Clarksville, TN - The last time the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men's basketball team and North Alabama met, it was the Governors that punched their ticket to the 2024 Atlantic Sun Men's Basketball Championship game, this time, the Govs take on the Lions in a Saturday 6:00pm contest at Flowers Hall in Florence, Alabama.
Austin Peay (8-12, 3-4 ASUN) is coming off a 73-71 victory at Central Arkansas, Thursday. Isaac Haney led all scorers with 18 points in the win over the Bears, as the Governors escaped Conway with a win following a 16-0 run midway through the second half to erase a 10-point deficit with under 10 minutes remaining in regulation.
Haney's 18 points marked his most in ASUN Conference play, while Sai Witt followed his fellow Preseason All-ASUN Team teammate with 17 points and nine rebounds in the win.
Through the first three-and-a-half weeks of ASUN play, Anton Brookshire paces the APSU Govs with 16.4 points per game in league action, while both he and Tate McCubbin (13.7 points per game) have each knocked down 21 three-pointers since the start of the new year.
Brookshire scored 15 points Thursday for his fifth double-figure scoring game of the ASUN season, while McCubbin scored 10 to extend his streak to three-straight games with at least 10 points.
North Alabama (13-7, 5-2 ASUN) is coming off a 74-64 home victory over ASUN preseason favorite Lipscomb. Jacari Lane paced the team with 18 points - his 10th double-figure scoring performance in the last 11 games.
Lane leads the Lions with 16.0 points per game this season and is one of four Lions to start all 20 games this season. All five of UNA's projected starters - Lane, Taye Fields, Will Soucie, Corneilous Williams, and Daniel Ortiz - who have started 13-striaght games too, are averaging at double figures this season.
Saturday's game against North Alabama will be live streamed on ESPN+.
Austin Peay State University looks to begin its first winning streak in ASUN Conference play when it takes on the Lions for the 33rd time in program history.
Austin Peay State University is 24-8 all-time against the Lions and 9-6 against the Lions in Clarksville.
The Governors and Lions last met in the ASUN Men's Basketball Semifinals, when APSU defeated UNA 77-71 in Clarksville
APSU and UNA first met during the 1934-35 season when the Govs fell to then-Florence State, 32-28.
The Governors are coming off a 73-71 win against Central Arkansas on Thursday, where Isaac Haney led four Govs in double figures with 18 points.
LJ Thomas leads APSU with 14.6 points per game this season, while Anton Brookshire paces the team with 16.4 points per game in ASUN play.
Tate McCubbin has made a team-best 35 three-pointers this season. He also leads the team with a 41.2 three-point percentage.
Tate McCubbin has made multiple three-pointers in four-straight games and 10 of his last 11 contests.
North Alabama went 15-17 overall and 8-8 in ASUN play last season to make the ASUN Men's Basketball Championship as the No. 6 seed.
Prior to falling to APSU, the Lions upset No. 3 Lipscomb in the ASUN Quarterfinals.
North Alabama was picked to finish third in the ASUN Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll with 108 total points and one first-place vote - two points and one first-place vote behind the second-place Governors. UNA also was tabbed to finish third in the Preseason Media Poll with three first-place votes and 427 points, eight points behind third-place Florida Gulf Coast. The Lions did not have a player selected to the Preseason All-ASUN Team, however.
Similar to the Governors, North Alabama opened the season 3-0 with a highlighted, season-opening win at Air Force. After dropping four of their next five games against Division I opponents, UNA won three-straight to end nonconference play.
The Lions opened ASUN action with wins over Bellarmine and Eastern Kentucky in Florence, Alabama, before dropping their first game to Florida Gulf Coast. After beating Stetson in DeLand and dropping a four-point decision to Jacksonville in the Sunshine State, UNA has won back-to-back games against UNF and preseason favorite Lipscomb, most recently.
All five of UNA's projected five average double figures, led by Jacari Lane's 16.0 points per game. Corneilous Williams and Taye Fields command the Lions frontcourt with 167 and 165 rebounds, respectively.
For news and updates on all things Governors' basketball, follow the Austin State University men's basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsMBB) and Facebook (Austin Peay Men's Basketball) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com.
The Austin Peay State University men's basketball briefly return home for a Thursday 7:00pm contest against Bellarmine on Gary Mathews Court at F&M Bank Arena. The game, sponsored by the Flats Off Madison, also is Game Night and Greek Night.