Austin Peay (1-3) vs. Cleveland State (2-1)
November 22nd, 2023 | 3:00pm
Cleveland, OH | Wolstein Center | Radio: WAPX 91.9 FM

Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s basketball team makes the trip to play in the Viking Invitational hosted by Cleveland State on November 22nd, 24th, and 25th, in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Austin Peay State University faces Cleveland State, Kansas City, and Chicago State, each for the first time in program history.  

Austin Peay (1-3) begins the tournament with a Wednesday 3:00pm game against host Cleveland State. The Vikings enter the tournament after defeating Central Michigan, 96-57, on November 18th. 

After the Wednesday matchup, Austin Peay State University takes on Kansas City for a Friday 3:00pm game. The Roos come into the tournament after 61-70 loss to Kansas, November 18th.  

The Governors take on Chicago State for their final game of the tournament on Saturday at 11:30pm. Chicago State is coming off a 57-80 loss to Florida Atlantic on November 17th.  

Austin Peay State University enters the tournament after falling to Butler, 47-53, on November 18th. Cur’Tiera Haywood scored a team-high 11 points and Shamarre Hale grabbed a season-high nine rebounds. The Govs are ranked first in the Atlantic Sun Conference in blocks per game (4.2) and field-goal percentage (43.6).  

Broadcast Information 

Radio: WAPX 91.9 FM (Carter Mansfield)
All Austin Peay State University women’s basketball games are aired on WAPX 91.9 FM. Pregame begins 15 minutes before tip and can be heard online at LetsGoPeay.com 

TV: ESPN+ (Cleveland State game) / YouTube (Kansas City and Chicago State games) 

About Austin Peay Women’s Basketball

This will be the first meeting between Austin Peay State University and the three teams they face. 

Head coach Brittany Young returns for her third season in Clarksville after leading the Governors to a 17-12 record in 2022-23. Young needs just nine victories for the most wins by an APSU head coach over their first three seasons. 

Returning for the APSU Govs is Shamarre Hale, who was the 2023 ASUN Sixth Player of the Year and received Second Team All-ASUN and ASUN All-Tournament honors. She was also a unanimous Preseason All-ASUN Team selection.  

Hale leads with Governors with 10.8 points per game. She is first in the ASUN with a 92.9 free-throw percentage. 

Also returning is Anala Nelson, who was an ASUN All-Freshman honoree, Tiya Douglas, Briah Hampton, and Gabby Zapata Smalls.

Nelson has started in 33 consecutive games and started every game she has played in college. She also was the first player in program history to receive ASUN All-Freshman Team honors and the first to be named to a conference all-freshman team since 2003 when the APSU Govs were a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.  

Nelson is currently ranked fourth in the ASUN with 2.0 steals per game.  

Out of the eight newcomers, seven came from Division I programs. Those transfers include, Kaili Chamberlin, Sandra Lin, Alyssa Hargrove, JaNiah Newell, Cur’Tiera Haywood, and Jeanine Brandsma. La’Nya Foster from Riverdale, Georgia, is the only freshman.  

Lin is currently fifth in the ASUN in assists-TO ratio (1.45), sixth in assists per game (4.0), and seventh in total assists (16).  

Douglas and Haywood are ranked third and fifth in the ASUN in blocked shots per game with 1.33 and 1.00, respectively.

About The Cleveland State Vikings

2023-24 Record: 2-1 (0-0 Horizon League) 

2022-23 Record: 30-5 (17-3 Horizon League) 

Last Season Result: Won the Horizon League Conference championship against Green Bay, 73-61 and lost to Villanova, 76-59, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, March 18. 

Returners/Newcomers:  6/7

Notable Returner: Destiny Leo returns for her senior season at Cleveland State after being named the Horizon League player of the year. She averaged 17.9 points per game and had 628 total points in the 2022-23 season.  

Notable Newcomer: Brooklynn Fort-Davis comes to Cleveland State after spending four seasons at Howard. She was named to the MEAC Third Team in the 2022-23 season after averaging 8.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.  

Series History: First Meeting 

About the Kansas City Roos

2023-24 Record: 1-3 (0-0 Summit League) 

2022-23 Record: 9-23 (3-15 Summit League) 

Last Season Result: Fell to sixth ranked Omaha in The Summit League Conference Tournament, 69-60.  

Returners/Newcomers: 1/13

Notable Returner: Tamia Ugass returns for her junior season at Kansas City. She started in 13 of 31 games played and averaged 7.5 points and 6.5 rebounds for the Roos. 
 
Notable Newcomer: Emani Bennett prepped at Lee’s Summit North High School, averaging 20 points per game and earning All-State, All-District, and All-Conference honors. Bennett was ranked eighth in the Adidas 3SSB Organization. 
 
Series History: First Meeting 

About The Chicago State Cougars

2023-24 Record: 0-5 (0-0 Western Athletic Conference) 

2022-23 Record: 6-22 (0-0 Western Athletic Conference) 

Last Season Result: Won the last game of the season against Hartford, 75-62, and did not make the conference tournament. 

Returners/Newcomers: 7/6

Notable Returner: Taylor Norris returns for her junior season at Chicago state after averaging 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. 

Notable Newcomer: Hailey Hohenecker comes to Chicago State after spending two seasons at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

Series History: First Meeting 

Follow The APSU Govs

For news and updates throughout the Governors’ inaugural season as a member of the ASUN Conference, follow the APSU women’s basketball team on X and Instagram (@GovsWBB) or check back at LetsGoPeay.com. 

Next Up For APSU Women’s Basketball

The Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team makes the final stop of their away game stretch when they travel to Macon, Georgia to play a December 2nd 1:00pm game against Mercer.