# Austin Peay Governors men's basketball

The Austin Peay Governors men's basketball team represents Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. The Governors play in the ASUN Conference starting in 2022–23, following 61 seasons in the Ohio Valley Conference. Austin Peay has qualified for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament seven times, most recently in 2016, making the field of 68 by virtue of having won the 2016 Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament. The Governors' head coach is Corey Gipson.
The 2022–23 season was not only Peay's first in the ASUN Conference, but also was its last at Winfield Dunn Center. After that season, the Governors moved to the new F&M Bank Arena in downtown Clarksville. The new arena was originally intended to open for the 2022–23 season, but was delayed to July 2023.
Historically, the "Governors" nickname applied only to Peay's men's teams; women's teams were known as "Lady Govs". However, since the mid-2010s, all Peay teams have used "Governors".

## Rivalries

The Governors' main rival has historically been Murray State University. The two schools are separated by about 65 miles (105 km) and consistently vied for Ohio Valley Conference championships. ESPN The Magazine featured the Austin Peay–Murray State rivalry in a February 2009 issue. However, the two schools are now in separate conferences, with Peay having joined the ASUN and Murray State the Missouri Valley Conference in July 2022.

## Year-by-year results

| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Postseason |
| 1942–43 | Fred Brown | 9–10 | | |
| 1943–44 | WWII | n/a | | |
| 1944–45 | WWII | n/a | | |
| 1945–46 | Bee Low | 2–19 | | |
| 1946–47 | David Aaron | 23–5 | | |
| 1947–48 | David Aaron | 16–9 | | |
| 1948–49 | David Aaron | 17–13 | | |
| 1949–50 | David Aaron | 14–11 | | |
| 1950–51 | David Aaron | 13–12 | | |
| 1951–52 | David Aaron | 11–17 | | |
| 1952–53 | David Aaron | 14–12 | | |
| 1953–54 | David Aaron | 14–13 | | |
| 1954–55 | David Aaron | 7–17 | | |
| 1955–56 | David Aaron | 16–11 | | |
| 1956–57 | David Aaron | 24–9 | | |
| 1957–58 | David Aaron | 17–9 | | |
| 1958–59 | David Aaron | 17–9 | | |
| 1959–60 | David Aaron | 22–5 | | |
| 1960–61 | David Aaron | 22–9 | (9–1) VSAC | |
| 1961–62 | David Aaron | 14–12 | (8–2) VSAC | |
| 1962–63 | George Fisher | 18–11 | (9–1) VSAC | |
| 1963–64 | George Fisher | 14–9 | (7–7) OVC | |
| 1964–65 | George Fisher | 4–17 | (2–12) OVC | |
| 1965–66 | George Fisher | 7–14 | (3–11) OVC | |
| 1966–67 | George Fisher | 14–9 | (7–7) OVC | |
| 1967–68 | George Fisher | 8–16 | (2–12) OVC | |
| 1968–69 | George Fisher | 10–14 | (3–11) OVC | |
| 1969–70 | George Fisher | 5–21 | (2–12) OVC | |
| 1970–71 | George Fisher | 10–14 | (5–9) OVC | |
| 1971–72 | Lake Kelly | 10–14 | (5–9) OVC | |
| 1972–73 | Lake Kelly | 21–5 | (11–3) OVC | Lost Regional semifinal |
| 1973–74 | Lake Kelly | 17–10 | (10–4) OVC | Lost First round |
| 1974–75 | Lake Kelly | 17–10 | (10–4) OVC | |
| 1975–76 | Lake Kelly | 20–7 | (10–4) OVC | |
| 1976–77 | Lake Kelly | 24–4 | (13–1) OVC | |
| 1977–78 | Ed Thompson | 15–12 | (8–6) OVC | |
| 1978–79 | Ed Thompson | 8–18 | (3–9) OVC | |
| 1979–80 | Ron Bargatze | 8–18 | (2–10) OVC | |
| 1980–81 | Ron Bargatze | 14–13 | (7-7) OVC | |
| 1981–82 | Ron Bargatze | 6–20 | (4–12) OVC | |
| 1982–83 | Ron Bargatze | 11–16 | (4–10) OVC | |
| 1983–84 | Howard Jackson | 11–16 | (5–9) OVC | |
| 1984–85 | Howard Jackson | 8–19 | (4–10) OVC | |
| 1985–86 | Lake Kelly | 14–14 | (8–6) OVC | |
| 1986–87 | Lake Kelly | 20–12 | (8–6) OVC | Lost Second Round |
| 1987–88 | Lake Kelly | 17–13 | (10–4) OVC | |
| 1988–89 | Lake Kelly | 18–12 | (8–4) OVC | |
| 1989–90 | Lake Kelly | 10–19 | (2–10) OVC | |
| 1990–91 | Dave Loos | 15–14 | (6–6) OVC | |
| 1991–92 | Dave Loos | 11–17 | (6–8) OVC | |
| 1992–93 | Dave Loos | 7–20 | (4–12) OVC | |
| 1993–94 | Dave Loos | 11–16 | (10–6) OVC | |
| 1994–95 | Dave Loos | 13–16 | (8–8) OVC | |
| 1995–96 | Dave Loos | 19–11 | (10–6) OVC | Lost First round |
| 1996–97 | Dave Loos | 17–14 | (12–6) OVC | |
| 1997–98 | Dave Loos | 17–11 | (11–7) OVC | |
| 1998–99 | Dave Loos | 11–16 | (9–9) OVC | |
| 1999-2000 | Dave Loos | 18–10 | (11–7) OVC | |
| 2000–01 | Dave Loos | 22–10 | (10–6) OVC | |
| 2001–02 | Dave Loos | 14–18 | (8–8) OVC | |
| 2002–03 | Dave Loos | 23–8 | (13–3) OVC | Lost First round |
| 2003–04 | Dave Loos | 22–10 | 6–0) OVC1 | |
| 2004–05 | Dave Loos | 13–19 | (9–7) OVC | |
| 2005-06 | Dave Loos | 17–14 | (11–9) OVC | |
| 2006–07 | Dave Loos | 21–12 | (16–4) OVC | |
| 2007–08 | Dave Loos | 24–11 | (16–4) OVC | Lost First round |
| 2008–09 | Dave Loos | 19–14 | (13–5) OVC | Lost CIT Quarterfinals |
| 2009–10 | Dave Loos | 17–15 | (11–7) OVC | |
| 2010–11 | Dave Loos | 20–14 | (13–5) OVC | |
| 2011-12 | Dave Loos | 12–20 | (8–8) OVC | |
| 2012–13 | Dave Loos | 8–23 | (4–12) OVC | |
| 2013–14 | Dave Loos | 12–18 | (6–10) OVC | |
| 2014–15 | Dave Loos | 8–22 | (3–13) OVC | |
| 2015–16 | Dave Loos | 18–18 | (7–9) OVC | Lost First round |
| 2016–17 | Dave Loos | 11–19 | (7–9) OVC | |
| 2017–18 | Matt Figger | 19–15 | (12–6) OVC | Lost CIT Quarterfinals |
| 2018–19 | Matt Figger | 22–10 | (13–5) OVC | |
| 2019–20 | Matt Figger | 21–12 | (14–4) OVC | |
| 2020–21 | Matt Figger | 14–13 | (10–10) OVC | |
| 2021–22 | Nate James | 12–17 | (8–10) OVC | |
| 2022–23 | Nate James | 9–22 | (3–15) ASUN | |
| 2023–24 | Corey Gipson | 19-16 | (10–6) ASUN | Lost CIT Quarterfinals |
| 2024–25 | Corey Gipson | 14-18 | (8-10) ASUN | |

