DELAND, Fla. – After having its lead cut to one with 3:33 to play, Austin Peay State University's basketball team scored the final 11 points of the game, securing an 81-69 victory against DeLand, Saturday, at the Edmunds Center.

Austin Peay (10-5, 4-0 ASUN) turned the ball over just five times in the 12-point victory, while forcing 14 Stetson (6-11, 2-2 ASUN) mishaps, which translated to a 15-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

Collin Parker led all scorers with 27 points, which is the third-highest scoring game by a Gov this season, all of which belong to the Montgomery City, Missouri native. Parker was followed in scoring by Zyree Collins' 17 points, with the freshman also setting a new season-high with seven rebounds. Rashaud Marshall (12 points) and Tate McCubbin (11) rounded out a quartet of Govs who scored in double figures.

The victory extended APSU's ASUN-best winning streak to six – a stretch beginning in a Dec. 12 triumph over ETSU – which is the program's longest since a 10-game winning streak to open the 2019-20 Ohio Valley Conference season.

The Govs forced five Stetson turnovers in the opening six-and-a-half minutes of Saturday's contest to get off to an 18-10 lead following an alley oop from Anton Brookshire to Ja'Corey Robinson following Robinson's second-straight steal in as many Hatter trips down the court. A layup by Collins then extended the Govs' lead to double-figures with 12:49 to play in the opening half.

Stetson cut its deficit down to five over the next two minutes following a pair of layups and a three-pointer, but triples by McCubbin and Collins, and another driving layup by Collins helped the Govs re-extend its lead back into double figures.

Leading 39-31 with under three minutes to play in the opening half following a Hatters' split trip to the free throw line, the Govs went on to score the final six points of the period after a Parker layup, Brookshire three-pointer, and a Marshall free throw with 2.7 seconds to play.

The Governors led 43-31 at the break after shooting 53.3% (16-30) from the field and 38.5% (5-13) from the perimeter, while limiting SU to 41.9% (13-31) from the floor and to just four triples on 17 attempts.

Austin Peay extended its advantage to a game-high 15 points less than five minutes into the second half, but an eight-minute, 20-12 run by the Hatters made it a six-point contest with under eight minutes to play. After a Parker field goal extended APSU's lead back up to eight, the Hatter forced four-straight APSU missed shots, while going 3-for-5 from the field to make it a two-point game and force an APSU timeout with 5:28 to play.

A pair of Marshall free throws made it a two-score game heading into the under-four media timeout, but a Stetson three-pointer made it a one-point game with 3:33 to go.

In the final three-and-a-half minutes of regulation, the Govs held Stetson to 0-of-7 from the field and 0-of-3 from distance while going 2-of-3 themselves, including 5-for-5 from the charity stripe to secure the win.

The Difference

It's becoming a trend – and a mighty good one at that – but late-game defense and free throws. Until the 1:31 mark in the second half, Austin Peay was shooting just 48% from the charity stripe; however, it responded by making its final five attempts from the line, securing the victory.

Box Score Bullets

• Austin Peay improved to 10-5 on the season and 4-0 in ASUN Conference play.
• The Governors are now tied with Queens atop the ASUN standings.
• APSU's 4-0 start to conference play is its best since starting the 2019-20 Ohio Valley Conference season 10-0.
• APSU's four road wins are the most in the ASUN and already are tied for the most true road wins – not including neutral-site games – since having six during the 2021-22 season.
• With the win, APSU improved to 3-4 all-time against Stetson and 2-4 against the Hatters in DeLand – the win was APSU's first road win over SU since the inaugural meeting between the two teams, Dec. 20, 1776.
• With Thursday's win at Florida Gulf Coast, in addition to this afternoon's against the Hatters, the Govs have swept a Florida ASUN road trip for the first time in program history.
• The victory marked the eighth time since 2000 that APSU has won the first two road games of conference play.
• Collin Parker led APSU in scoring for the seventh time this season with 27 points. He now has all four of the top-scoring performances by a Gov this season.
• Zyree Collins and Rashaud Marshall tied for a team-best seven rebounds. It was a career-high on the glass for Collins, who paces APSU in rebounds for the first time in his career, and marked the seventh time that Marshall has led APSU in rebounds.
• The Govs' five turnovers today are the fewest in a game since turning the ball over just four times against Lipscomb last season (2/24/25).
• APSU's five points off turnovers allowed are the second-fewest this season, and the fewest since allowing just four points off turnovers in the season opener against Bryan, Nov. 3.
• The Govs' seven bench points allowed also are the second-fewest this season, and the fewest since holding Air Force (Nov. 8) to six.

Up Next

Austin Peay returns home for a 7 p.m., Thursday contest against Eastern Kentucky. Fans can purchase tickets through Ticketmaster by selecting HERE.

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