Glotta, Ugba lead Austin Peay comeback 73-66 over E Illinois

Mar 2, 2018, 06:00 am

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Zach Glotta scored 21 points, making 5-of-6 3-pointers, and Averyl Ugba added 20 points in Austin Peay's come-from-behind 73-66 win over Eastern Illinois in an Ohio Valley Conference Tournament quarterfinal Thursday night.

No. 3 seed Austin Peay (18-13) squares off with second-seeded Belmont (23-8) in Friday's semifinal round.

Eastern Illinois (12-19) led 40-26 at halftime, but the Governors came alive after the break. Austin Peay opened the second half on a 20-6 run with Glotta hitting four 3-pointers and Ugba scoring six as the Governors caught up, 46-46, in just under seven minutes. Another Glotta 3 pushed Austin Peay into the lead for good, 55-53, with 8:05 remaining.

Mack Smith led the Panthers with 20 points, 14 before halftime, and Montell Goodwin scored 15.

Austin Peay coach Matt Figge was named OVC coach of the year, guiding the team to a third-place finish in his first season. Austin Peay was picked to be 11th in a preseason poll.