Clarksville Times

Austin Peay State University women's basketball team held the nation's best three-point shooting team to just a season-low in triples, but it was not enough as the Governors fell to Florida Gulf Coast in ASUN Conference action, 55-42, Saturday, at Alico Arena.

Austin Peay (15-10, 10-5 ASUN) held Florida Gulf Coast (26-3, 14-1 ASUN) – who entered Saturday's contest averaging 12.1 three's a game – to just five triples on 19 attempts. 

Shamarre Hale scored a team-high 14 points, grabbed eight rebounds and tallied a 66.7 field-goal percentage – her 18th-straight game of making at least half her attempts from the field. Jada Roberson and Mariah also reached double-figures in scoring with 12 and 10 points respectively.

Gabby Zapata Smalls scored the game's first points on an offensive rebound putback; however, it was answered by an FGCU three resulting in the first of three lead changes. 

The Eagles made five of their first six attempts from the field to jump out to an 11-4 lead less than four minutes into the game, but the Govs answered with an 11-0 to end the quarter.

A layup by FGCU's Sha Carter cut the Eagles' deficit to 19-15 with 8:46 left in the second quarter and was the last basket by either team until a pair of FGCU free throws three minutes later.

Hale scored her fourth basket to give Austin Peay a 23-17 lead with 4:12 remaining in the half, but it was the final points for the Govs, as the Eagles ended the half on a 9-0 run.

Florida Gulf Coast answered a 5-0 APSU run that saw the Governors tie the game at 28 with a six-minute, 12-0 run of their own that stretched into the fourth quarter and gave the Eagles a 44-31 lead with under nine minutes remaining in regulation

A layup by Adams brought the Govs within seven midway through the period, but was the closest the game got, as Austin Peay dropped the 13-point decision to the league-leading and nationally-ranked Eagles.

The Difference

The Eagles nearly six-minute, 12-0 run that stretched into the fourth quarter. After cutting its deficit to one on an Adams three-pointer, FGCU's scoring run helped it jump out to a game-high 13-point lead which they held throughout the final game's final eight minutes.

Inside the Box Score

• Austin Peay fell to 0-1 all-time against FGCU and 91-77 against ASUN Conference opponents.
• The Governors held the Eagles to a season-low five three-pointers. FGCU entered the game leading the nation in three pointers made (12.1) and attempted (31.9) per game.
• Austin Peay held FGCU's Tishara Morehouse, who led the ASUN in three-point percentage, to 1-for-9 beyond the arc.
• Shamarre Hale led the Govs in scoring for the 10th time this season with 14 points.
• Gabby Zapata Smalls led the Govs in rebounding for the fifth time this season with nine boards. Zapata Smalls' five offensive boards are tied for the most by a Gov this season.
• APSU's 14 offensive rebounds are its second most this season and the most since grabbing 16 offensive boards at Kennesaw State, Jan. 5.
• Jada Roberson scored in double-figures for the first time in four games, while Mariah Adams reached double digits in scoring for the first time in three games.
• Anala Nelson tied her career high with five steals.
• The Govs were limited to a season-low four assists.

Up Next

Austin Peay prepares for its final road game of the regular season when it travels to Nashville to a 6 p.m., Feb. 23 game against Lipscomb at Allen Arena.

Original source can be found here