## Postseason
### NCAA Division I Tournament results

The Governors have appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament seven times. Their combined record is 2–8.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1973 | Regional Quarterfinals Regional semifinals Mideast Regional third place | Jacksonville Kentucky Marquette | W 77–75 L 100–106 $^{OT}$ L 73–88 |
| 1974 | Regional Quarterfinals | Notre Dame | L 66–108 |
| 1987 | First round Second Round | Illinois Providence | W 68–67 L 87–90 $^{OT}$ |
| 1996 | First round | Georgia Tech | L 79–90 |
| 2003 | First round | Louisville | L 64–86 |
| 2008 | First round | Texas | L 54–74 |
| 2016 | First round | Kansas | L 79–105 |

### NCAA Division II Tournament results

The Governors have appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament four times. Their combined record is 3–6.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1958 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Akron Wabash | L 61–76 L 69–72 |
| 1960 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals | Belmont Abbey Kentucky Wesleyan | W 74–63 L 69–83 |
| 1961 | Regional semifinals Regional Finals Elite Eight | Chattanooga Belmont Abbey Mount St. Mary's | W 77–69 W 70–63 L 78–96 |
| 1963 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Tennessee State Bellarmine | L 94–119 L 86–96 |

### NIT results

The Governors have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) two times. Their combined record is 1–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2004 | Opening Round First round | Belmont George Mason | W 66–60 L 100–106 |
| 2007 | First round | Air Force | L 51–75 |

### CBI results

The Governors have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one time. Their record is 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2011 | First round | Boise State | L 80–83 |

### CIT results

The Governors have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) two times. Their combined record is 1–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 2009 | First round | Bradley | L 74–81 |
| 2018 | First round Quarterfinals | Louisiana–Monroe UIC | W 80–66 L 81–83 |
| 2024 | Quarterfinals | Alabama A&M | L 71–81 |

## Notable players
### Retired numbers

Austin Peay Governors retired numbers :
| No. | Player | Pos. | Career | No. ret. |
| 10 | Tom Morgan | F | 1974–1978 | 1999 |
| 13 | Bubba Wells | F | 1993–1997 | 1998 |
| 21 | Terry Taylor | F | 2017–2021 | 2023 |
| 30 | Howie Wright | G | 1967–1970 | 1992 |
| 35 | Fly Williams | G | 1972–1974 | 2009 |
| 44 | Trenton Hassell | F | 1997–2001 | 2002 |

### Retired jerseys

| No. | Player | Tenure | Pos. | Jer. ret. | Ref. |
| 45 | L.M. Ellis | F | 1962–1965 | 2022 | |
| 420 | Dave Loos | Head coach | 1990-2017 | 2022 | |

#### Notes

* ↑ Ellis was the first black basketball player to play at Austin Peay.
* ↑ Number retired for his 420 Victories as head coach.

### Professional international players

* Eli Abaev (born 1998), American-Israeli basketball player for Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Chris Horton (born 1994) - basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League