CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - An Austin Peay State University game-winning 3-point attempt as time expired rimmed in and out Wednesday, preserving a 75-74 Western Kentucky win inside the Winfield Dunn Center. The Governors dropped their second-straight home game by just one point.

Elijah Hutchins-Everett scored 13 of his 19 points in the first 20 minutes for Austin Peay (3-5). He shot 8-of-15 from the field to pace four Governors in double figures. Cameron Copeland finished with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting and a 3-of-4 effort from deep. Carlos Paez scored all 14 of his points after halftime, going 3-of-6 from deep and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. Caleb Stone-Carrawell ended with 12 points on a 5-of-9 clip from the floor.

Sean Durugordon totaled seven rebounds, while Hutchins-Everett and Paez had six and five, respectively. Paez dished out four assists, while Copeland and Stone-Carrawell each netted three. 

Austin Peay shot 50 percent (29-of-58) overall, 47.6 percent (10-of-21) from 3, and 75 percent (6-of-8) from the stripe. The Governors got 33 points from their reserves, including a combined 27 by Copeland and Stone-Carrawell. Austin Peay, facing the tallest team in the nation, controlled the boards 33-25, including 11-6 on the offensive glass, leading to 11 second chance points. The Governors limited the Hilltoppers, who entered Wednesday second in the country in 3-point percentage (.470) and 11th in 3-pointers per game (11), to a season-low four made treys and second worst clip - 33.3 percent (4-of-12) - from beyond the arc.

"We've got a lot of new guys (in our program), so we've just got to find consistency and chemistry," Austin Peay head coach Nate James said. "What I've been trying to talk to them about is playing hard and playing together, and we'll see what happens at the end of the day.

"Tonight we fought for 40 minutes. We faced a very talented Western Kentucky team, and it could've went either way. Our guys followed the gameplan. They played hard and played together. Unfortunately, the ball didn't go in for us at the end."

The first half featured seven ties and as many lead changes. Austin Peay hit eight of its first 11 field goals and shot 57.7 percent (15-of-26) in the period. The Governors' largest lead of the half was 14-9 following a layup by Hutchins-Everett and Copeland trey. Guy Fauntleroy canned his only bucket from behind the arc with 24 seconds on the click to give Austin Peay a 33-32 edge at halftime.

Hutchins-Everett shot 6-of-7 from the field in the first 20 minutes. Copeland was perfect (4-of-4) from the floor.

Western Kentucky (7-1) led 60-46 with 9:14 to go in the game before the Governors answered with 12-2 spurt in a 3:36 span, including an 8-0 run in 2:11. Copeland connected on his third 3-pointer before Paez drained back-to-back treys. A Durugordon fastbreak layup trimmed his team's deficit to 62-58 at the 5:33 mark. Paez converted an old-fashioned 3-point play with 20 seconds on the clock to bring Austin Peay within one, 73-72. After the two teams traded a pair of free throws, Luke Frampton missed the front end of the bonus, giving the Governors the last shot of the contest. However, a 27-foot 3 from the wing did not fall, giving the Hilltoppers their fourth-straight win overall. 

Western Kentucky's Emmanuel Akot finished with 20 points, including 16 after halftime, on 8-of-14 shooting. Jamarion Sharp totaled 18 points and was 7-of-8 inside the arc to go along with nine boards. Jairus Hamilton had 13 points. Frampton, who entered the game second in the country in 3-point percentage (.636), 3-pointers per game (4.0), and 3-pointers made (28), was held scoreless for the first time this season.

"Our guys stayed locked in," James commented. "Typically 2s don't kill you. It's easier to stay in the game when you eliminate a major part of a team's offense, and that's the 3-point shot. I wanted to challenge my guys, and they were up for the challenge. We had a freshman, Elijah Perkins, who's a really good defensive player, and for a freshman to come in and perform they way he performed and not let (Frampton) get any looks, I'm proud of his effort. I think when (Elijah) was (on the bench), other guys followed suit."

The Hilltoppers shot 53.7 percent (29-of-54) overall and 76.5 percent (13-of-17) from the line.

"Ultimately I'm really, really proud of the effort of our guys," James said. "We just have to build off of this."

Austin Peay hosts Tennessee State at 3 p.m. CT, Saturday, for the third of five-straight games in the Dunn Center.