TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Sa'Mya Wyatt totaled a career-high 26 points as she led Austin Peay State University's women's basketball team to a 74-56 win at Indiana State for the Governors' first win of the season.
Austin Peay (1-2) and Indiana State (1-3) exchanged shots to begin the first quarter until consecutive three-pointers by Briana Rivera and a driving layup in the paint by Abby Cater gave the Govs a six-point lead at 15-9 with 6:33 left in the quarter. The Governors would not score again for nearly five minutes, allowing the Sycamores to take a three-point lead at 20-17. A layup by Sa'Mya Wyatt ended the Govs' drought and got them back within one of ISU with less than two minutes remaining. The two teams exchanged points, but a three-pointer by Cater with seven seconds remaining in the first quarter gave the Govs a 24-23 lead going into the second quarter.
The second quarter saw more back-and-forth action from the two teams, seeing three ties. A successful trip to the charity stripe from ISU's Queen Ruffin tied the quarter for the final time at 36 with 2:34 left in the first half. The Governors and the Sycamores traded shots in the final two and a half minutes, but a layup by Wyatt from a Sycamore turnover with 30 seconds remaining would make the score 39-38 in favor of the Governors headed into the locker room.
The Governors held the Sycamores to no field goals in the third quarter, only allowing six free throws. APSU got up by as many as 11 points from Wyatt's successful trip to the free-throw line. However, the Sycamores' four free throws in the final 1:17 of the quarter cut their deficit to seven with 37 seconds remaining. A layup by Cater with seven seconds left extended the Govs' lead to 53-44.
Austin Peay only allowed the Sycamores one field goal in the fourth quarter as the Govs outscored them 21-12. Indiana State got as close as 15 at 70-54 with 2:23 remaining in the game, but the Governors continued to control the game, taking the 74-56 win.
THE DIFFERENCE
The third and fourth quarters. The Govs held the Sycamores to six points in the third and 12 in the fourth.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
UP NEXT
The Governors head to Oxford, Ohio, for a 12 p.m. (CT), Nov. 17 game against Miami (Ohio).
