CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – After winning its third-straight game against Southern Illinois, Tuesday, Austin Peay State University's basketball team faces one of its longest rivals in Western Kentucky at 2 p.m., Saturday, at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Austin Peay (6-6) returned to .500 on the season following a 70-68 win in Carbondale, Illinois, and looks to earn its second road win of the nonconference season against Western Kentucky, who the Govs have faced 57 times in a series that dates back to Jan. 1942.

The Hilltoppers have won 11-straight meetings against Austin Peay and lead the all-time series, 43-14. 

Ja'Monta Black led Austin Peay with 22 points against the Salukis Tuesday, with all six of his field goals coming from beyond the arc. The Columbia, Missouri native's 43 made three-pointers lead the Atlantic Sun Conference and rank second across Division I. 

His three-pointer outing marked the 11th time in 12 games of hitting multiple three-pointers and his third of making at least six long-range attempts.

Fellow Northwestern State graduate transfer DeMarcus Sharp has proved to be one of the most all-around threats in college basketball this season, as he leads the nation with 94 field goals made – all coming within the arc – and 220 attempted. He also ranks 10th nationally ins points (220), eighth in steals (30), and 23rd in steals (58).

Western Kentucky is led by first-year head coach Steve Lutz, who has history with head coach Corey Gipson and his staff that he brought with him from Northwestern State. Lutz previously served as the head coach at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, who defeated the Demons in the Southland Conference Tournament Championship, while also winning both of the regular-season meetings.

Sharp had his best performance of his career in a regular-season meeting against Lutz's Islanders, with a career-best 40 points on 15 made baskets. He also scored 32 in that championship matchup against TAMU-CC.

Up Next

Austin Peay closes out the calendar year with a 7 p.m., Dec. 22 game against Ohio on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena 

Broadcast Information

Radio: ESPN Clarksville 104.1 – Brian Rives (PxP), Jeff Matthews (Color) 
All Austin Peay men's basketball games are aired on ESPN Clarksville, with pregame coverage beginning 30 minutes prior to tipoff.
TV: ESPN + – Barry Gresham (PxP) / Tyler Hansbrough (Color)
All Austin Peay basketball home games, all ASUN contests, and select road games are broadcast on ESPN+. Broadcasts all begin at the top of the hour and feature a two-minute preview leading up to the game.

From The Jump

• Austin Peay faces another long-time rival in Western Kentucky, Saturday, in Bowling Green, Kentucky
• The Hilltoppers lead the 81-year rivalry, 43-14, and are 26-5 all-time against the Govs at home.
• Austin Peay continued its first winning streak of the season with a 70-68 win at Southern Illinois, Tuesday.
• The Govs held the Salukis without a field goal for the final 5:02 of the second half to claim their first road win of the season.
• Ja'Monta Black posted his third 20-point scoring performance in the win against the Salukis with 22 points. He also made his second-most threes in a game with six on 10 attempts.
• Black is second nationally with 43 made three-pointers through 12 games.
• DeMarcus Sharp leads the nation with 94 made field goals and 220 attempts.
• Sharp ranks in the top 25 nationally in six other statistical categories, including assists (58, 23rd), double-doubles (4, 25th), minutes per game (36:49, 13th), points (222, 10th), steals (30, 8th), and steals per game (2.5, 22nd).
• Sharp is the reigning ASUN Newcomer of the Week, earning the award for the second time this season, Monday.
• Austin Peay is 5-0 when scoring at least 70 points this season. It also is 3-0 when holding opponents to under 60 points.
• The Govs are 5-1 when outshooting their opponents, 4-0 when making more free throws, and 4-0 when shooting better than 45 percent from the field.
• Austin Peay is 6-3 when having a student-athlete score at least 20 points and 4-0 when recording more second chance points and fast break points.

Scouting the Hilltoppers

Their Head Coach: Steve Lutz is in his first year at Western Kentucky where he has led the Hilltoppers to an 8-3 record thus far. Previously, Lutz served as the head coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi where he led the Islanders to the 2022-23 Southland Conference Regular Season and Tournament Championships, including a win in the NCAA Tournament against Southeast Missouri.

2023-24 Record: 8-3 (0-0 CUSA)

Their Season So Far: The Hilltoppers won four of their first five games of the season, which included a common opponent with Austin Peay, Murray State. Ater back-to-back losses to Canisius and UNC Asheville, WKU has answered with four-straight wins coming against Campbellsville, Eastern Kentucky, Buffalo, and Wright State.

2022-23 Record: 17-16 (8-12 CUSA)

2022-23 Season Result: The Hilltoppers' 2022-23 season came to an end following a 75-51 loss to Florida Atlantic in the Confernce USA Championship Quarterfinals

Notable Returner: Khristian Lander leads all WKU newcomers with 9.7 points per game. He has scored in double figures in three of the last four games, a stretch that began with a season-high 22-point outing against Campbellsville, Nov. 29.

Notable Newcomer: An Indian Hills Community College transfer, Don McHenry leads Western Kentucky with 15.1 points per game. He also is shooting 49.2 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three, and 85.7 percent from the free throw line. He scored a season-high 30 points in the Hilltoppers win against Wright State

Series History: 43-14 Western Kentucky | 26-5 Western Kentucky in Bowling Green | WKU as won 11-straight.

Last Meeting: Western Kentucky defeated Austin Peay 75-74, Nov. 30, 2022 in the Winfield Dunn Center. 

Follow The Govs On Social

For news and updates throughout the 2023-24 season, follow the men's basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB), on Facebook (Austin Peay Men's Basketball), or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.