CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University's basketball team continues a six-game road trip back in the Volunteer State where it faces East Tennessee in a 3 p.m. (CT), Saturday game at Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tennessee.

Austin Peay (4-3) is coming off a pair of games in Florida for the 2024 Jacksonville Classic. The Governors split their two MTE contests, defeating Georgia State but falling to UT Arlington in the tournament finale. 

The top scorer in the Atlantic Sun Conference, LJ Thomas has paced the Govs' in the scoring column in five of the last six games. The North Carolina State transfer averaged 20.0 points per game this season and paces the Governors in rebounds (33), assists (25), minutes (239), and is tied with Anton Brookshire for a team-best 10 steals.

Thomas and Quan Lax have been mainstays in the APSU's five unique starting lineups, appearing in the opening five across each of Govs' first seven games. Lax is coming off a season-high 10-point, seven-rebound, five-assist performance against UT Arlington, Wednesday, with his seven boards a career-high for the redshirt junior who joined APSU over the offseason after beginning his career at Freed-Hardeman. 

Led by a defense that ranks second in the ASUN Conference with 69.4 points per game allowed, the Govs force 13.7 turnovers per game, and are scoring an average of 17.3 points off those turnovers per contest. 

Tekao Carpenter leads an APSU bench unit that is supplying 15.7 points per game with 6.7 points per night. Carpenter leads Austin Peay with 15 three-pointers in 21.4 minutes per game. All but one of Carpenter's 37 attempts from the field this season have come from three-point range. 

A starter across the Govs' last three games, JaVar Daniel has made the most of his increased opportunities, as the 6-10 guard/forward is coming off a season-high three blocks against UT Arlington. Daniel is averaging 4.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game as a starter this season. 

Austin Peay's upcoming game against ETSU (5-2) is the 72nd all-time meeting between the two, and the first since a 67-66 APSU victory over the Buccaneers during the 2020 #BeachBubble Gulf Coast Showcase in Fort Myers, Florida. 

Despite the win four years ago, ETSU leads the all-time series 41-30 and is 25-9 all-time against the Governors in Johnson City. 

Austin Peay's game at ETSU will be streamed live on ESPN+. Fans also can tune into the Governors Sports Network on ESPN Clarksville (104.1 FM / 540 AM) or via the TuneIn app to hear Brian Rives and Jeff Matthews call all the action.

Up Next

Austin Peay concludes its longest road trip of the season when it takes on Samford in a 2 p.m., Dec. 8 contest at the Pete Hanna Center in Birmingham, Alabama.

From The Jump

• Austin Peay plays its fifth game of a six-game road trip when it meets ETSU for a 3 p.m. (CT) contest in Johnson City, Tennessee.
• The six-game, 21-day road trip is Austin Peay's longest since a seven-game, 22-day trip at the beginning of the 2018-19 season.
• ETSU leads the all-time series, 41-30, and is 25-9 against the Governors in Johnson City. 
• Austin Peay ended a two-game losing streak to ETSU when it defeated the Buccaneers 67-66, Nov. 26, 2020 in the 2020 #BeachBubble Gulf Coast Showcase in Fort Myers, Florida.
• LJ Thomas leads Austin Peay in scoring with 20.0 points per game this season and is the only Gov to score at least 10 points across all seven contests.
• Thomas has scored 20 points in three of the last four games, and has paced APSU in scoring in five of the last six.
• Thomas' 20.0 points per game lead the ASUN and rank 29th in Division I.
• Thomas is eighth in the NCAA with 128 field goal attempts and 18th with 55 makes.
• Tekao Carpenter has made a three-pointer in three of his last four games, and paces the team with 15 makes from beyond the perimeter. 
• Tate McCubbin made his first-career start against UT Arlington, Wednesday, and matched his season's best performance with eight points and two rebounds for the second-straight game. 
• JaVar Daniel has started the last three games for Austin Peay and has at least one block in 5-of-6 appearances.
• Daniel's eight blocks this season lead Austin Peay and rank fourth in the ASUN.
• Anton Brookshire has tied for a career-best three starts this season and is coming off a season-high 13-points and a career-best five assists against UT Arlington. 
• Quan Lax reached double digits for the first time as a Governor against the Mavericks, and set a career-high with seven rebounds in the loss. 
• Austin Peay is averaging 17.3 points off turnovers this season, while allowing just 10.5 points off their own turnovers.
• The Governors are 4-1 this season and 15-5 under head coach Corey Gipson when leading at the half.
• Austin Peay is 17-4 under Gipson when shooting at least 45% from the field

Scouting the Buccaneers

• After going 19-16 overall and 8-10 in Southern Conference play last season, ETSU is 5-2 to start the season.
• The Buccaneers were the runners-up in the 2024 SoCon Men's Basketball Championship last season after earning four wins in as many days to advance to the championship game. 
• ETSU is led in scoring by Quimari Peterson's 19.0 points per game, which ranks second in the SoCon. 
• The reigning SoCon Player of the Week, Peterson has scored at least 10 points in 6-of-7 games this season and has three 20-point performances. 
•  6-5 forward Karon Boyd leads ETSU and ranks third in the SoCon with 7.6 rebounds per game. 
• Peterson, Jaden Seymour (17.0 points per game), John Buggs III (10.6), and Davion Bradford (4.3) have started all seven games for ETSU this season, with Boyd appearing in the starting five in each of the last four contests. 
• After starting the season 2-2, ETSU has won three-straight games.
• The Buccaeers won their own MTSU MTE with wins against USC Upstate and Queens, and is coming off a 75-55 victory against Charlotte, Wednesday. 
• ETSU is third in the SoCon and 69th in the NCAA with 14.14 fastbreak points per game.
• ETSU is second in the SoCon and 51st nationally with 13.6 offensive rebounds per game.
• The Buccaneers are second in the SoCon and rank Top 100 nationally in three-point percentage offense (36.3) and defense (28.3).
• ETSU's contest against the Governors is their final home game until mid-December. 

Follow the Govs on Social

For news and updates on all things Governors' basketball, follow the men's basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB) and Facebook (Austin Peay Men's Basketball) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.