CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Here we go.

Entering its inaugural Atlantic Sun Conference Men's Basketball Championship as the No. 4 seed, Austin Peay State University's basketball team hosts No. 5 North Florida in a 7 p.m., Tuesday game on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena. The contest is the first-ever postseason game at F&M Bank Arena.

Austin Peay (17-14, 10-6 ASUN) won seven of its final eight games of the regular season to clinch a top-four season in the postseason tournament and earn one of the league's four quarterfinals host seeds.

On Monday, the ASUN Conference announced its postseason awards with APSU receiving three selections to various honors, including Sai Witt, who was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 12.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 52.8% from the floor. Witt is the first player in program history to be tabbed a Sixth Man of the Year.

Joining Witt on the postseason awards list was DeMarcus Sharp, who became the 100th all-time All-Conference recipient with his Third Team All-ASUN selection after leading the Govs on a per-game basis in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and minutes. Sharp is the first Gov since Elijah Hutchins-Everett (2021-22) to be named to an All-Conference Team.

Dez White rounded out the Govs' postseason honors with a selection to the ASUN All-Freshman Team, making him the eighth player to be selected to such a team and the first since Rick Yudt in 1991-92.

Austin Peay's eight-win improvement under first-year head coach Corey Gipson and his coaching staff are the most in the ASUN this season, the fourth-best turnaround in program history, and tied for the best single-season turnaround by a head coach in program history. 

The Governors have proven to be an effective 3-and-D team this season, with their 258 three-pointers this season just 16 off the program record, and their 31.3 three-point defense currently sitting as the program record, besting the previous mark of 31.8% held by the 2010-11 Govs.

Austin Peay's reign of the perimeter has been led by the team's new single-season three-point shooter, Ja'Monta Black, who surpassed Todd Babington's previous record of 102 in the regular-season finale against Bellarmine. White also entered his name into the record book during the Govs' win against the Knights, as, with his 61st three-pointer of the season, he broke the freshman three-point record which was previously held by Jordyn Adams since the 2019-20 season. 

The Govs' perimeter defense will be put to the test in Tuesday's matchup against North Florida (16-15, 9-7 ASUN), as the Osprey's are the national leader in three-pointers per game (12.0) and attempts (33.6).

Led by First Team All-ASUN recipient Chaz Lanier, who made 105 three-pointers on the season at a 44.1% mark, the Ospreys split their final six games of the regular season, but earned a 78-59 victory against No. 2 Stetson in their regular-season finale.

The Govs are 4-0 all-time against North Florida in Clarksville and won a double-overtime thriller in the team's lone meeting this season.

Witt had a career-high 30 points in the victory and was followed in scoring by 20-point performances by Jones (22 points) and Black (21 points).

Up Next

Win or the season's over.

The ASUN Championship is unlike most other postseason tournaments, as the Govs (with a win) will not know their next opponent in the bracket until all games are completed. If the games fall as they should (with higher seeds all winning their matchups) Austin Peay would travel to No. 1 Eastern Kentucky for a Thursday contest against the Colonels. If EKU were to lose, the Govs would travel to DeLand to face No. 2 Stetson that same afternoon, and if both teams were to lose, Austin Peay would host an ASUN Semifinals game against the second-lowest remaining seed.

The Fastbreak

• Austin Peay makes its 42nd postseason appearance as a Division I member (1963).
• The Governors are 45-36 all-time in the postseason.
• Austin Peay has won five conference tournament's in program history with the last coming in 2016.
• Austin Peay is 9-8 all-time as a No. 4 seed in the postseason and were last that seed in 2019 when it advanced to the Ohio Valley Conference Semifinals.
• Austin Peay is 23-7 all-time as a host in a conference tournament.
• The Governors have had 76 all-tournament selections (44 as a Division I program) in program history, with the last being Terry Taylor in 2021.
• Austin Peay is making its first postseason appearance as an ASUN program
• Austin Peay's eight more wins than it had last season mark the best turnaround by any team in the ASUN.
• Austin Peay is 21-15 all-time in quarterfinals rounds.

A Deeper Meaning

What a win means… Austin Peay advances to the ASUN Semifinals for the first time in program history… Austin Peay advances to a conference tournament semifinals round for the 25th time in program history… The Governors advance to a conference tournament semifinals for the first time since the 2019-20 OVC Tournament and fourth time since the 2017-18 season… Corey Gipson becomes the fourth head coach in program history to win their postseason debut with the program.

What a loss means… Likely the end of the Governors 2023-24 season, barring an appearance in the College Basketball Invitational.

Last Time Against Them

Last game & last win… Austin Peay earned its first double-overtime victory in three years in a 95-91 win against North Florida, Feb. 3, at F&M Bank Arena. Sai Witt scores a team and career-high 30 points. After scoring 11 points in the second half, he scored nine in the two overtime periods to lead the Govs to the victory.

Tickets, Please

For information regarding tickets to Tuesday's game, call the Austin Peay box office at 931-221-7329.

Follow The Govs On Social

For news and updates throughout the Governors 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.