If you haven't been paying attention to the Atlantic Sun lately, you’re honestly missing out on some of the most unpredictable basketball in the mid-major world. The Austin Peay vs Bellarmine matchup has turned into this strange, high-stakes chess match where styles don't just clash—they basically try to annihilate each other.
On one side, you've got Corey Gipson’s Governors. They play with a sort of frantic, high-pressure energy that makes you feel claustrophobic just watching from the stands. Then you have Scott Davenport’s Bellarmine Knights. They are the absolute antithesis of that. They want to pass the ball 30 times, cut you to death, and wait for you to make a mistake.
It’s chaos vs. order. It’s a track meet vs. a ballroom dance.
The Current State of Austin Peay vs Bellarmine
Heading into their January 15, 2026 meeting, the vibes for these two programs couldn't be more different. Austin Peay has been a juggernaut in the ASUN standings. They walked into the week with a 10-5 overall record and a perfect 4-0 start in conference play. They aren't just winning; they are suffocating people. Their defense is giving up less than 70 points a game, which is kind of insane when you consider how fast they like to play.
Bellarmine, on the other hand, is grinding. They’ve had a rougher go of it at 6-10 (1-3 in the ASUN), but don't let that record fool you into thinking they're an easy out. They still lead the conference in field goal percentage, shooting nearly 52% as a team. Basically, if you let them get into their rhythm, they don't miss.
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The last time these two met in February 2025, Bellarmine actually blew the doors off the Governors, winning 94-68. It was one of those nights where the Knights' motion offense looked like a perfectly oiled machine. But earlier that same season? Austin Peay took them to overtime and gutted out an 86-77 win. This series is just volatile.
The Players You Need to Watch
When you talk about Austin Peay vs Bellarmine, you have to start with the bucket-getters. For Austin Peay, it's all about Collin Parker and Zyree Collins.
Parker, the graduate forward, is a matchup nightmare. Standing 6'8", he’s hitting nearly 40% of his threes. You can’t put a small guy on him because he’ll shoot over them, and if you put a big on him, he’ll pull them out to the perimeter and drive. He’s averaging over 16 points a night. Then you have the freshman, Zyree Collins, who plays with the poise of a fifth-year senior. He’s leading the team in assists and steals, basically acting as the engine for that relentless "Total Peay" style of play.
Bellarmine counters with a very different look. Jack Karasinski and Myles Watkins are the focal points here. Karasinski is a 6'7" senior who just knows how to find gaps in a defense. He’s efficient, he’s tough, and he rarely takes a bad shot.
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- Austin Peay’s X-Factor: Rashaud Marshall. He's a 6'8" junior who cleans up everything on the glass. If he’s getting second-chance points, Peay usually wins.
- Bellarmine’s X-Factor: The three-point line. The Knights are shooting 36.2% from deep as a team. If they hit 10+ triples, the Governors' pressure defense starts to crumble.
The Tactical Nightmare
Why is Austin Peay vs Bellarmine so hard to predict? It’s the coaching.
Corey Gipson wants his guys to be "94-foot" players. They want to turn you over 15-20 times and get easy layups. In 2026, they’ve been elite at this. But Scott Davenport is a wizard at breaking presses. Bellarmine’s offense is built on "the pass." They don't dribble much. You can't trap a team that moves the ball faster than you can run.
Usually, the game comes down to one specific stat: points off turnovers. If Austin Peay is living in transition, Bellarmine is in trouble. If Bellarmine forces Peay to play a half-court game, the Knights’ efficiency usually wins out. It’s a literal battle for the tempo of the game.
Historical Context You Might Have Forgotten
People forget that before Bellarmine joined the ASUN, these two didn't have much of a history. But since 2023, the series is almost dead even. Peay leads 3-2 in the last five meetings, but two of those games went to overtime.
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There’s a real geographical rivalry brewing here too. Clarksville, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky aren't that far apart. The fans travel. The gyms are loud. When they played in Knights Hall last year, the atmosphere was genuinely electric, despite Bellarmine's record at the time.
What to Expect Next
If you’re looking at this from a betting or fan perspective, keep an eye on the first five minutes of the second half. That’s usually where Austin Peay makes their run. They use their depth to wear teams down, and by the 15-minute mark of the second half, opponents often start to "heavy leg" their jumpers.
Bellarmine has to stay disciplined. They can't get caught up in a "track meet." If they try to run with Peay, they lose by 20. If they slow it down and make it a 65-possession game, they have a massive shot at the upset.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Check the turnover margin early. If Bellarmine has more than 5 turnovers in the first 10 minutes, Peay is likely going to run away with it.
- Watch Collin Parker’s foul trouble. He is the centerpiece of the Governors' offense; if he sits, their spacing disappears.
- Monitor the bench scoring. Bellarmine relies heavily on their starters, while Peay likes to go 10-deep to keep the pressure high.
Keep your eyes on the ASUN standings after this one. A win for Austin Peay keeps them in the driver's seat for a top seed in the conference tournament, while a Bellarmine win would signal they are finally turning the corner on a tough season.
To stay ahead of the curve on this matchup, track the live box scores for field goal percentage versus turnover rate—that’s where the game is won or lost. Check the official Atlantic Sun website for updated tiebreaker scenarios as the February stretch approaches.