Austin Peay Governors
Record: (18-17, 7-9 Ohio Valley)
Head Coach: Dave Loos (26th season)
Season recap: Despite a sub-.500 regular-season record in the mid-major Ohio Valley Conference, the Governors reeled off four straight victories to win the conference tournament and secure the conference's automatic NCAA tournament bid. Austin Peay's biggest hope of advancing is senior forward Chris Horton, who is both the leading scorer and rebounder on the team. Horton averages a double-double with 18.9 points and 12.0 rebounds per game on an efficient 60 percent shooting. The athletic 6-foot-8 big man can get to the rim at will and finish close to the basket with high-percentage looks. On the perimeter, the Governors bring a duo of deadly shooters in freshman swingman Jared Savage and sophomore guard Josh Robinson. Both can cause damage from beyond the arc should opposing defenders choose to crowd in on Horton.
How they make a run: Ball movement is the key. Horton can dominate the paint given enough feeds, and he kicks out to his teammates to give them enough open looks and upset top-seeded Kansas.
How they falter: Jayhawk shooters find weak spots in the Governors’ perimeter defense and exploit those with 3-pointers of their own en route to a first-round blowout.
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