Austin Peay Gets Big Shooting Day In Win Over Visiting Mercer

Sunday, November 24

Clarksville, Tenn.

3 p.m.

Mercer University

3-4,0-0SoCon

Austin Peay

2-3,0-0ASUN

Mercer

Austin Peay

Austin Peay Gets Big Shooting Day In Win Over Visiting Mercer

11/24/2024 7:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay shot better than 51 percent from the field, including a 55 percent performance in the opening half, to key a 66-53 win over visiting Mercer on Sunday afternoon in F&M Arena.

The setback marked the third-straight road loss for the Bears (3-4) who played the first leg of a three-game road trip in northwest Tennessee. It was the first home win of the season for the Governors (2-3) who got a game-best 15 points from Sa'Mya Wyatt.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Austin Peay 66, Mercer 53
RECORDS: Mercer 3-4 (0-0 SoCon); Austin Peay 2-3 (0-0 ASUN)
LOCATION: Clarksville, Tenn. (F&M Bank Arena)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Austin Peay shot 55 percent from the floor and used six-straight points midway through the opening period to forge a 16-10 lead. Two free throws from Aspen Johnson knotted the score up at seven apiece, but a driving layup from Anovia Sheals on the other end of the floor sparked a 6-1 run by APU over the next three minutes gave the hosts some breathing room.

2ND QUARTER

Both sides went punch-for-punch in the second quarter, but it was the Governors that eventually carried a 29-20 lead into the halftime break. Austin Peay led by as many as 13 points, 27-14, following Jeanine Brandsma's second chance lay-in with 4:29 to play, but the Bears tacked up six of the first half's final eight points to cut into their deficit.

3RD QUARTER

Ariana Bennett drained a short jumper 67 seconds into the third quarter, but the Bears did not register another bucket until nearly five minutes later. Austin Peay, in turn, shot 50 percent (5-for-10) from the field in the period and used a 9-0 run to stretch its lead out to 19 points, 48-29, heading to the final stanza.

4TH QUARTER

Mercer caught fire in the fourth quarter, shooting better than 64 percent from the field, including a 3-for-4 clip from the perimeter, and outscored the Governors 24-18 down the stretch. La'nya Foster gave the hosts a 51-31 lead at the 8:28 mark, but Chelsy Bautista hit the front end of a two-shot foul 50 seconds later to start a 8-0 run for the visitors over the next minute.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Junior Ariana Bennett scored nine of her team-best 13 points in the second half, and finished the afternoon with one assist and a trio of steals as well. Bennett was 5-for-6 from the field.
+ Kayla Smith went 3-for-4 from the perimeter in the fourth quarter and finished her afternoon with nine points in just seven minutes of action.
+ Senior Ashlee Locke turned in nine points and a team-best seven rebounds, while redshirt sophomore Aspen Johnson scored six points to go along with five boards, two blocks and a pair of steals.

NOTABLES

+ Mercer fell to 0-3 in road games this season with Sunday's setback.
+ The Bears turned 16 Austin Peay turnovers into as many points, including a dozen points off of six turnovers in the second half alone.
+ Mercer scored more than half (30-of-53) of its points in the paint on Sunday, including 11 layups on the afternoon.

UP NEXT

The Bears will continue their three-game road trip on Wednesday when they make the short trip to northeast Florida to take on Jacksonville (3-2) in Swisher Gymnasium. Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m.

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BACK THE BEARS

Fans can help support the Mercer athletics department by making a gift to the Mercer Athletic Foundation. To find out more information about the Mercer Athletic Foundation, email maf@mercer.edu.