CLARKSVILLE – Austin Peay State University women's basketball team heads north looking for its sixth-straight win over Murray State in the final regular-season Ohio Valley Conference battle between the longtime rivals at 6 p.m., Wednesday at the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky.

With just four games remaining in the regular season, Austin Peay and Murray State both sit at 10-4 in the conference and are tied for third in the OVC standings – however, the Govs hold the tiebreaker at the moment with a win over the Racers in the first meeting.

The Governors are 6-4 on the road this season and are 3-3 on the road in OVC play after falling at UT Martin, 57-60, last time out. The Racers are 10-2 at home this season and their ten home wins are the second-most in the OVC, behind Austin Peay's 11 victories in the Winfield Dunn Center. Murray State is currently on a three-game winning streak, it has also won its last three games at the CFSB Center.

With four games remaining in the regular season, the field for the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Women's Basketball Championship is already set. Austin Peay and Murray State will be joined in the postseason by Belmont, Tennessee Tech, Eastern Illinois, UT Martin, Tennessee State, and SIUE. The OVC Tournament kicks off on Wednesday, March 2 at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.

Wednesday's game against Murray State will be streamed on ESPN+.

Scouting the Racers

Tabbed to finish third in the OVC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll with three first-place votes, Murray State sits in fourth place in the conference standings with a 10-4 mark in OVC games. Head coach Rechelle Turner's team is 18-7 overall and is on a three-game winning streak.

Murray State has the top scoring offense (73.2 ppg) and scoring margin (+12.7) in the OVC this season, they also rank 36th and 33rd, receptively, in the NCAA in those statistics. The Racers shot 47.4 percent from the floor, which leads the OVC and ranks fifth in the NCAA, and hold opponents to 37.7 percent shooting from the field, which also leads the OVC.

Murray State has done much of its damage at the free-throw line this season, they rank third in the NCAA in free-throws made (385) and seventh in free-throw percentage (.795).

The Racers also average 40.3 rebounds per game, which leads the OVC, and their +9.9 rebounding margin leads the conference and ranks 10th in the nation. Murray State's 16.1 assists per game are also the top mark in the OVC and rank 28th in the country this season.

Averaging 19.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, Katelyn Young leads the OVC in both statistics and ranks 23rd in the NCAA in scoring this season. Young has made 127 free throws, which leads the OVC and ranks sixth in the nation, and is shooting 86.4 percent from the charity stripe, which leads the OVC and ranks 29th in the country. Young also shoots 60.2 percent from the floor, which is the ninth-best mark in the NCAA this season.

Macey Turley is the Racers' second-leading scorer and ranks sixth in the OVC, averaging 14.1 points per game. Turley also ranks third in the OVC in assists (3.9 apg), third in three-point percentage (.434), and second in three-pointers made per game (2.2).

Hannah McKay ranks 12th in the OVC, averaging 12.1 points per game, and Alexis Burpo ranks 21st in the league, averaging 10.8 points per game. Burpo and McKay also rank second and fifth in the conference in rebounding, respectively, averaging 7.8 and 6.3 rebounds per game.

Series History and Lasting Meeting

The 95th meeting in a series that dates back to 1978, Austin Peay leads the all-time series, 49-45, and has won five-straight games against Murray State. The Racers lead the series, 14-29, in Murray, Kentucky, but the Governors have won back-to-back games at the CFSB Center.

Austin Peay's 95 games against Murray State is the most it has played against any opponent in program history – topping the 88 games it has played against UT Martin.

A Karle Pace floater with 1.2 seconds left in overtime gave Austin Peay its fifth-straight win against Murray State in a 69-67 win on Feb. 3, 2022, at the Winfield Dunn Center in Clarksville.

Murray State held an eight-point lead with 2:36 in regulation, but the Govs were able to close on an 8-0 run, forcing overtime, and setting up Pace's game-winner. Pace led the Govs with 23 points, going 5-for-5 from three-point range, and adding a season-high six rebounds and four assists.

Yamia Johnson added 15 points for the Govs and D'Shara Booker recorded her second double-double with 14 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Ella Sawyer led the Govs with five assists

Hannah McKay led the racers with 20 points, with Katelyn Young and Macey Turley adding 13 and 12 points, respectively. Alexis Burpo recorded a double-double for Murray State, scoring 11 points and grabbing a team-high 10 boards. Turley also led the Racers with five assists.

Notably…

• For the first time this season, Austin Peay received votes in the CollegeInsider.com Women's Mid-Major Top 25. The Governors (one point) joined Tennessee Tech (two points) and No. 19 Belmont from the OVC.
• With two weeks left in the regular season, the OVC Tournament field is set and Austin Peay has already guaranteed it can be no worse than the No. 6 seed.
• Austin Peay has secured its third-straight winning season and its fifth-straight without a losing record.
• Austin Peay is 14-29 all-time at Murray State, but the Govs have won back-to-back games in the CFSB Center for the first time since a three-game winning streak there from Feb. 6, 2010, to Feb. 13, 2012.
• Austin Peay is 7-1 against Murray State since the start of 2019 and has won five-straight games in the series for the first time since an eight-game winning streak that lasted from March 6, 2009, to Feb. 13, 2012.
• Austin Peay is shooting 46.0 percent from the floor -- which ranks tenth in the NCAA and second in the OVC. The Govs have not shot over 45 percent from the floor in a season since the 2002-03 team set the single-season program record by shooting 47.4 percent.
• Austin Peay ranks third in the OVC in scoring defense (58.4 ppg), field-goal percentage defense (.387), and three-point percentage defense (.288) -- the Govs are the only team in the OVC that ranks in the top three in all three statistics.
• The Govs are shooting 37.3 percent from three-point range, which ranks 13th in the NCAA and leads the OVC, and are averaging 6.2 made three-pointers per game, which ranks second in the OVC.
• Karle Pace and Yamia Johnson are averaging 15.6 and 15.1 points per game, respectively, and rank second and fourth in the OVC in scoring. They are the only teammates in the top five in the league in scoring.
• Pace is shooting 44.4 percent from three-point range, which ranks tenth in the NCAA and leads the OVC.

Tickets, Please

Season and single-game tickets are on sale for the 2021-22 basketball season. Fans can purchase or renew their season tickets online at LetsGoPeay.com/BuyTickets or by calling the Austin Peay Ticket Office at 931-221-PEAY (7329). More information on season and single-game tickets can also be found online.

The City Forum Family 4 Pack is now on sale! For just $22, receive four tickets to both a men's and women's basketball game along with four attraction passes at The City Forum by using the promo code "FAM4" at checkout online or by contacting the Austin Peay Ticket Office.

Govs Online

For up-to-date news and information on Austin Peay Athletics, check back at LetsGoPeay.com or follow along on Facebook. To keep up with the Governors women's basketball team, follow along on Twitter and Instagram (@GovsWBB). Live stats will be available during all home games and select road games at PeayStats.com. In addition, all Austin Peay home games, OVC games, and select road games will be broadcast on ESPN+ this season, visit the women's basketball schedule at LetsGoPeay.com for a complete broadcast schedule.

Up Next

Austin Peay wraps up its stretch of five games in ten days with its home finale and Senior Day when it hosts Tennessee Tech for a 1:30 p.m., Saturday contest in the Winfield Dunn Center. The Governors then hit the road to wrap up the season with a 5:30 p.m., Feb. 24 game at SIUE and a 1 p.m., Feb. 26 game at Eastern Illinois.