The Skyhawks put together two late runs in the second half of their game at Austin Peay on Thursday but still came out on the short end of a 96-88 final score.

Four Skyhawks scored in double figures for the Skyhawks, led by senior Jason Thompson’s 16 points. Will Lewis added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Jeremy Kelly and McKale Jones each chipped in with 14 points. Jared Newson struggled, shooting 2 -of -12 on the night.

Maurice Hampton led five Governors players with 24 points, while Zac Schlader scored 12 of his 19 points in the first half.

Kyle Duncan also had a big opening half for the Governors, scoring 15 points as the teams headed to the locker rooms with the Governors holding a 53-42 advantage.

Thompson scored 13 of his points in the first half. The Skyhawks made five consecutive layups to open the second half but trailed by nine with 14:25 left in the game.

Over the next six minutes, the Skyhawks exploded for a 15-4 run, capped off by a Jones dunk. The offensive burst pulled them to within a basket at 72-70.

After an Austin Peay run extended the lead, Kelly scored eight points to pace another Skyhawk rally. His layup with 2:21 left followed consecutive three-pointers and cut the lead to 85-84.

That was the closest the Skyhawks would come to taking the lead in the entire game. Austin Peay made five of eight free throws in the final 36 seconds as part of an 8-2 run that finished the game.

The Skyhawks were out rebounded, 38-27, but used stingy defense to force 21 Governor turnovers. They committed only 11 themselves. Austin Peay had an impressive night from the field, shooting 59 percent in the first half and 58 percent in the second half.

The Skyhawks shot 50 percent in the first half but dropped off to 43 percent after halftime.

The Skyhawks dominated play inside, outscoring the Governors in the paint, 44-26. They also held distinct advantages in points off turnovers, second-chance points, and bench points.

Kelly’s performance was his best of the season since the Skyhawks’ first game against Austin Peay game on January 2 when he scored 15 points. He also handed out three assists and pulled down three rebounds.