CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Governors are heading to the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship game.

Led by a game and career-high 34 points by graduate student Dezi Jones, Austin Peay State University's basketball team won a back-and-forth battle with North Alabama, 77-71, to clinch the Governors' first ASUN Championship game during the program's first postseason as a member of the conference, Thursday, at F&M Bank Arena. 

The trip to the title game marks Austin Peay's 17th in program history and first since it won the 2016 Ohio Valley Conference as a No. 8 seed.

There were 24 lead changes and 14 ties in Thursday's Saturday night semifinal matchup between the Govs (19-14) and Lions (15-17) – both season-high marks for APSU – with 15 of the lead changes coming in the first half.

Each of the first six scores led to lead changes, until a driving layup followed by a pair of free throws by UNA's Jacari Lane gave UNA a 9-6 advantage in the opening three minutes; however, five-straight APSU points by DeMarcus Sharp helped bring the two sides to even at 11 prior to the under-16 media timeout.

The Govs extended their lead to 20-15 following Jones' first three-pointer of the night, but a 5-0 UNA run brought the two brought the two sides to even for the fourth time in less than eight minutes.

The Lions made 7-of-8 shots from the field in a six-minute span beginning at 13:11 to take a multi-score game, and took a game-high 40-35 lead in the final three minutes of three minutes remaining. 

A perfect trip to the line by Jordan Wilmore, followed by an old-fashioned three-point play by Jones, and Dez White's first two-pointer of the game returned the lead to the Govs, but UNA scored the final four points of the half to take a 44-42 lead heading into the break.

Jones led the game with 17 points in the first half on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, and was followed in scoring by Sai Witt's eight points on a 3-of-3 clip.

Trailing by one with 11:50 to play, Jones went to the line following the under-12 media timeout and sank both of his free throws to spark the 24th – and, at last, final – lead change of the afternoon. The Hannibal, Missouri native then scored the game's next four points as well to extend APSU's lead to five.

The Lions would trim APSU's lead to as few as three points in the final two minutes, but perfect trips to the stripe by Isaac Haney and Witt extended APSU's lead in the final 20 seconds, as it clinched its inaugural trip to the ASUN Championship game.

The Difference

Late free throws and Dezi Jones' performance. Austin Peay made 9-of-10 free throws in the final six minutes to secure the win. Dezi Jones also logged the second-highest scoring performance by a Governor this season – trailing only DeMarcus Sharp's 35 points against North Florida in the ASUN Quarterfinals – in his 34-point night.

Up Next

The 2024 Atlantic Sun Conference Men's Basketball Championship.

Austin Peay travels to DeLand Florida where it will play Stetson for the conference title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m., Sunday. 

Inside the Box Score

• Austin Peay improved to 2-0 all-time in the ASUN Conference postseason and 47-36 all-time in conference tournaments.
• Austin Peay will play Stetson in its 18th-ever trip to a title game. The Governors have won five tournament titles and are a 12-time tournament runner-up.
• Austin Peay improved to 24-8 all-time against North Alabama and 14-2 against the Lions in Clarksville.
• The Governors improved to 14-2 in F&M Bank Arena this season – the most home wins by any team in the league.
• Corey Gipson's 19 wins are tied for the most by a first-year head coach in program history.
• The Governors' 10-win turnaround from last season is tied for the second most in the program's Division I Era (1963) and one away from tying the record set in the 1972-73 season. 
• Dezi Jones' 34 points are the second-most by a Governor this season and trail only DeMarcus Sharp's 35 points in the Govs' 101-98 overtime win against North Florida in the ASUN Quarterfinals, Tuesday. It also was a new career-high in the scoring column for the graduate student guard, surpassing his previous career-high set against Lipscomb, Feb. 24.
• Austin Peay now has won nine of its last 10 games, and 12 of its last 13 at F&M Bank Arena.
• Jordan Wilmore led the Govs with a career-high nine rebounds in 20 minutes. 
• The starting lineup of Sai Witt, Dez White, Isaac Haney, Ja'Monta Black, and Dezi Jones improved to 9-1.
• Austin Peay improved to 14-2 when shooting a better percentage from the field than the opponents (51.0% to 46.3%).
• The Governors improved to 14-1 when making more free throws (21 to 16).
• Austin Peay is 9-1 since the start of February and is undefeated (3-0) in March.

Postgame Quotes

Austin Peay Head Coach Corey Gipson

Opening Statement… "We really wanted to do this for the 931. These guys have made a bold statement in wanting to do this for something that is bigger than themselves. We had that tornado come through Clarksville, Tennessee [March 9], and what a better way for Clarksville's hometown team to step up and lay it on the line for this community. There were some lost lives and homes. But the energy that is being brought here right now hopefully can continue to revive the city before it is rebuilt from a physical standpoint. From an energy standpoint, as to how these guys are leaving empty, just let everyone know that we are paying homage to the city of Clarksville and the 931."

On changing UNA's attack… "We started Big Wilmore [Jordan Wilmore] in the second half, and that rally gave us the friction that we needed to set a tone to start the second half. He is a force to reckon with in the second half, he is a defensive juggernaut, and our guards became more comfortable with our ball-screen coverage knowing that he was the last line of defense. I am just thankful that he was ready to serve tonight and thankful that all of these guys stepped up and did it for each other."

Austin Peay graduate student Dezi Jones

On his performance… "Just me coming out and being aggressive put them on their heels. We attacked the basket and got to the foul line, which put pressure on the defense because they have to make a choice, it's either they collide and we find an open man for a three, or they spread out and I just keep going to the basket, draw fouls, and keep making plays for my teammates."

On the game being personal… "Yeah, I would say it was definitely a little personal [after not earning any ASUN postseason awards]. Last night, I got some things put on me in the film room about the last time we played them, so that has been in my head since then. We came out strong and wanted to show what we could do."