ASUN suspends three Austin Peay basketball players with only two games remaining
Austin Peay basketball will be without three players going into Wednesday's ASUN game at Stetson.
The ASUN suspended graduate transfer Cameron Copeland and senior point guard Carlos Paez for one game, and sophomore guard Kamarie Coffey for two after a fight broke out at the end of last Saturday's game against North Florida.
North Florida sophomore Jonathan Aybar also was suspended for one game to be served Wednesday against Eastern Kentucky.
The ASUN conference reviewed film Sunday, and with only two games remaining for Austin Peay, including Friday at Florida Gulf Coast, Coffey's season is finished. The Govs (9-20, 3-13) are currently in last place in the 14-team conference standings and have been eliminated from the 10-team conference tournament.
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Austin Peay Athletic Director Gerald Harrison was unavailable for comment after the ASUN's decision, and the university said it would have no further comment on the matter. But Harrison expressed his disappointment in how the game ended, prior to the ruling.
"I hold our student-athletes to a very high standard," Harrison said. "And the behavior we displayed (Saturday) was disappointing because it didn't live up to the total Gov concept in what we encourage when it comes to winning with class and carrying ourselves the way we should."
North Florida trailed 72-71 in the final seconds of the game with a chance to win it. Austin Peay's defense came up with a steal, and Copeland was fouled from behind by Aybar while attempting a dunk as time expired.
Copeland got up from the floor and pushed Aybar in the back as both benches cleared. Order was restored for a brief time as the teams were separated, but North Florida's players ran into the hallway that leads to both teams' locker rooms with Austin Peay officials in pursuit.
Harrison said words were exchanged in the hallway but security quickly moved in before any physical altercation would resume.
Austin Peay has struggled this year in Nate James' second season as coach but Saturday's win snapped an 11-game losing streak.
Paez is a three-year starter for the Govs who is averaging 7.5 points and leads the team in assists with 100. Copeland, a transfer from the College of Charleston, is fourth on the team in scoring (9.5) and 3.3 rebounds. Coffey, a West Creek High product, has only appeared in three games this season.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Austin Peay basketball: Three Govs suspended by ASUN after fight
