CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Led by Sai Witt's double-double, four Governors scored in double figures to help lead Austin Peay State University's basketball team to an 86-77 overtime victory against Bellarmine in Atlantic Sun Conference play, Thursday, on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.

Witt had a season-high 12 rebounds – the most by a Governor this season – while also matching his season's best mark with 25 points. The performance marked the big man's second-straight and third overall double-double of the season.

Anton Brookshire followed Witt in the scoring column with 21 points – his third 20-points performance of ASUN play and ninth game scoring in double figures. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native also paced the team in assists for the fifth-straight game with five.

Isaac Haney and LJ Thomas rounded out the Govs double-figure scoring performances with 17 and 10 points, respectively. 

Witt scored the first point of the game from the charity stripe and it was answered by a Bellarmine (3-19, 0-9 ASUN) layup to bring up the first of 10 lead changes in the 45-minute affair. 

After a Brookshire three-pointer and Witt layup on the Govs second and third scoring possessions, Haney scored 10-straight Austin Peay (9-13, 4-5 ASUN) points to help the Govs build a 16-9 advantage with less than nine minutes in. 

After a pair of Haney threes and Brookshire's second triple of the afternoon, Me'Kell Burries – who entered the game with just three field goals on nine attempts all season – scored back-to-back baskets to extend the Govs lead to 23-14. 

The Knights cut their deficit to as few as six points with 2:15 remaining in the opening period, but APSU outscored Bellarmine 10-5 and ended the half with a Haney right-wing three-pointer to take a 42-31 lead into the break. 

Haney led all scorers with 16 points and four three-pointers at the half, as the Govs shot 46.9% from the field in the opening 20 minutes of regulation. 

Leading 59-46 heading into the under-12 media timeout, Bellarmine used a five-minute, 14-0 run to take its first lead since the game's first field goal. A pair of free throws by Tate McCubbin and a split trip by Haney regained the advantage for the Govs, but the Knights also made three-straight points from the line to again spark a lead change.

After a pair of makes by Brookshire, LJ Thomas ended an over nine-minute field-goal drought for the Govs to five them a 66-65 lead with with 2:47 to play and end a 1-of-13 shooting performance in a 10-minute span.

After Witt tied the game at 69 with 1:35 to play in the second half, the Knights' Billy Smith made a jumper in the BU a two-point lead with under 10 seconds remaining. Quan Lax then drove the length of the court and muscled in for a contested layup with under five seconds remaining to force overtime. 

Another day, another overtime period for APSU. 

Witt opened the extra period with a layup before Brookshire and Thomas answered a BU layup to give the Govs a 78-73 lead with 3:09 to play.  

From there, the Knights were only able to cut their deficit to as few as three points, as APSU went 6-for-7 from the line in the game's finally 67 seconds to secure the victory.

And scene. 

Up Next

The Govs will hit the road for a single away contest this weekend. Austin Peay faces Eastern Kentucky – who it earned a 97-90 overtime win against in its last home game before tonight – in a 3 p.m., Saturday game at Baptist Health Arena in Richmond, Kentucky

The Difference 

Kind of obvious, but overtime. Austin Peay went an efficient, 4-fo-5 with a one three-pointer in the five-minute period. Witt scored six points, while Brookshire scored five, to help the Govs outscore 15-6 in OT. 

Box Score Bullets

• Austin Peay improved to 4-5 in ASUN Conference play and is currently tied for eighth in the league standings with North Florida – who it defeated in the ASUN opener, Jan. 2.
• Austin Peay improved to 19-6 all-time in F&M Bank Arena.
• The Governors are 6-0 in overtime games in F&M Bank Arena and 45-59 all-time in overtime contests.
• Head coach Corey Gipson improved to 6-1 in overtime at Austin Peay and 8-1 in the extra period in his head coaching career. 
• Sai Witt led the Govs in scoring for the third time this season and first time since scoring 21 points at Ohio, Dec. 18.
• Witt's 25 points are tied for his most this season and are tied for the fifth-most b a Gov this season. 
• Witt's 12 rebounds are the most by a Gov this season, surpassing his and JaVar Daniel's 11-rebound games against North Alabama (1/25) and Morehead State (11/20).
• With his 21 points, Anton Brookshire continues to lead the Govs in scoring through ASUN play, and is currently averaging 17.0 points per game in nine league matches. 
•  Brookshire's five assists marked his fifth-straight game with at least five.
• Isaac Haney scored in double figures for the fourth-straight game with 17 points.
• LJ Thomas reached double-figure scoring for the first time since tallying 14 points against West Georgia, Jan. 9.
• Freshman Tate McCubbin hauled in a career-high 11 rebounds, while also dishing out a career-best two assists.
• Head coach Corey Gipson captured his 50th-career win and 28th at the helm of Governors basketball. 
• Austin Peay improved to 5-1 when scoring at least 80 points this season.  

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