CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The reigning Atlantic Sun Conference champions are coming to Clarksville.

Austin Peay State University's basketball team hosts Kennesaw State in a 7 p.m., Thursday contest on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena. The contest will be a Black Out and Let's "Glow" Peay Night.

The Governors (11-13, 4-5 ASUN) are coming off a 95-91 double-overtime victory against North Florida Saturday in Clarksville and look to capture their second-straight victory and ninth overall at home.

Sai Witt led the Govs with a career-high 30 points in the thrilling victory against the Ospreys last week in his return to the starting lineup. Witt also was one of three Govs to score at least 20 points, and was followed by Dezi Jones' 22 points and Ja'Monta Black's 21-point performance. 

Black led both teams in Saturday's affair with six three-pointers, bringing his season total to 80 makes from beyond the arc which is the sixth-most in program history. Next on Black's climb to the record book is Maurice Hampton's 82 which he set during the 2004-05 season. Black needs 23 makes across the Govs' final seven games of the regular season – plus any postseason contests for APSU – to break the program record held by Todd Babington's record of 102 set in 2007-08.

This week's game against Kennesaw State (13-10, 4-5 ASUN) is the second-ever meeting between the Govs and Owls, with KSU defeating the Govs 84-57, Jan. 26, 2023.

One of the fastest teams in Division I this season with an average of under 15 seconds per possession, the Owls lead the ASUN and rank sixth nationally with 16.6 fastbreak points per game, while their 84.5 points per game lead the ASUN and rank 13th in Division I.

KSU is led in scoring by Simeon Cottle and Terrell Burden's 16.6 and 16.0 points per game, respectively. The two have combined for 84 three-pointers and 207 assists this season.

Up Next

The Govs wrap up their penultimate homestand of the season with a 4:15 p.m. Saturday contest against Queens, which will follow the women's 2 p.m. contest against Jacksonville.

The Fastbreak

• Austin Peay hosts Kennesaw State in a battle between teams that are tied for sixth in the ASUN Conference standings at 4-5.
• The Governors have won six-straight games at home and boast an 8-1 mark on the home hardwood while Kennesaw State is 3-7 in true road contests.
• Austin Peay is outscoring opponents 713-587 at home this season, which is an average margin of victory of 14.0 points per game.
• Kennesaw State is being outscored in road games, 865-815, or 5.0 points per game. Two of those games include Power Five contests against Florida State (L, 94-67) and Indiana (L, 100-87).
• Austin Peay is led in scoring (399), rebounds (138), assists (108), steals (51), field goals made and attempted (173-395) and minutes (867) by DeMarcus Sharp.
• Ja'Monta Black's 80 three-pointers are the sixth-most in a single season in program history and 23 from passing Todd Babington's record of 102 set in 2007-08.
• Ja'Monta Black is the only Governor to start all 24 games this season, and is one of four players – Dez White, Dezi Jones, and Hansel Enmanuel – to play in all 24 contests thus far.

A Deeper Meaning

What a win means… First win against Kennesaw State… Govs improve to 9-1 at home this season… Govs improve to 1-1 all-time against the Owls and 1-0 against them in Clarksville… Govs return to .500 in ASUN play… Corey Gipson's 34th all-time win as a head coach and 12th as the Govs' head coach.

What a loss means… Govs fall to 0-2 against Kennesaw State… Govs drop just their second-ever game at F&M Bank Arena, falling to 8-2 at home.

Last Time Against Kennesaw State

Austin Peay fell in an 84-57 decision to Kennesaw State, Jan. 26, 2023, at the KSU Convocation Center in Kennesaw, Georgia. Sean Durugordon and Kelechi Okworogwo paced the Govs in scoring with 11 points apiece; however, the Govs were held to 34.0 and 19.0 percent from the field and three-point range, respectively.