INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – LJ Thomas: 29 points. Austin Peay: victorious in Indiana's Basketball Cathedral.
Thomas scored a career-high 29 points, as Austin Peay State University's basketball team earned a 68-66 win against Butler, Friday, at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
In addition to Thomas' career scoring output, the Governors took advantage of 16 Bulldogs' turnovers, which translated into 23 APSU points. They also outscored the Bulldogs, 44-26 in the paint.
After a pair of Butler (1-1) free throws to open the game, Sai Witt converted an and-one to spark the day's first of five lead changes just over a minute into the contest.
Butler led 15-10 through the opening six minutes; however, a steal and transition dunk by Hansel Enmanuel sparked an 8-0 Govs' run, which was capped off by Witt's third bucket of the early going.
Trailing 31-24 after back-to-back Bulldogs' threes, a Quan Lax three-pointer sparked a 12-1 half-ending Govs' run, which included an LJ Thomas pull-up three at the buzzer to give them a 39-34 advantage heading into the break.
Austin Peay began the second half the same way it ended the first: scoring in bunches.
JaVar Daniel opened the period scoring the Govs' first six points, as Austin Peay opened on a 9-2 run to lead 48-36. After maintaining its double-figure advantage for the opening four minutes of the half, a 15-4 Butler run trimmed APSU's lead to 56-5 with 7:27 to play.
A 4-0 Bulldogs run with under two minutes to play tied the game at 63 before an LJ Thomas layup put the Govs up for good with 46 seconds to play.
An Anton Brookshire fastbreak layup and later free throw was answered by a BU triple, but despite a missed free throw on the front-end of a one-and-one, a desperation Butler game-tying three-pointer missed the mark, leading the Govs to their second-straight win to open the season.
Up Next
Austin Peay returns to Clarksville for the final time until mid-December when it hosts in-state rival Chattanooga in a 7 p.m., Monday contest at F&M Bank Arena. The Veteran's Day Game is presented by Altra Federal Credit Union.
Inside the Box Score
- Austin Peay improved to 2-1 all-time against Butler and earned its second-straight win against the Bulldogs.
- The Governors now are 2-0 inside Hinkle Fieldhouse.
- Austin Peay is 2-0 to start a season for the first time since 2020.
- The Governors now are 3-8 against current Big East affiliates.
- LJ Thomas' 29 points are a career high and the most by a Governor since Dezi Jones' 34 points against North Alabama in the ASUN Men's Basketball Championship Semifinals, March 7.
- The Govs held Butler to just 7-of-25 from three-point range, including 2-of-10 from the perimeter in the second half.
- In the win, the Govs' ended a 13-game losing streak in its road opener.
- The Governors now are 11-9 following a win under head coach Corey Gipson.
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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.
