CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – With a season-long five-game road trip behind it, Austin Peay State University's basketball team returns home for the first time in 22 days when it hosts Northern Illinois for a 7 p.m., Tuesday contest on Gary Mathews Cort at F&M Ban Arena.

Austin Peay (3-3) earned wins against Air Force and UNC Greensboro during its 22-day road swing. Last week, the Govs dropped a 72-65 decision to Ole Miss and an 84-75 Friday contest against Tulsa.

Freshman Zyree Collins leads Austin Peay with 13.8 points and 3.3 points per game. Collins' 13.8 points are the most of any freshman in the Atlantic Sun Conference and ranks 26th nationally among freshmen. Collins also is the first APSU freshman to score in double figures across each of their first six-career games since 2000, with no other freshman's streak reaching three games.

Collin Parker has led APSU in scoring across each of its last three games. After combining for 13 points in the season's first two games, Parker has averaged 16.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in his last four games, with his 22 points at UNC Greensboro (Nov. 15) being the most by a Gov this season.

The reigning ASUN Freshman of the Year, Tate McCubbin is second on APSU with 13.2 points per game, and has scored at least 10 points in 5-of-6 games this season. The Columbia, Missouri native leads APSU with 6.5 rebounds per night, with his 10 steals being tied with Collins for the most in the ASUN.

Austin Peay leads the ASUN with 66.5 points per game this season and has held opponents below their season scoring average each game this year. APSU also leads the ASUN and rank ninth nationally with 11.8 steals per game, while its 18.0 turnovers forced per game also pace the league and rank 13th nationally.

Tuesday's game marks the third all-time meeting between the Govs and Northern Illinois (3-3) and the first since a 67-64 Huskies' win during the 1996 nonconference season. Both games in the all-time series have seen the home team win by three points, with the Govs earning a 68-65 victory against NIU during the 1995 nonconference season.

Northern Illinois is coming off a 76-59 win against Loyola Chicago, Friday, for its lone road win of the season thus far.

Tuesday's game, and all home and ASUN Conference games throughout the 2025-26 season will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Barry Gresham and Ethan Schmidt on the call. Fans also can tune into the Governors Sports Network on ESPN Clarksville (104.1 FM / 540 AM) or via the TuneIn app to hear Brian Rives call all the action.

From The Jump

• After five-straight games on the road, Austin Peay returns to the confines of F&M Bank Arena for its third-ever meeting with Northern Illinois.
• The Govs have split the previous two meetings with the Huskies, with the home team winning both games.
• Austin Peay went 2-3 during its five-game road trip with wins against Air Force and UNC Greensboro, and losses to Wyoming, Ole Miss, and Tulsa.
• The Govs are 13-25 all-time against the MAC, with its most wins (9) and games (20) against a single opponent both being against Akron, who was in the Ohio Valley Conference with Austin Peay from 1980-92.
• Zyree Collins leads Austin Peay and ranks 26th nationally among freshmen with 13.8 points per game.
• Tate McCubbin is second on the team in scoring (13.2 points per game) and paced the Govs with 6.5 rebounds per night. McCubbin has led the Govs in rebounds three times this season, and has eight rebounds in each of APSU's last three games.
• Collins and McCubbin also are tied for an ASUN-best 10 steals this season.
• Head coach Corey Gipson has utilized two starting lineups this season, with Zyree Collins, Anton Brookshire, Tate McCubbin, and Collin Parker starting all six games thus far. Rashaud Marshall also has started each of the last three games for APSU at the pivot, with Quan Lax also being the first Gov off the bench in each of APSU's last three games.
• Austin Peay leads the ASUN in field-goal percentage defense (39.9%), scoring defense (66.5), scoring margin (+12.8), steals per game (11.8), turnover margin (+5.3), and turnovers forced per game (18.0).
• The Govs rank second in the ASUN in fastbreak points per game (16.0), and winning percentage (60.0%).
• Entering Tuesday's game, Austin Peay has made a three-pointer in 740-straight games, a stretch that began Feb. 21, 2002 against Southeast Missouri.

Scouting the Huskies

• Northern Illinois is led by fifth-year head coach Rashon Burno, who is 42-88 at the Helm of Huskies basketball.
• The Huskies are coming off a 6-25 season. This season, the Huskies have already won half the games they did last year, with wins against Louisiana-Monroe, Division III Benedictine College, and Loyola Chicago.
• NIU is one of seven teams in the country with a team consistent of entirely newcomers.
• A sophomore guard from Missouri State, Makhai Valentine leads NIU with 71 points this season, while freshman Dylan Ducommun – who made his collegiate debut last week – is averaging 18.0 points per game in two games.

Up Next

Austin Peay hits the road for back-to-back games, beginning with a 6 p.m. (CT), Dec. 3 game against Kent State at Memorial Athletic & Convention Center in Kent Ohio. Following its game against the Golden Flashes, the Govs then face UTRGV in a 1 p.m., Dec. 7 game in Edinburg, Texas.

Follow the Govs on Social

For offseason news and updates on all things Governors' basketball, follow the men's basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.