JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Coming off an 16-point comeback victory in its Atlantic Sun Conference opener, Austin Peay State University's basketball team remains in Jacksonville for its second matchup of league play when it faces Jacksonville in a 2 p.m. (CT), Thursday game at Swisher Gymnasium.

Austin Peay (6-8, 1-0 ASUN) erased a 16-point first-half deficit in its 97-89, ASUN opener against North Florida, Thursday. Anton Brookshire led the Govs in scoring with a career-best 25 points in the victory, which included a perfect, 14-for-14 day at the charity stripe. As a team, the Governors went 34-for-39 from the stripe against UNF, its most free throws since making 37 against Southeast Missouri, Jan. 29, 2008.

The Governors' 97 points against the Ospreys was a season-high mark and its most since scoring 101 against UNF during the 2024 ASUN Men's Basketball Championship Quarterfinals.

In addition to Brookshire's 25 points, Sai Witt and LJ Thomas both scored 23 points, their sixth and third 20-point games of the season, respectively. Thomas also led the Govs with nine rebounds, while Witt was second on the team with seven and tied for a team-best two offensive rebounds. 

Thomas paces APSU with 18.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in 12 appearances and as many starts. The junior guard has scored in double figures 11 times this season and led the Govs in scoring seven times.

Freshman Tate McCubbin has scored in double figures in four-straight games, averaging 13.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game during that span. The Columbia, Missouri native also has made 13-of-19 three-pointers in his last four outings, connecting at a 68.4% clip in the span.

Jacksonville (6-7, 0-1 ASUN) dropped a 70-65 decision to Lipscomb in its ASUN opener, Thursday. The Dolphins cut a 14-point deficit to two points with under five minutes left to play, but was unable to complete the comeback.

The ASUN Preseason Player of the Year, Robert McCray V had 22 points in the loss, his sixth 20-point game of his junior season. 

Up Next

The Governors return to Clarksville for three-straight games – its first homestand of the season – beginning with a 7 p.m., Jan. 9 contest against ASUN newcomer West Georgia for "Let's Glow Peay Night" and 931 Thursday. Following the contest against the Wolves, APSU hosts Queens in a 4 p.m., Jan. 11 game. 

From the Jump

• Austin Peay enters its second ASUN Conference contest of the season 6-8 on the season and 1-0 in league play.
• Austin Peay looks to open conference play unbeaten through its first two games for the first time in its ASUN Era, and the first time since beginning the 2019-20 OVC campaign, 10-0. 
• Anton Brookshire paced the Govs with 25 points, including a perfect, 14-for-14 night at the free throw line. 
• Sai Witt and LJ Thomas scored 23 points last time out against the Ospreys as well. 
• Brookshire, Witt, and Thomas' scoring performances marked the first time three Govs scored 20-plus points in the same game since Witt, Dezi Jones, and Ja'Monta Black against North Florida during the 2023-24 regular season (2/3/24). 
• With the win against UNF, head coach Corey Gipson moved to ninth all-time in head coaching wins with 24, breaking a tie with Scott Alden (1930-33). Gipson needs five wins to tie Halbert Harvills' 29 wins (1929-30, 1933-36).
• Austin Peay is 2-1 in the city of Jacksonville this season, with a win against Georgia State in the 2024 Jacksonville Classic in November. 
• Austin Peay is 5-0 this season when shooting at least 45% from the field.
• The Governors are 5-0 this season when shooting at least 35% from three-point range and 4-2 when making more three-pointers than the opponent. 
• Austin Peay is 3-0 this season and 8-1 under Corey Gipson when scoring at least 90 points. 
• The Governors are 3-2 coming off a win this season and 1-1 when on a winning streak.
• Austin Peay looks to earn its first Saturday win of the season against the Dolphins.
• The Governors look to win back-to-back road games for the first time since defeating Central Arkansas (2/15/24) and North Alabama (2/17/24) last season in its final road contests of the regular season.
• Austin Peay has utilized 12 different starting lineups this season, including 11 in as many games.

Scouting The Dolphins

• Jacksonville is 6-7 this season under fourth-year head coach Jordan Mincy.
• Mincy is 56-50 while at the helm of the Dolphins.
• Mincy and JU entered the 2024 ASUN Men's Basketball Championship as the No. 10 seed a season ago, and defeated #9 Kennesaw State and #1 – and the ASUN regular-season champion – Eastern Kentucky in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals, where its season came to an end to eventual ASUN Tournament Champions, Stetson.
• Jacksonville was picked to finish fifth in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll and eighth by the league's media members.
• A Third Team All-ASUN selection, Robert McCray V was tabbed as the ASUN Preseason Player of the Year and JU's lone selection to the Preseason All-ASUN Team.
•  McCray V averaged 18.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season, and is averaging 16.3 points and 4.4 rebounds per game this season.
• McCray V is the only Dolphin averaging double figures this season. He is followed in scoring by Zach Bells' 9.2 points per game. 
• JU's best perimeter threat is Zimi Nwokeji, a transfer from Dayton. Nwokeji – who made just 18 threes in four playing seasons at Dayton – has made 24 on 60 attempts this season. 

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.