BOX SCORE
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Despite an early deficit and slow start, Morehead State Men's basketball used a 21-2 first-half scoring run to get back in the game and then fought tooth and nail against Austin Peay at home in Johnson Arena Wednesday night before prevailing 63-58 over the Governors in front of a raucous crowd.
The Eagles improved to 2-3 overall and won the program's fifth straight over its former Ohio Valley Conference rival. MSU led for only 7:57 of the night but still won its 54th home game in the last five seasons.
MSU trailed 17-4 eight minutes into the contest but held the Govs to only field goal over the next 10 minutes and surged ahead 25-21. MSU built its first-half lead to as much as 28-21 following
Kade Ruegsegger's at 1:50 and led 30-26 at the break.
In a game of runs by each team, APSU scored the second half's first 10 points to surge back ahead 36-30 with 15:10 left. APSU led 44-35 with 11:58 left in the game before MSU started its rally back. The Eagles cut it to 47-46 on
Kenny White Jr.'s jumper at 7:14. An 8-0 run from 5:22 to 2:58 turned the tide again in MSU's favor.
Dieonte Miles scored six of the eight Eagle points in the flurry, and the Eagles never trailed again. MSU forced three turnovers and two missed shots by the Govs in the final minute to stave off the visitors.
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White, Jr. paced his team with 18 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Miles tied his career-high, set in the last game against Chattanooga, with 13 points.
Jalen Breazeale and
Jerone Morton each scored 11, and Morton had a career-best five assists.Â
Austin Peay was led by LJ Thomas with 22 points and 20 from Isaac Haney.
Morehead State out-rebounded the Govs 35-30 and shot 49 percent (24-of-49) for the game.
MSU is idle now until Nov. 27 when it faces NJITÂ in the Cleveland State Throwback Tournament.
