Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Quarterfinals: No. 1 Austin Peay used an early 8-2 run in overtime to get past pesky No. 8 Tennessee State 89-84 Tuesday night and move into the Ohio Valley Conference semifinals to face No. 5 Samford Friday. The Governors’ Drake Reed scored 27 points, but Austin Peay still needed a Fernandez Lockett jumper with 30 seconds left to tie the score at 69 and send it into overtime. Ervin Reiley paced the Tigers with 24 points.
Randall Gulina and Jerry Smith scored 20 points apiece, and Samford shot a blistering 75 percent from the field in the second half to overcome No. 4 Murray State 70-60. Samford and Murray State were tied at 26 going into the half, but the Bulldogs began the second period with a 10-0 run to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Guard Ed Horton led the Racers with 16 points.
No. 2 Eastern Kentucky had little trouble dismissing No. 7 Morehead State 63-45 and will play No. 3 Tennessee Tech Friday. The Colonels never trailed and put the game away early with a 16-0 first-half run. Reserve Jamaal Douglas, who played only 19 minutes, led Eastern Kentucky with 16 points. Morehead was led by Cordaryl Ballard with 17 points.
No. 6 Southeast Missouri State couldn’t throw it in the ocean Tuesday night, as Tennessee Tech handed them an 88-60 whooping that puts the Golden Eagles in the Ohio Valley Conference semifinals. The Red Hawks shot only 35 percent from the field, while the Eagles shot 60 percent. Tennessee Tech, which scored 50 points in the second half, was by Belton Rivers and Anthony Fisher with 17 points apiece. [2/28/07]
