CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University's Sean Durugordon scored a career-high 21 points in the Governors' 56-55 loss to Howard, Saturday, inside the Winfield Dunn Center.
Durugordon also posted a career-high in field goal attempts (16) and tied career-highs in 3-pointers made (4) and free throws made (5). He was a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line. Elijah Hutchins-Everett ended with nine points. Durugordon and Hutchins-Everett each grabbed eight rebounds.
Cameron Copeland added seven points and six boards for Austin Peay (3-4), which shot 30.3 percent (20-of-66) overall and 7-of-11 from the charity stripe.
Carlos Paez dished out five assists for the Governors and moved past Nick Stapleton for seventh place on the school's all-time list. Nate James' team recorded 14 assists on 20 made field goals and held edges in points off turnovers (17-9) and bench points (7-5). Austin Peay committed only eight turnovers while forcing 19.
The Governors held the Bison scoreless for a 4:52 stretch in the first half, leading to a 16-14 advantage at the 8:20 mark. Back-to-back Durugordon treys as part of an 8-0 Austin Peay run to close the period gave his team a 29-24 upper hand at halftime. Howard (4-5) did not score for the final 4:40 of the half.
The Governors' spurt expanded to 12-0 after a Durugordon jumper and Jalen Ware steal and dunk put their team in front 33-24 with 18:35 to go. Austin Peay again led by nine twice before the 14:32 mark, but the Bison answered with a 10-1 run to tie the affair at 41 midway through the half. Three ties followed before Copeland buried a trey from the wing to put his team in front, 54-51, with 4:27 on the clock. Howard countered with a Jelani Williams layup and Jordan Wood bucket from deep to give their team a 56-54 edge at the 1:57 mark. Carlos Paez converted the second of two free throws to trim the Governors' deficit to one with 43.8 seconds to go. On Howard's next possession, Ware deflected a pass which was picked up by Copeland. However, a potential game-winner for Austin Peay hit off the side of the backboard.
Austin Peay extended its streak of consecutive games with at least one trey made to 644 following a Caleb Stone-Carrawell bucket from behind the arc 1:30 into the contest.
Wood and Steve Settle III each had double doubles. Wood ended with 16 points and 11 rebounds. He was 6-of-12 shooting overall and 4-of-7 from distance. Settle III had 17 points, going 4-of-8 from the field and 9-of-11 from the line, and 10 rebounds. Williams added 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting plus eight rebounds.
The Bison shot 46.5 percent (20-of-43) overall, 38.5 percent (5-of-13) from 3, and 73.3 percent (11-of-15) from the stripe.
The Governors continue their five-game homestand Nov. 30 against Western Kentucky. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT.
