CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Austin Peay held off Eastern Kentucky 74-72 in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday night at Winfield Dunn Center. The Governors improved to 11-5 overall, while the Colonels fell to 6-12. The game was a conference matchup in the ASUN. Zyree Collins led Austin Peay with 18 points. Eastern Kentucky’s Montavious Myrick scored a team-high 15 points, and Turner Buttry added 14. Austin Peay led 37-38 at halftime. Both teams scored 37 points in the second half, allowing the Governors to maintain their narrow advantage. Austin Peay capitalized at the free-throw line, making 13 of 17 attempts, while Eastern Kentucky went 5 for 9. The Governors also forced 16 turnovers, converting them into key scoring opportunities. Attendance was 2,782.

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by relentless back-and-forth action and a dramatic final sequence, Zyree Collins’s all-around performance propelled Austin Peay to a narrow 74-72 victory over Eastern Kentucky in an ASUN Conference men’s basketball thriller on Thursday night at a raucous Winfield Dunn Center. A crowd of 2,782 watched as the Governors (11-5, 4-1 ASUN) survived a furious late rally from the Colonels (6-12, 2-3) to secure their fourth consecutive win. The contest featured 12 ties and 15 lead changes, with neither team able to build a double-digit advantage. The decisive moments unfolded in the final 36 seconds. With the score knotted at 72, Austin Peay’s Ja’Corey Robinson drove the lane and converted a difficult layup off a feed from Rashaud Marshall, putting the Governors ahead 73-72 with just over half a minute remaining. Eastern Kentucky, after a timeout, executed a play to get Juan Cranford a driving layup, which he made to pull the Colonels back within one point at 73-72 with 11 seconds left. The Governors inbounded the ball to Collins, who was immediately fouled. The 6-foot guard from St. Louis, who had been a catalyst all night, calmly sank the first free throw to extend the lead to 74-72 but missed the second. Eastern Kentucky’s Montavious Myrick secured the defensive rebound, giving the Colonels a final chance with 4.4 seconds remaining and no timeouts. The inbounds pass went to Turner Buttry, who raced up the left side of the court but was met by a wall of Austin Peay defenders near the top of the key. His off-balance, contested three-point attempt as time expired caromed off the rim, sealing the Governors’ victory. Collins finished with a game-high 18 points, adding four steals and two assists in 40 minutes of action. His defensive pressure was pivotal, contributing to Eastern Kentucky’s 18 turnovers. Robinson provided crucial support with 15 points, while Marshall posted 12 points and Collin Parker added 11, including two critical free throws in the final 90 seconds. Eastern Kentucky was led by a balanced scoring effort. Myrick, a 6-foot-8 forward from Atlanta, recorded 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Buttry scored 14 points, and Austin Ball contributed 12 off the bench, including a trio of three-pointers that kept the Colonels within striking distance throughout the second half. The game’s tempo was established early, with Austin Peay jumping to a 9-0 lead behind quick scores from Tate McCubbin and Collins. Eastern Kentucky responded with a 9-2 run of its own, setting the stage for a half that saw seven ties. The Governors took a slim 37-38 lead into the break after Robinson beat the first-half buzzer with a layup. The second half followed a similar pattern of runs and counter-runs. Austin Peay appeared to gain separation midway through the period, building a 61-54 lead after a Collins three-pointer and a Collin Parker free throw. Each time, Eastern Kentucky answered, often through the interior work of Myrick or the perimeter shooting of Ball and Buttry. A Buttry three-pointer with 6:09 remaining tied the game at 63, and the teams traded baskets and stops over the next five tense minutes. With Austin Peay clinging to a 71-69 lead, Ball hit his third three-pointer of the night off a Buttry assist to give Eastern Kentucky a 72-71 advantage with 1:38 to play—the Colonels’ first lead since the 13-minute mark of the second half. On the ensuing possession, Parker was fouled and made both free throws to put Austin Peay back in front 73-72, setting the stage for the frantic final sequence that culminated in Robinson’s go-ahead score and the Colonels’ last-second miss. Austin Peay improved to 8-1 at home this season, while Eastern Kentucky’s road struggles continued, falling to 1-7 away from Richmond. The Governors shot efficiently from the field, though both teams struggled from three-point range and the free-throw line in a physically contested conference matchup. The game lived up to its pregame billing as a close affair, though the combined score of 146 fell well under the posted over/under of 152.5. Austin Peay, which had been a 7.5-point favorite, covered the spread with the two-point victory. Eastern Kentucky looks to rebound quickly, returning home to host Bellarmine on Saturday. Austin Peay continues its conference slate with a road test at Lipscomb, also on Saturday. The two teams will meet again in Richmond on Jan. 28.

Preview: Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Austin Peay Governors CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A surging Austin Peay squad will look to extend its winning streak when it hosts a struggling Eastern Kentucky team in an ASUN Conference men’s basketball matchup on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, at the Winfield Dunn Center. The Governors (10-5, 3-0 ASUN) enter on a six-game winning streak, including a perfect start to league play. Their most recent victory was an 81-69 road win at Stetson on Saturday, led by Zyree Collins’ 17 points and seven rebounds and a 27-point performance from Collin Parker. Austin Peay’s offense has been potent, averaging 86.2 points during the streak. Collins, a key player to watch, has been a consistent force, scoring 23 or more points in two of the past three games. Eastern Kentucky (6-11, 2-1) aims to build momentum after snapping a three-game skid with a 79-75 overtime win against Central Arkansas on Saturday. The Colonels have shown resilience but have been inconsistent, particularly on the road where they are 2-7 this season. The Colonels will rely on guard Juan Cranford, who is averaging 18.3 points over his last three contests. He scored 20 points in the overtime win against Central Arkansas. Austin Ball, who added 18 points in that game, provides secondary scoring. The matchup pits Austin Peay’s high-scoring, confident attack against an Eastern Kentucky team seeking to establish defensive stability. The Governors won both meetings last season. Tipoff is set for Thursday night in Clarksville. Austin Peay will visit Lipscomb on Saturday, while Eastern Kentucky hosts Bellarmine on Jan. 17.