THE LEAD
MARTIN, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University women's basketball team could not overcome UT Martin's early three-point salvo, losing a 75-51 Ohio Valley Conference decision, Wednesday night, at the Elam Center.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After the teams traded baskets to start the first quarter – APSU trailed just 11-7 at the 4:57 mark – UT Martin converted on eight of its final 10 possessions. The resulting 23-0 quarter-ending run – UTM hit seven three pointers during the stretch – put the game out of reach.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Skyhawks 10 three pointers in the first quarter would have been the second most by an Austin Peay opponent in a game this season. UT Martin's 17 three pointers made in the game are the most by a Governors opponent in program history. However, it is only the second most three pointers the Skyhawks have made in a game this season, one shy of the 18 they made against North Dakota in November.

Gray has scored 20 points in each of the last three games. She also was the last Austin Peay player to score 20 points in three straight games, turning the feat Feb. 7-14 last season.

THE FULL RECAP
The game was decided in the final 4:33 of the first quarter when UT Martin (15-7, 8-1 OVC) hit seven three pointers in 10 possessions. The Skyhawks led by just four points, 11-7, at the media timeout with 4:57 left. Redshirt junior Jessy Ward hit a three-pointer on each of UTM's next three possessions, pushing the lead to 20-7 in just 1:04.

Those three baskets were the first of five consecutive shots made by the Skyhawks. Then, after failing to score on consecutive possessions, UT Martin ended the quarter with three consecutive three-pointers again. Freshman guard Myah Taylor hit a pair of those shots, including one just before the horn that capped the 23-0 run and gave UTM a 34-7 lead after the first quarter.

Austin Peay (7-16, 5-5 OVC) was unable to solve the UT Martin press over the final 5:25 of the first quarter. The Govs did not score in that final span, committing eight turnovers and missing six field goals. APSU's drought came to an end early in the second quarter when senior forward Symantha Norton hit a jumper 43 seconds into the frame.

The Governors would go on to win the second quarter, 18-12. Austin Peay would get back within 18 points twice in the second when senior guard Tiasha Gray hit three pointers on back-to-back possessions, but they could not cut into the deficit further and trailed 46-25 at halftime.

Austin Peay had one more burst in the fourth quarter, converting on four consecutive possessions. Gray's three pointer with 6:10 left would end the 9-3 run and trim the deficit to 20 points, 65-45, but the Skyhawks responded with the game's next seven points to end any threat.

Gray led Austin Peay with 20 points on 8-of-20 shooting while adding eight rebounds and four steals. It was her third consecutive 20-point outing, but each of those has resulted in an APSU loss.

Howard led UT Martin with 25 points, converting on 7-of-14 from three-point range. Ward added 19 points on 5-of-10 from three-point range. The Skyhawks made 17 three-pointers in the contest, making an impressive 48.6 percent from outside the arc.

Austin Peay, which has its first three-game losing streak of the 2016 calendar year, continues its four-game OVC road trip with a 5 p.m., Saturday contest at Murray State.