Austin Peay lost all three games to Eastern Kentucky last season
It's not that Austin Peay dislikes the Colonels.
The Governors just don't have any reason to smile when Eastern Kentucky comes to town.
After defeating the Colonels (2-5, 0-1) 17 straight times entering the 2004-05 season, Eastern Kentucky reversed the trend last season with a three-game sweep, and sent Austin Peay home with a 52-46 loss in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game.
The Govs (3-4, 1-1) will get their first chance at payback when they play Eastern Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. today at the Dunn Center.
Senior center Zac Schlader said he hasn't forgotten.
"They ended our season," Schlader said. "I mean, they beat us in the biggest game of the year. So we all have that in the back of our minds. Not too many people have beaten us three times in one year ever, so we have that personal vendetta against them."
Senior guard Squeaky Hampton agreed.
"It's always on our mind," said Hampton, who along with Schlader has played in three straight OVC championship games. "You can't forget games like that. We have them at home this time first off, and we are going to go out and play as hard as we can and give them everything we have got."
The Govs expect the same from the Colonels.
Eastern Kentucky is coming off an 80-51 loss Thursday night at Murray State where it shot 40.7 percent from the field, and made just two of 17 3-point attempts and five of 14 free throws.
Austin Peay head coach Dave Loos said it was just one of those games for the Colonels.
"They have got a very good basketball team, that's the bottom line," Loos said. "I think they are good at every position. They have got every ingredient. ... I just think they had one of those shooting nights that everybody has now and then.
"I doubt that we will be that lucky."
One of the reasons Eastern Kentucky struggled against the Racers was because of the poor shooting night of point guard Matt Witt.
The preseason All-OVC first-team selection knocked down just three of 10 shots and just one of seven 3-point attempts against the Racers.
But while he struggled shooting the ball, Witt still managed to dish out eight assists to just three turnovers.
The Govs aren't expecting that kind of performance tonight.
Hampton, who along with point guard Derek Wright will get the challenge of defending Witt, said the left-handed guard is always tough to defend.
"He has no conscience," Hampton said. "He will pull up anywhere so you always have to be ready when you guard him."
Hampton said whoever is on the floor for the Colonels will be a test for the Govs as the three games last year between the two teams were decided by six, four and four points each.
"It's always a battle between the two of us," Hampton said. "They will bring aggressiveness and they have shooters. We have to come out and match their intensity and come out and play the best we can."
It's not that Austin Peay dislikes the Colonels.
The Governors just don't have any reason to smile when Eastern Kentucky comes to town.
After defeating the Colonels (2-5, 0-1) 17 straight times entering the 2004-05 season, Eastern Kentucky reversed the trend last season with a three-game sweep, and sent Austin Peay home with a 52-46 loss in the Ohio Valley Conference championship game.
The Govs (3-4, 1-1) will get their first chance at payback when they play Eastern Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. today at the Dunn Center.
Senior center Zac Schlader said he hasn't forgotten.
"They ended our season," Schlader said. "I mean, they beat us in the biggest game of the year. So we all have that in the back of our minds. Not too many people have beaten us three times in one year ever, so we have that personal vendetta against them."
Senior guard Squeaky Hampton agreed.
"It's always on our mind," said Hampton, who along with Schlader has played in three straight OVC championship games. "You can't forget games like that. We have them at home this time first off, and we are going to go out and play as hard as we can and give them everything we have got."
The Govs expect the same from the Colonels.
Eastern Kentucky is coming off an 80-51 loss Thursday night at Murray State where it shot 40.7 percent from the field, and made just two of 17 3-point attempts and five of 14 free throws.
Austin Peay head coach Dave Loos said it was just one of those games for the Colonels.
"They have got a very good basketball team, that's the bottom line," Loos said. "I think they are good at every position. They have got every ingredient. ... I just think they had one of those shooting nights that everybody has now and then.
"I doubt that we will be that lucky."
One of the reasons Eastern Kentucky struggled against the Racers was because of the poor shooting night of point guard Matt Witt.
The preseason All-OVC first-team selection knocked down just three of 10 shots and just one of seven 3-point attempts against the Racers.
But while he struggled shooting the ball, Witt still managed to dish out eight assists to just three turnovers.
The Govs aren't expecting that kind of performance tonight.
Hampton, who along with point guard Derek Wright will get the challenge of defending Witt, said the left-handed guard is always tough to defend.
"He has no conscience," Hampton said. "He will pull up anywhere so you always have to be ready when you guard him."
Hampton said whoever is on the floor for the Colonels will be a test for the Govs as the three games last year between the two teams were decided by six, four and four points each.
"It's always a battle between the two of us," Hampton said. "They will bring aggressiveness and they have shooters. We have to come out and match their intensity and come out and play the best we can."
