NASHVILLE, Tenn.– After holding a lead at the half, the Austin Peay men's basketball team was unable to fend off a second-half surge from Belmont in a 72-58 loss on Monday night inside the Curb Event Center.

It was a dominant first 20 minutes for the Govs, earning a 31-24 lead at the break. In the first half, the Govs shot 50 percent from the field with six three-pointers. It was a much different story in the second half as APSU was outscored 48-27 the final 20 minutes of action. The Bruins in the second half shot a staggering 70.8 percent from the field.

Austin Peay had two score in double figures Monday night, led by redshirt freshman Caleb Stone-Carrawell with 16 points. Stone-Carrawell was 6-of-9 from the field and knocked down a career-high four three-pointers. It was Stone-Carrawell's first double-digit performance since Jan. 8 against Morehead State.

Along with Stone-Carrawell, freshman Elijah Hutchins-Everett notched his ninth straight double-digit performance with 13 points. Hutchins-Everett was 5-of-7 from the field with one three-pointer and three rebounds. Leading the Govs on the glass was senior Elton Walker and junior DJ Peavy with five. Off the bench, junior Cameron Copeland had nine points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field with four rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

As a team, the Govs shot 44 percent from the field and was 9-of-23 from long distance. Austin Peay outrebounded Belmont, 28-27, and recorded 10 offensive rebounds to Belmont's five. The Govs had 12 assists on 22 made field goals to go along with 38 bench points.  

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half

• Hutchins-Everett with five of the first seven points for the Austin Peay.
  • Govs take an early 7-0 lead just two minutes into the game.
• Belmont responds with nine straight points and the Bruins take their first lead of the game at 9-7 with 15:30 remaining
  • Belmont embarks on a 9-0 run, making four straight field goals.
• Woodard scores under the basket and ties the game up at nine at the first media timeout.
• APSU and Belmont go scoreless from the field for over three minutes as the game stayed tied at nine.
  • During the scoreless stretch, both teams combined for six turnovers
• The Govs embark on an 11-0 run to jump out to an 18-9 lead at the halfway point of the first half.
  • Run highlighted by a corner three-pointer from Cameron Copeland.
  • Belmont went scoreless from the field for over 6:40.
• Austin Peay earned an 18-12 lead at the eight-minute mark, forcing Belmont to commit five turnovers in eight minutes.
  • The Bruins are just 1-of-8 from the field during the stretch
• APSU goes scoreless from the field over four minutes as Belmont embarks on an 8-0 run to cut the Govs lead down to three with six minutes remaining.
• The Govs with back-to-back three-pointers and extend their lead to 24-19 with 3:33 left in the first half.
• Belmont misses four straight field goals, going scoreless from the field for over 2:30 as APSU leads 25-19 with two minutes left in the first half.
• Govs on a 7-0 run, highlighted by a three from Stone-Carrawell to give the Govs a 28-21 advantage.
• Silver with a corner three to give the Govs a double-digit lead at 31-21.
  • Belmont responds with a three of their own.
• Halftime: Austin Peay 31, Belmont 24
  • Stone-Carrawell led the Govs with eight points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field.
  • Hutchins-Everett with five points on 2-of-4 shooting from the field.
  • The Govs shot 50 percent from the field and from long distance in the first half.

Second Half

• Hutchins-Everett with the first basket of the second half for the Govs to widen the lead to 33-28 with 17:30 remaining.
• Belmont's Nick Muszynski with the Bruins first nine points as the Bruins cut the APSU lead down to one at the 16:10 mark.
• The Bruins embark on an 8-0 run to take their first lead since 15:48 of the first half.
  • APSU 33, Belmont 34 with 15:58 remaining.
• Belmont makes six straight field goals to take a 43-39 lead with 12:30 left.
  • Govs scoreless from the field for over three minutes
• The Bruins jump out to a double-digit lead thanks to a 13-1 run and holding APSU scoreless from the field for over five minutes.
• Belmont makes nine straight field goals but APSU responds with four straight points to cut the Bruin lead down to 53-44 with 9:40 remaining.
• Austin Peay and Belmont combined to go 15-of-17 from the field as the Bruins hold a 58-49 advantage with 6:43 left to play.
• Belmont makes five straight field goals as APSU held scoreless nearly three minutes en route to a 66-51 deficit for the Govs with 3:43 remaining.
• Austin Peay misses eight straight field goals as Belmont makes four straight from the free-throw line to extend the lead to 70-53 with two minutes left to play.
•  Stone-Carrawell knocked down his career-high fourth three-pointer of the game with less than a minute to play.
• APSU made just two of their final 12 field goals.
• Final: Austin Peay 58, Belmont 72

NOTABLES

• Held Belmont to its second-lowest point total in a half this season (24) in the first half
• Hutchins-Everett with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field
  • Notched his career-best ninth straight game in double figures
• Stone-Carrawell with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field with a career-high four three's
  • Stone-Carrawell's first double-digit performance since Jan. 8 vs. Morehead State
• APSU moves to 310-292 in games against NCAA Division I opponents from the state of Tennessee

UP NEXT
The first of a season-long three-game home stretch for the Govs begins Thursday, Feb. 10 against Southeast Missouri. APSU then hosts Tennessee State (Feb. 12) and Eastern Illinois (Feb.14) before traveling to rival Murray State for an ESPNU showdown, Thursday, Feb. 17.

GET YOUR TICKETS!
Purchase single-game tickets or the all-new Family Four Pack presented by The City Forum. Receive four tickets to both a men's and women's basketball game along with four attraction passes at The City Forum. Packages start at just $22 and can be purchased by visiting letsgopeay.com/buytickets using the Promo Code: FAM4 or contacting the Govs Ticket Office at 931-221-PEAY (7329).

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