Women's Basketball | November 27, 2020
CLARKSVILLE – After picking up a win in the season opener, Austin Peay State University women's basketball will look to make it two in-a-row when they host Trevecca for a 1 p.m., Saturday home opener in the Dunn Center.
Saturday's home opener against Trevecca will not be ticketed and will be free of charge to the public. This allows fans to visit the facility and speak with ticket office staff, who can assist in finding available seating locations for the 2020-2021 season.
The 2020-21 college basketball season officially began on Nov. 25, when the Governors picked up a win on the road at North Alabama, 88-78, in the season opener. For Trevecca, Saturday's contest against Austin Peay will be their first game of the season.
Scouting the Trojans
After a ninth-place finish in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference last season, Trevecca was picked to finish 10th in the G-MAC for the 2020-21 season.
Coach Chad Hibdon returns all five starters from a squad that posted a 9-18 record last season. Senior Olivia Pepperman averaged 12.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season, she is the Trojans top returning scorer and rebounder. Sophomore guard Bayleigh Carmichel averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds as a freshman in 2019-20, she is the second-leading scorer and rebounder returning for Trevecca this season.
Samantha Whiteman, and Kaitlynn Wilks averaged 9.4 and 9.3 points per game, respectively, in 2019-20. Whiteman led the Trojans, averaging 3.1 assists per game last season; while Wilks shot a team-best 46.3 percent from the floor.
Former Tennessee State player Annaliese Burnett rounds out the returning starters for Trevecca, she averaged 5.1 points per game last season. Burnett played 8 minutes for Tennessee State in the Dunn Center on Jan. 24, 2019, as the Govs routed the Lady Tigers, 74-47.
Series History
This is the sixth meeting in a series that dates back to 2103; the Govs lead the all-time series 5-0 and have won by an average of 16.2 points per game against Trevecca.
Last time Austin Peay welcomed Trevecca was a Nov. 14, 2018, contest that saw the Govs beat the Trojans, 90-78, in the Dunn Center.
Keisha Gregory led the Governors offense, scoring 19 points and dishing out five assists. The Austin Peay career free-throw percentage leader, Gregory went 9-for-9 at the charity stripe in the last meeting with Trevecca.
Brandi and Brianah Ferby each got the start and scored 16 and 13 points, respectively. Brandi knocked down a game-high four three pointers and shot 66.7 percent from downtown, while Brianah Ferby dished out a trio of assists in the winning effort.
Arielle Gonzalez-Varner led the Govs on the glass, pulling down 14 rebounds, including five on the offensive end. Gabby Gregory provided the Governors a spark off the bench, scoring 13 points in just 13 minutes of action.
Notably…
- For the first time since the 1995 and 1996 seasons, the Governors have won the season opener in back-to-back seasons.
- Austin Peay has won three-straight home openers, beating Kentucky Wesleyan last season and Christian Brothers in the two years prior.
- Last season the Governors ended the non-conference slate on a four-game winning streak; with a win over North Alabama in the season opener, Austin Peay owns a five-game winning streak in non-conference contests.
- November 25 was the latest date that the Govs have opened the season since the 1995-96 season, when they beat Bethel, 89-61, on November 24 in the Dunn Center.
- Off to a 1-0 start in the month of November this season, the Govs went 5-1 during November last season. In David Midlick's career at Austin Peay, the Govs are 22-15 (.595%) in the 11th month of the year.
- Austin Peay snapped a 33-year, 14-game losing streak in season-opening games played on the road when they beat North Alabama. It was the Govs first win on the road in a season opener since Nov. 28, 1987, when they beat Southern Indiana, 77-72.
- Brandi Ferby and Shay-Lee Kirby scored 26 and 24 points, respectively, in the season opener, making them the first Govs duo to score 20+ in a game since Kirby and Tahanee Bennell each scored 21 points against Kentucky Wesleyan in last season's opener.
- In her Ausin Peay debut, freshman guard Nina De Leon Negron led he Govs with eight rebounds, including five offensive boards. De Leon Negron also added 5 points, 2 assists, and a blocked shot in her collegiate debut.
- Brandi Ferby dished out a team-high 6 assists and did not turn the ball over in the season opener at North Alabama. In her career, she has dished out 160 assists and only turned the ball over 76 times -- good for a career assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.11.
From the Twitterverse
Govs in the time of COVID
For the 2020-21 season, Austin Peay State University athletics will allow approximately 35 percent capacity in the Dunn Center for home basketball events. There will be no lower bowl seating for fans during the season. The lower level will be limited to players, coaches, and game-day support staff only. Seats will be assigned to create a buffer between groups to ensure social distancing is maintained. Student seating will be located in sections AA-BB for both men's and women's games. Masks or facial coverings are required to enter the Dunn Center. They must remain in place at all times unless eating or drinking.
Govs Online
Check back at LetsGoPeay.com and on Austin Peay's Official Athletics Facebook page often for up-to-date news about all Governor athletics, as well as the Governor women's basketball Twitter page (@AustinPeayWBB). Live stats will be available during the game at PeayStats.com, and all home games and Ohio Valley Conference games can be viewed on the ESPN+ app, however, tomorrow's contest against Trevecca will not be broadcast on ESPN+. ESPN Clarksville (104.1 FM/540 AM) will carry the radio broadcast locally and online.
Up Next
The Govs will head back on the road for a pair of games after taking on Trevecca in the home opener at the Dunn Center. Austin Peay will travel to Mississippi Valley State for a 6 p.m., Dec. 2 games, before taking on Florida State in a 1 p.m., Dec. 6 contest. Finally, the Governors will wrap up the non-conference slate with a 6 p.m., Dec. 15 matchup with Chattanooga in the Dunn Center.
