter's end.

Austin Peay backed up that 26-point first quarter with another 26 points in the second quarter to build a 52-36 halftime lead. The Eagles would get no closer than 14 points the game's remainder.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Austin Peay snapped a 10-game road losing streak with the win. The Govs had been winless away from the Dunn Center during the 2015-16 season.

Sophomore forward Sydney Gooch tallied her season's first double-double with a 14-point, 12-rebound performance. She led an APSU front court that also saw junior forward Beth Rates (11 points, 8 rebounds) and sophomore center Brianne Alexander (15 points, 6 rebounds) chip in impressive efforts.

Rates four blocks led Austin Peay's eight-blocked shot outing. Morehead State entered the game as the nation's top shot-blocking squad, but registered only four blocks in the contest.

THE FULL RECAP
Austin Peay (6-13, 4-2 OVC) got off to a slow start again missing five of its first six shots. Meanwhile, Morehead State made 4-of-6 to start the game and held a 9-2 lead after Natalie Greenwell's layup just 3:10 into the contest.

The Govs turned the tide quickly, making five consecutive shots as part of a 12-2 run. Gray hit a three-pointer at the 4:47 mark to give APSU a 12-11 lead and freshman Keisha Gregory followed with a layup following a Gray steal to secure the lead, 14-11, at the 4:28 mark.

After its 1-for-6 start, Austin Peay closed the first quarter making 10 of its last 15. The outburst resulted in APSU piecing together a quarter-ending a 24-11 run that proved decisive, APSU taking a 26-20 lead into the quarter break.

Morehead State (7-13, 1-5 OVC) could not slow the Austin Peay juggernaut in the second quarter. The Govs hit their first three shots of the quarter, Gray making a three-pointer just 66 seconds into the frame to push the APSU lead to 11 points, 33-22. The Govs lead would not fall back into single digits the game's remainder as it tacked on a second-straight 26-point quarter for a 52-36 halftime lead.

The Eagles had one last chance to trim the Austin Peay deficit late in the third quarter when Gray went to the bench with 4:14 left after picking up her third foul. The Govs held their own over the final part of the third quarter, losing only two points off its lead, and took a 73-55 lead into the final frame.

Gray's 13-assist outing tied the APSU record held by Kelly Chavez, who set the mark during the 2000-01 season. She also had a game-high 28 points while tacking on six steals and five rebounds.

The Govs frontcourt also did its part offensively, the trio of sophomore forward Sydney Gooch, junior forward Beth Rates and sophomore center Brianne Alexander combining for 40 points and 26 rebounds. Gooch recorded her season's first double-double with a 14-point, 12-rebound night. Alexander added 15 points and Rates chipped in eight points.

Austin Peay made 50 percent (34-of-68) of its field goals and recorded 24 assists on its 34 field goals made. The Govs tacked on a 40.9 percent (9-of-22) outing from three-point range and shot 76 percent (19-of-25) from the free-throw line.

Eriel McKee and Brianna McQueen led Morehead State with 17 points apiece. The Eagles were held to 33.3 percent shooting (26-of-78), including 23.5 percent (4-of-17) from three-point range.

Austin Peay returns home for a quick two-game homestand, beginning with a 4 p.m., Saturday OVC contest against Eastern Illinois.