On Saturday afternoon, the Austin Peay State University women’s basketball team dropped a close contest to Jacksonville, 65-61, in F&M Bank Arena. The loss drops the Govs’ record to 8-9 on the season.

Austin Peay came out strong, opening the game with a 7-2 run in the first quarter. Freshman Sa’Mya Wyatt hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Govs a 24-13 lead at the end of the period. The Govs continued to dominate in the second quarter, holding Jacksonville scoreless for nearly four minutes. However, Jacksonville’s Priscilla Williams drained a three-pointer to trim the deficit to 14 points. At the half, Austin Peay led 39-23.

The Dolphins made adjustments at halftime and came out energized in the third quarter. Jacksonville went on a 7-2 run to start the quarter, and the Govs struggled to find their rhythm offensively. It wasn’t until Anna Nelson’s three-pointer late in the quarter that Austin Peay ended their scoring drought. Despite the struggles, the Govs still held a 14-point lead, leading 51-37.

The fourth quarter proved to be a different story. Jacksonville caught fire, going on an 18-4 run that brought them within one point with just over four minutes remaining. La’Nya Foster hit a critical basket to give the Govs a brief lead, but Jacksonville’s Williams answered with a three-point play after drawing a foul, tying the game at 54.

Jacksonville continued their offensive surge, outscoring the Govs 31-13 in the fourth quarter to secure the comeback win. Edyn Battle led the Dolphins with 23 points, while Foster and Wyatt each scored 17 points for Austin Peay, combining for 34 of the team’s 61 points. Foster also contributed seven rebounds in the loss.

Despite the strong performances from Foster and Wyatt, the Govs fell short in the final minutes. Austin Peay will look to bounce back when they return to action at F&M Bank Arena on Jan. 23, hosting North Alabama at 6 p.m.