WKU Men’s Basketball triumphed over the Austin Peay Governors at Diddle Arena Saturday, 65-64, to claim their 12th consecutive victory over the team from Clarksville.
With their fifth win in a row, the Hilltoppers advance to 9-3 on the season and remain undefeated at home, thanks in part to junior guard Don McHenry’s 16 points and six rebounds.
First half
It was a team effort from the Hilltoppers in the first half. McHenry and fifth year forward Rodney Howard led the team in scoring, each having eight points to their name, while redshirt senior guard Brandon Newman took care of the boards, bringing down five in his 14 minutes.
In an inefficient first half for the Governor’s leading scorer, Demarcus Sharp, the guard from Charleston, Missouri, led the team with eight points, going 4-12 from the field. He also led the team in rebounds, bringing down five boards in his 19 minutes of play.
Team first half statistics:
WKU: 13-29 FG, 4-14 3FG, 5-5 FT | 17 Rebounds : 13 Defensive, four Offensive.
APSU: 12-27 FG, 3-9 3FG, 1-2 FT | 14 Rebounds: 12 Defensive, two Offensive.
Second Half
Continuing the tradition, McHenry led the Hilltoppers in the second half. However, after being on the wrong end of a 12-2 run, it was fifth year guard Jalen Jackson who stepped up defensively when the time was right.
With 13 seconds left and a one-point lead, Jackson held down the fort with great defense, clinching the Hilltoppers fifth win in a row, and their 44th win over Austin Peay.
Dezi Jones was the man for the Governors in the second half. To pair with his 10 points, the senior brought down two boards and dished out three assists. Yet, when the time came for the final shot, it was Demarcus Sharp who became the point of emphasis, ultimately missing and giving WKU the win.
WKU Head Coach Steve Lutz gave his breakdown of the final 12 seconds of the game,
“Obviously, we had a foul to give,” Coach Lutz said, “You know Austin Peay has got a really really good team, but they’ve got a really good player one-on-one in Sharp. Fortunately for me, I’ve played him, you know, this is the fourth time playing him, and I knew they’re going to him down the stretch.”
Yet, when it came to tackling the challenge of Sharp, it was always Jackson.
“They asked me in the radio show after the game, you know, ‘Why did you go to Jalen down the stretch?’,” Coach Lutz said, “Experience is so key in basketball and in life, and Jalen has faced him. This is his fourth time. He takes it so personally, you know, and Jalen’s a good defender.”
End of game statistics:
WKU: 23-58 FG, 6-22 3FG, 13-18 FT | 38 Rebounds : 28 Defensive, 10 Offensive.
APSU: 24-57 FG, 8-23 3FG, 8-11 FT | 35 Rebounds : 29 Defensive, six Offensive.
The Hilltoppers will travel to Riverside, California next week to take on the 6-3 California Baptist Lancers, a team currently sitting in fourth place in the Western Athletic Conference. You can catch the game on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 9:00pm CT. on ESPN+.
