Austin Peay Storms Back To Stun Troy 75-73

Tuesday, December 19

Clarksville, Tenn.

7 P.M.

Troy University

5-7

Austin Peay

5-6

TROY

Austin Peay

Austin Peay Storms Back To Stun Troy 75-73

12/19/2017 10:05:00 PM | Basketball (M)

Box Score

By: Russ Schaffer

Box Score (PDF)

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – B.J. Miller's potential game-tying shot bounced off the rim in the final seconds as Troy fell in the last road non-conference game of the season 75-73 at Austin Peay on Tuesday.

After leading 36-27 at the half, Austin Peay (5-6) stormed back behind 27 points from Terry Taylor. His jumper with 1:22 left gave the Governors a five-point lead that may have put the game out of reach.

Instead, free-throw shooting would allow the Trojans (5-7) to claw back into a game dictated by foul calls as a combined 42 personal fouls were called. Wesley Person, who had a game-high 28 points, chipped in one free throw and followed that with two more after an Austin Peay miss to cut the deficit to two with 34 seconds remaining.

It became a game of attrition as a Averyl Ugba dunk once again put the Governors up by four before two shots from the charity stripe from Miller got it right back down to two.

Two more Austin Peay free throws extended the seesaw affair before Person hit all three free throws after being fouled on a 3-poniter to finally get Troy within one. Dayton Gumm proceeded to hit just one of two free throws on the ensuing possession, which gave Troy a chance to get to overtime before Miller's miss was off the mark.

Troy was forced to play the final 8:13 of the game without primary forward Alex Hicks after he fouled out. The duo of Juan Davis, Jr., and Javan Johnson had to shoulder the primary load in the front court down the stretch.

QUOTABLE
"We had a commanding lead," head coach Phil Cunningham said. "We knew they would come back and fight back. Our intention was to play man-to-man in the second half and we had to go to zone because we got in foul trouble.

"Every time we touched them, they called a foul. That got Alex (Hicks) in foul trouble and then Juan (Davis, Jr.) and Javan (Johnson) were in there trying to rebound. We just didn't get it done. We didn't rebound the ball when the game was on the line. It's very disappointing. We had a commanding lead and should have held on to it."

UP NEXT
Troy will close out non-conference play against Milligan on Thursday in Dothan before facing Georgia Southern on Dec. 29 at home to start Sun Belt play.

NOTEWORTHY
• Wesley Person's 28 points marked his seventh-straight game scoring 20 or more and third of 27 or more in that same stretch.

• Without leading rebounder Jordon Varnado, Austin Peay grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and outscored Troy in the paint 34-27.

• Javan Johnson recorded his fourth double-digit scoring game with 12 points on 4-7 shooting including 2-2 from 3-point range.

For more information on Troy men's basketball visit TroyTrojans.com or follow the team on social media at @TroyMensHoops.