NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Steve Peterson hit a baseline jump shot—his only field goal of the game—with 1.4 seconds left in the second overtime to lift Morehead State to a 67-65 victory, Saturday night, in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship game at the Sommet Center.

The victory advances Morehead State, now 19-15 on the year, to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1984.

The Governors, meanwhile, saw their season end at 19-13.

Playing in place of Demonte Harper, who fouled out in the first overtime, Peterson took a pass deep from Brandon Shingles deep in the left corner as the game clock wound down. He dribbled baseline and pulled up to hit the game-winning jumper. APSU was unable to get off a shot as it saw its quest for an OVC tourney title end when Eastern Kentucky’s season end similar to two seasons ago when Josh Taylor’s only field goal came on a jumper with three seconds left.

The two teams scored six points apiece in the first overtime after the Govs were able to tie the game at regulation’s end when Caleb Brown picked up a loose ball in the lane and banked it in at the buzzer.

It was a close for much of the latter part of the second half after the Govs held momentum for much of the first 30 minutes.

Austin Peay, in fact, built as much a nine-point first-half advantage following consecutive layups by a pair of freshmen, John Fraley and Anthony Campbell before settling for a 32-25 halftime advantage.

The Govs extended their margin to double digits early in the second half after a Marcel Williams layup and a Wes Channels layup made it 42-31 game with 14:09 left.

But Morehead State switched to a zone defense that slowed the Govs offense while allowing the Eagles to come back. Morehead State tallied its only lead of the second half when Shingles hit Kenneth Faried, the tourney’s most valuable player, on a lob for a dunk with seven seconds left.

On the ensuing play, Channels raced ball into Morehead State’s end but was knocked to the floor while driving the lane. Brown picked up the ball left of the lane and floated a shot off the glass to tie the contest, setting up the overtime sessions.

Austin Peay outscored the Eagles from the floor, knocking down 27 field goals, including four three pointers, compared to just 23 field goals (two three pointers) by Morehead State. However, the Eagles finished the night 19 of 26 from the free-throw line, including their last eight points of the first half, while APSU managed just 7-of-13 at the free-throw line.

Five Eagles scored in double figures, led by Faried’s 15 points and 10 rebounds while Harper added 13.

Drake Reed and Wes Channels, both who were named to the all-tourney team, finished with 16 points apiece as APSU’s only double-figure scorers.

-AP-