CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Coming off back-to-back wins to end the nonconference season, Austin Peay State University's basketball team tips off its fourth Atlantic Sun Conference campaign when it hosts North Florida in a 7 p.m., Jan. 1 game on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.

Austin Peay (6-5) sits atop the ASUN standings through the nonconference slate. The Governors were one of four teams to go undefeated at home during the pre-conference schedule, while their two road victories also are tied for the most in the conference ahead of league action.

APSU's 6-5 mark is the program's first winning record in nonconference play since the COVID-shortened 2020 season and is its first winning record in a non-shortened season since going 8-5 in 2018.

Last time out, the Govs earned their second win of more than 50 points with a 110-59 victory against Fisk, Sunday. The reigning ASUN Newcomer of the Week, Rashaud Marshall, led six Govs in double figures with a career-high 24 points in addition to six rebounds, four offensive boards, two blocks, and a 60% afternoon from the field.

Led by its defensive and efficient offense, APSU leads the conference in field-goal percentage defense (42.3), scoring defense (68.3), scoring margin (+11.1), three-point defense 29.7), turnover margin (5.2), turnovers forced per game (17.3), and steals per game (11.4). The Govs' 11.4 steals and 17.3 turnovers forced per game rank third and ninth in Division I, respectively.

Collin Parker paces APSU in scoring with 14.9 points per game and is one of four Govs – Zyree Collins (13.3), Marshall (12.4), and Tate McCubbin (12.0) – averaging double figures per night. Parker scored 14 points and hauled in five rebounds in 23 minutes of action against the Bulldogs, marking his sixth-highest-scoring game of the season. The Montgomery City, Missouri native also is second on APSU in rebounds per night (5.9), and trails only Marshall's 6.3.

Marshall is third in the ASUN in rebounding, with over half of his 69 rebounds this season coming on the offensive glass (35), which ranks second in the conference.

The Govs' contest against North Florida (2-11) is the 10th in program history, with APSU leading the all-time series 7-3, including a perfect, 5-0 mark in Clarksville. Austin Peay has won five-straight against the Ospreys and last defeated them in the first round of the 2025 ASUN Basketball Tournament, March 2, in Florence, Alabama.

The last time the two sides met in the regular season came in last year's conference opener, in which the Govs outscored UNF 63-45 in the second half to earn a 97-89 victory in Jacksonville Florida, Jan. 2, 2025. Anton Brookshire scored a career-high 25 points in the win.

Thursday's game will be broadcast 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 Kyle King call all the action.

From the Jump

• Austin Peay begins its fourth ASUN Conference season against North Florida.
• It marks the first time APSU has hosted an ASUN opener.
• APSU is 2-1 all-time in ASUN openers, including 2-0 under head coach Corey Gipson.
• Gipson is 18-16 all-time in ASUN play.
• APSU in undefeated against North Florida in Clarksville, with both of its last two games in Clarksville going to at least one overtime period.
• The last time the Govs and Ospreys met in Clarksville, APSU won a 101-98 overtime contest during the first round of the 2024 ASUN Basketball Tournament.
• The Governors are third in the NCAA with 11.4 steals per game.
• Zyree Collins leads APSU and ranks second in the ASUN with 22 steals and 2.0 per game.
• Eight Governors average at least one steal per game.
• APSU also is ninth in the NCAA with 17.3 turnovers forced per game. It has forced at least 11 turnovers in every game this season, at least 15 turnovers five times, 20 turnovers four times, 25 turnovers twice, and 36 once.
• Collin Parker leads Austin Peay and ranks sixth in the ASUN with 14.9 points per game.
• Head coach Corey Gipson has utilized four different starting lineups this season, with Matt Enright, Anton Brookshire, Tate McCubbin, Collin Parker, and Rashaud Marshall starting for the first time together last time out.
• Parker and McCubbin have started all 11 games for the Govs this season.

Scouting the Ospreys

• North Florida enters ASUN play 2-11 and is 0-7 on the road.
• The Ospreys are led by first-year head coach Bobby Kennen. Kennan has been on UNF's staff since 2009, and was the Osprey's associate head coach, 2012-25.
• Kamrin Oriol leads UNF and is second in the ASUN with 18.8 points per game. His 2.92 three-pointers per game are second in the league and 58th nationally.
• The Ospreys have lost a league-leading six-straight games, with its last win coming in a 111-67 win against NCCAA Trinity College of Jacksonville, Nov. 29. UNF's other win this season came against NAIA New College of Florida, Nov. 15.

Up Next

The Governors host Jacksonville in a 4 p.m., Saturday contest at Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena.

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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.