GOVS PASS SCREEN TEST, WHIP INDIANS

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- With eight of their previous 10 victories having come by five points or less, Austin Peay's Governors were no doubt in need of a breather.

Who would have thought it would come Saturday against defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Southeast Missouri State University?

With a national television audience on ESPN looking in for the 11:05 a.m. tipoff, the preseason OVC favorite Govs clicked on all cylinders as they routed the Indians 88-60 in front of 4,334 fans at the Dunn Center.

The Govs improved to 11-3 overall and 2-0 in the OVC. The Indians fell to 9-5 overall and 1-2 in league play.

"I had no idea it would end this way," said Austin Peay coach Dave Loos. "I was very pleased with the way we played. It had to be our best game (of the season).

"But SEMO will be back. It will be a war the next game. It was just one of those days for us."

Southeast coach Gary Garner didn't even think his team played particularly poorly, especially not until the late going when the game had turned into a complete blowout.

Garner, whose squad trailed 47-38 at halftime and was well within striking distance after scoring the first basket of the second half, believes the Indians simply ran into a red-hot squad.

"We got beat by a really good basketball team that just really played a great game," said Garner. "I didn't think we played that bad, until we got so far behind. You just have to give them credit."

The Govs shot 52 percent from the field (35 of 67) and had just nine turnovers. While they had plenty of wide-open baskets, many of their buckets were of the contested variety. But it mattered little on this day.

"They were just really shooting well," Garner said.

Four players scored in double figures for the Govs, led by the brilliant Trenton Hassell, a do-it-all 6-foot-5 senior swingman who is regarded as a probable first-round NBA draft pick.

Hassell burned the Indians in just about every way imaginable. He scored 21 points on 9-for-11 shooting, including two of three from 3-point range. He also pulled down nine rebounds and dished out five assists while being charged with no turnovers in 32 minutes.

"We couldn't guard Hassell," said Garner. "I don't know how to guard Hassell. He is just a tremendous player."

During Thursday's one-point overtime win over Eastern Illinois, Hassell had hit just five of 18 from the field.

"Trenton struggled a little Thursday, but he really bounced back today," Loos said.

Said Hassell, "It was one of our better games of the season. We played together and got everybody involved. They (Southeast) experienced something we haven't experienced yet (an OVC title and NCAA Tournament berth last season). That's something we want."

Joe Williams, Austin Peay's senior center, scored 18 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Also in double figures for the Govs were explosive senior guard Nick Stapleton (19 points) and sophomore guard Matt Jakeway (12).

"They've got a lot of weapons, not just Hassell," said Garner.

Emmanuel McCuthison, who squared off head-to-head against Hassell, kept up well in the first half as he hit seven of 10 shots and scored 17 points. But McCuthison missed all four of his second-half shots and did not score.

Michael Stokes added 12 points and seven rebounds for the Indians. Monte Gordon, seeing more action than usual at power forward because starter Drew DeMond (foot blister) and reserve Daniel Weaver (sprained ankle) both missed the game, grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and scored seven points.

Terry Rogers contributed eight points for Southeast while his backup at center, Nyah Jones, chipped in with seven.

The Indians kept up with the explosive Govs fairly well in an entertaining, up-and-down first half. Southeast held four early leads, the largest being three points, then Austin Peay used a 17-2 run to go ahead 45-28 before the Indians closed the period with a 10-2 burst to pull within 47-38 at the intermission.

Southeast, with McCuthison having the hot hand, actually outshot Austin Peay over the opening 20 minutes, 57 percent (16 of 28) to 54 percent (19 of 35).

"I thought we played pretty good defensively in the first half and they still had 47 points," said Garner. "I thought they might slow down and we'd get back in it."

But the Govs never really did slow down. When Southeast's Antonio Short drove for a basket just 24 seconds into the second half, the Indians had pulled to within 47-40 and they appeared to have plenty of momentum.

But Stapleton drove for a bucket, Hassell scored on a follow shot and made the free throw after being fouled, then he deposited a spectacular reverse layup in traffic. The quick 7-0 spurt built the Govs' advantage back to 54-40.

Southeast never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way. The Indians pulled to within 56-46 after a Stokes basket with just over 15 minutes remaining and they were still alive at 61-50 following a Short bucket with a little more than 12 minutes to go.

The Govs, however, ended what faint comeback hopes Southeast had by scoring 13 straight points over the next 4:13 as they grabbed a 74-50 lead with just over eight minutes left. That spurt pretty much turned out the lights on the Indians.

Austin Peay's biggest lead was 82-52 with three minutes left. Seconds later, Loos cleared his bench as the home fans roared their approval.

Southeast, after the hot start, shot just 31 percent (nine of 29) in the second half to finish at 44 percent (25 of 57) for the game.