By Anthony Shingler | Assistants Sports Editor
Despite poor free throw shooting and playing short-handed, the hardwood Govs were able to squeak out a 66-64 victory, on the road at Jacksonville State Saturday, Jan. 23, in Ohio Valley Conference action.
The Govs were able to stop their five-game losing skid and got their first OVC road win this season to improve to 11-10, 5-4 in the OVC.
APSU Govs were without starting forward Anthony Campbell and forward Marcel Williams due to ankle injuries. Without two key players, the Govs had to play survival of the fittest in overtime, only making 5-of-12 free throws. Then subject to watching JSU’s John Barnes’ potential game-winning three-pointer final short at the final buzzer.
With the Govs leading 46-33 with 16:37 remaining in regulation on a 3-pointer from Wesley Channels, all looked well. But over an eight minute span, Jacksonville State went on a 12-2 run to tie the score on a 3-pointer from Trenton Marshall at the 8:26 mark.
JSU then would take a three-point lead at the 4:06 mark off a layup from Amadow Mbodji. Then, Wesley Channels followed it up with a counter 3-pointer to tie the score at 53-53.
Again, JSU took the lead, but Tyrone Caldwell tied it up at 55-55 with 1:56 in regulation. Neither team scored again. Channels bid to win it at the horn to end regulation came up short due to the physical JSU defense.
The Govs quickly took the lead using a 7-2 run capped off on a layup by Duran Roberson with 57 seconds remaining in the extra stanza. But then missed free throws doomed the Gov lead as they missed six free throws out of eight attempts down the stretch.
The Govs shot a blistering 17-32 shot (53.1 percent) in the first half. But then went stale, connecting on only 7-of-24 shots (29.2 percent) in the second half.
In the win, Wesley Channels led the way for the Govs with 23 points and 10 rebounds, in his second career double-double. Duran Roberson recorded his first career double-double; 12 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Blake contributed his third straight double-figure scoring effort with 14 points.
John Fraley had a team-best with 11 rebounds. The conference’s leading scorer Trenton Marshall was held scoreless in the first half, but led JSU with 17 points, while Mbodji added 12 points and 12 rebounds in game.
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