Thursday, February 28th, 7:30 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: Paul S. McBrayer Arena (6,500) -- Richmond, Kentucky. Television: OVCSports. Home Record: Austin Peay 12-1, EKU 9-5. Away Record: Austin Peay 6-8, EKU 5-8. Neutral Record: Austin Peay 1-1, EKU 0-0. Conference Record: Austin Peay 14-4, EKU 10-8. Series Record: Austin Peay leads, 53-45.

GAME NOTES: The Austin Peay Governors will try to secure the top spot in the Ohio Valley Conference, when they take on the Eastern Kentucky Colonels this evening at McBrayer Arena. Austin Peay is currently on top of the OVC standings with an impressive 14-4 ledger and with a win tonight, will clinch the top spot in the conference tournament. The Governors have won six of their last seven games, and are coming off a tough, 80-72 victory over Georgia Southern this past weekend. As for the Colonels, they snapped a three-game losing skid with a 51-48 victory over Ball State this past Saturday. EkU has been mediocre in league action, posting a 10-8 ledger against league foes. The Colonels will close out their regular season this Saturday when they host the Tennessee State Tigers. In terms of the all-time series, the Govs hold a 53-45 lead and that includes the team's 75-67 victory over EKU earlier this year.

The Governors have been fortunate this season, as eight of the team's 12 players have participated in all 29 games. Drake Reed is pacing five players in double figures with 15.3 ppg and is also collecting 5.7 rpg. Derek Wright is running the show on the floor, averaging 4.7 apg, while contributed 11.9 ppg. Wes Channels has been solid off the bench for the Govs, and is posting 11.3 ppg in a reserve role. Todd Babington and Fernandez Lockett have also done well this year and are netting 11.2 and 11.0 ppg, respectively. Lockett has also been tough on the boards, grabbing 6.9 rpg. Over the weekend, the Govs put forth another strong outing, netting 80 points in a win over Georgia Southern. Austin Peay shot 50.0 percent from the field and was led by Reed, who scored 22 points. Babington added 18 points, while Wright tallied 14 points to go along with four assists.

The Colonels' success this season can be attributed to the team's strong play defensively, as EKU is limiting the opposition to just 63.1 ppg, while forcing 14.2 turnovers per contest. The Colonels continued their tenacious defensive play this past weekend, as the squad defeated Ball State 51-48. In the win, the Colonels held the Cardinals to just 39.6 percent shooting and also forced them into 16 miscues. At the other end of the court, EKU was paced by Mike Rose, who scored 17 points to go along with five rebounds and five assists. Rose has been the main scoring threat for EKU all year and is contributing 15.7 ppg. Josh Taylor and Darnell Dialls added 13 and 11 points, respectively, in the win over Ball State. Dialls has performed well in the paint for EKU and is netting 12.6 ppg to go along with 6.2 rpg. As a whole, Eastern Kentucky is shooting a solid 44.4 percent from the floor, but that has led to just 63.3 ppg.

The Governors will definitely have a tough time offensively in this contest, but despite being on the road, expect Austin Peay to pull out a hard-fought victory en route to the top seed in the OVC tournament.

Predicted Outcome

Austin Peay 67, Eastern Kentucky 64