CLARKSVILLE – The top three-point shooting team in the Ohio Valley Conference, Austin Peay State University women's basketball is set to host the team that defends the three-pointer better than anyone else in the OVC when they welcome Jacksonville State for a 1 p.m., Saturday showdown in the Winfield Dunn Center.

After winning five-straight games to start conference play, the Governors have dropped three-straight and will look to get back on track when they face off with the Gamecocks. It will be a battle of strength between Austin Peay and Jacksonville State, as the Govs average an OVC-best 9.3 made three-pointers per game and Jacksonville State is holding opponents to an OVC-low 24.4 percent from three-point range.

The Governors are currently amidst a five-game OVC home stand and will still host Murray State, Belmont, and Tennessee State before hitting the road to take on Eastern Kentucky, Feb. 4.

Scouting the Gamecocks

After a fifth-place finish in the 2019-20 Ohio Valley Conference regular season; Jacksonville State was picked to finish sixth in the 2020-21 OVC Coaches and SID Preseason Poll, while the media picked the Gamecocks to finish eighth in their 2020-21 preseason poll.

Eighth-year head coach Rick Pietri returns eight letterwinners and three starters from a squad that posted a 14-16 record overall and a 10-8 mark in OVC play last season, before falling to No. 4 seeded Eastern Illinois in the first round of the OVC Tournament.

A 2019-20 Second-Team All-OVC selection last season, Taylor Hawks is Jacksonville State's top-returning scorer (11.2 ppg) and ranks 23rd in the OVC this season, averaging 9.6 points per game. The senior guard led the Gamecocks with 79 assists last season, and this season she leads the OVC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2) and is tied for fifth in the league in assists (3.5 apg).

Yamia Johnson is the leading scorer for Jacksonville State this season, averaging 17 points per game -- good for third-best in the OVC. Johnson leads the OVC in three-point percentage (46.2%), ranks second in three-pointers made per game (3), and is tied with Maggie Knowles for the OVC lead in total three-pointers made (30). The junior guard does more than just shoot the three ball though, she ranks 14th in the OVC in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and third in field-goal percentage (50%).

Jacksonville State leads the OVC in three-point percentage defense, they are holding opponents to just 24.4 percent from long range this season. The Gamecocks are also holding opponents to just 58.6 points per game this season, which is good for the third-best scoring defense in the OVC.

On offense Jacksonville State rarely turns the ball over, the Gamecocks are averaging an OVC-low 12.8 turnovers per game, which is the 23rd best mark in the NCAA this season. 

Series History

This is the 29th meeting in a series that dates back to 1999; Austin Peay leads in the all-time series, 16-12.

In last season's lone contest against Jacksonville State, Austin Peay trailed by three points on the road to start the fourth quarter; but the Governors held the Gamecocks to just seven points in the final period and picked up a 63-57 win, Jan. 11. 2020, in Pete Matthews Coliseum.

Ella Sawyer led the Govs with a team-high 14 points and 4 assists. Sawyer did the majority of her damage from the free-throw line, where she knocked down 9 free throws on 10 attempts.

Arielle Gonzalez-Varner narrowly missed out on a double-double, she grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds and scored 9 points in the contest. Kasey Kidwell also chipped in 9 points for the Govs, she was 3-4 from the charity stripe against the Gamecocks.

Kiana Johnson led Jacksonville State in scoring with 11 points, she was a perfect 4-4 from the floor. Jessie Day and Taylor Hawks each added 8 points for the Gamecocks, and Chloe Long led Jacksonville State with a game-high 16 rebounds.

Notably…

• Austin Peay played on Dave Loos Court for the first time in 19 days when they fell to Tennessee Tech last time out. The Govs recently completed a season-long five-game road trip and are now amidst a season-long five-game home stand.
• Nationally the Governors rank 7th in three-pointers attempted (321), 12th in three-pointers made (111), and 18th in three-pointers per game (9.2) -- they lead the Ohio Valley Conference in all three statistics as well.
• With 116 steals this season, the Govs lead the OVC and rank 35th in the NCAA. Austin Peay also ranks second in the OVC in steals per game (9.7).
• The Governors have forced 20+ turnovers in five games this season and are averaging 19.83 turnovers forced per game, which ranks 46th in the country and second in the OVC.
• Nationally Maggie Knowles ranks 8th in three-pointers per game (3.33), 25th in three-pointers attempted (84), and 33rd in three-pointers made (30) -- she leads or is tied for the OVC lead in all three statistics.
• Brianah Ferby leads the OVC in steals (28) and ranks third in the league in steals per game (2.33), her twin-sister Brandi ranks third in the league in steals (26) and fourth in steals per game (2.17).
• In the Govs last five games, Tahanee Bennell has scored in double figures four times; she is averaging 11 points, 4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.4 made three-pointers, and is shooting 59 percent from the floor during that stretch.

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. ESPN Clarksville (104.1 FM/540 AM) will carry the radio broadcast locally and online.