Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team makes the short trip to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt, 7 p.m., Monday, at Memorial Gymnasium.
The Governors (1-1) are coming off a 100-62 drubbing of Christian Brothers, the first time the Govs scored 100 points in 430 games. The Govs had six players in double figures, with five of those players setting career highs in points. The offensive production was top class as the Govs hit 39 field goals, the most in four years, and 13 three-pointers, one off the school record.
The Govs were paced by junior post player Arielle Gonzalez-Varner, who recorded the first double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds) since Brianne Alexander last January against Morehead State. Gonzalez-Varner broke through at the end of last season and has risen to the challenge of being an offensive focal point, as she is averaging a double-double over the first two games of the season (10 points per game, 10 rebounds per game).
For the Govs to win, they must get off to a good start and be able to sustain it. The Commodores’ opponents have outscored Vanderbilt by a combined 51-18 over the first quarter of play, but Vandy has a +23 point margin in the other three quarters combined, including a +15 margin in the second quarter alone.
While the name Vanderbilt could simply scare opponents, the Commodores haven’t been able to get going at the start of the year, dropping games to North Alabama at home and Middle Tennessee on the road. The 74-71 loss to North Alabama was particularly surprising, as it was North Alabama’s first-ever game as a Division I program.
However, the Govs will have to reverse the historical trend in order to get a result. The Govs are just 2-16 all-time against Vanderbilt, with the last win coming in 1977. The Commodores have won 15 straight overall in the series, the most recent being in 2015.
The Commodores have mainly relied on two players for their offensive production. Chelsie Hall and Autumn Newby have accounted for just over half of Vandy’s total points after the two games. If the Govs can take Hall, Newby, or both out of the game, they will have a good shot at pulling off the win.
Courtesy of APSU Athletics