2016 NCAA tournament team previews: Austin Peay Governors

Everything you need to know about the Austin Peay Governors as the NCAA tournament begins.

Author:
Gabriel Baumgaertner
Publish date:
Mar 14, 2016

As part of its preview of the 2016 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, SI.com is taking a look at all 68 teams in the field. RPI and SOS data from realtimerpi.com. Adjusted offense and defense statistics are from kenpom.com and measure the number of points scored and allowed per 100 possessions, and the team’s national rank. All other advanced stats are also from kenpom.com (unless noted otherwise), and are through March 14.

Record: 18–17

RPI/SOS: 189/200

Adjusted offensive/defensive efficiency: 104.4 (166th)/108.9 (274th)

Seed: South No. 16

Impact Player: Chris Horton, senior, center, 18.9 PPG, 12.0 RPG

• MORE: Make your picks in SI’s Bracket Challenge

The Case For: It’s hard to see the Governors winning a game, or even staying competitive, but they just completed a stunning tournament run as the Ohio Valley Conference’s No. 8 seed to nab a bid, and they’ve got an inspiring story to help rally the team. Head coach Dave Loos’s granddaughter Rhyan recently underwent surgery to remove a tumor from an adrenal gland above her kidney just a few months after another one of his granddaughters, Olivia, had brain surgery. The Governors have chosen to adorn warmup shirts that say “Rally for Rhyan,” and the six-year old Rhyan has sent in photos and videos with thumbs up and thank-you cards to the team for their support.

On the basketball end, the Governors’ offense runs through Horton and sophomore guard Josh Robinson, who combined for 44 points in the Ohio Valley Conference title game to defeat Tennessee-Martin. Austin Peay relies heavily on those two for most of their offensive production, and its upset of Belmont, the overwhelming favorite entering the conference tournament, might be added motivation for a team that struggled most of the season. With wins in nine of their last 12, the Governors could bait Kansas into a close game if they rely on Horton for points early.