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Men's Basketball Kirk Downs

Bisons open ASUN play Friday hosting Liberty

Friday, January 1
Time: 2:00 p.m.  – Liberty (8-3) at Lipscomb (5-5)
Location: Allen Arena | Nashville, Tenn.
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats


Saturday, January 2
Time: 4:00 p.m. – Liberty (8-3) at Lipscomb (5-5)
Location: Allen Arena | Nashville, Tenn.
Links: ESPN+ | Live Stats

 
 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After wrapping up a 10-game nonconference schedule with a win over Freed-Hardeman, the Lipscomb men's basketball team will now begin the new year with a pursuit for an ASUN Conference title.
 
In a rematch of the last two ASUN Championship games, the Bisons will host reigning champion Liberty on back-to-back days in Allen Arena as the conference slate will have a different look this season.
 
Friday's opener will tip at 2 p.m. before turning around and playing again at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will air on ESPN+ with father-son duo Jonathan and Justin Seamon calling the action from Don Meyer Court.

Tickets are available at http://www.LipscombTickets.com


SERIES HISTORY
  • Friday's matchup will be the ninth meeting between the programs with both sides winning four times.
  • The Flames have won 2-of-3 meetings in each of the previous two seasons.
  • The Bisons claimed a 77-71 victory last season in Allen Arena after a hot start that saw Lipscomb shoot 81 percent in the first half after knocking down its first 10 field goals. The 47 first-half points were the most Liberty allowed in any half last season.
  • Liberty claimed a 73-57 victory in last season's ASUN championship game in Lynchburg, Virginia.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
  • For the second-straight season the Flames posted the most nonconference wins in the ASUN after going 8-3.
  • Liberty is ranked No. 9 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll after earning wins over SEC teams, Mississippi State and South Carolina.
  • The Flames' 134 three-pointers are the most in Division I this season, while their 12.2 made triples per game are 3rd.
  • Darius McGhee leads the country with 37 made threes, while Elijah Cuffee ranks 24th (26) and Keegan McDowell is 62nd (21).
  • McGhee is tops on the team averaging 14.5 points per game and Cuffee is second at 11.0 ppg.
  • Chris Parker leads the ASUN and ranks 12th nationally with 54 total assists.
  • As a team, Liberty ranks 3rd in Division I with 195 total assists and 8th with a 1.76 assist-turnover ratio.  
  • The Flames are averaging 77.8 points per game and are allowing 58.5 ppg.

ABOUT THE BISONS
  • Lipscomb features a balanced attack, with five players scoring in double figures, eight players averaging at least 5.0 points and 11 players averaging at least 10 minutes per game.
  • After shooting 10-of-12 from the floor and tying his career high with 25 points on Tuesday, KJ Johnson leads the Bisons in scoring at 13.5 ppg and is shooting a blistering 57.1 percent on the year … He is also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists each time out, compiling 16 assists to only five turnovers … He shot 3-for-3 from long distance against the Lions and upped his 3-point percentage to 62.5 percent through four games … He is coming off an All-Freshman season where he ranked second on the Bisons with 11.2 ppg; making him the 2nd-highest scoring freshman in the program's D-I era.
  • Romeao Ferguson continued his hot streak with 16 points and a 4-for-4 effort from beyond the arc in just 22 minutes Tuesday … He is second on the squad averaging 12.3 points … He has scored in double figures in six straight outings and in 9-of-10 on the season … Over the last two games, Ferguson has combined to go 12-for-16 from the floor and has made at least six field goals in six games … He leads the team with 14 steals and has swiped at least two in six outings … His 10 offensive rebounds and 16 made free throws are second most on the squad.
  • Junior center Ahsan Asadullah is leading the team in rebounding (8.0) and assists (4.6) … He went just 1-of-2 from the floor on Tuesday and is now averaging 11.1 points per game, the 3rd-best mark on the Bisons … His 46 total assists are the most among any center in the nation after registering at least three in eight of the 10 games this season … He also ranks fifth in scoring and ninth in rebounding among centers … He has pulled down two double-doubles this season after totaling an ASUN-leading 15 last season … Asadullah currently ranks third in the ASUN for assists and rebounds per game, and has the highest point total in the league this season with his 29-point effort against Belmont.
  • Junior Jake Wolfe  is averaging 10.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists … He is shooting 47.5 percent from the floor and paces the team at the free throw line, draining 26-of-33 (.788) … He is one of four Bisons with double-digit makes from deep (11).

HERD NOTES
  • The Bisons begin their 17th season of play in the ASUN Conference after joining the league as a full-time member in 2003-04.
  • It will be just the third time in nine season that the Bisons have opened conference play at home.
  • Lipscomb is coming off a night where it shot 60.0 percent from the floor and drained 18 three-pointers in a 93-72 win over Freed-Hardeman on Tuesday. It marked the 3rd-most triples for the Bisons in a single game in the program's NCAA era. They knocked down 22 against Fisk in 2017.
  • It marked the fourth time this season the team reached double-digits in three-pointers made. They have combined to knock down 30 over the last two outings.
  • Lipscomb will wrap up a season-long 7-game home stand with the Flames. The Bisons are 4-1 thus far entering ASUN play.
  • Of Lipscomb's 10 games this season, five have been decided by 10 points or less.
  • Lipscomb's 167 total assists on the year rank 19th in the country. The team's 16.7 assists per game total is the 2nd-best total in the ASUN.
  • The Bisons are among the league leaders in free throws made (116) and attempted (170). The rank 2nd in both.
  • Lipscomb shoots it from deep at a 38.4 percent clip, the 2nd-best mark in the ASUN and 46th in the country.
  • Lipscomb returns 10 letter winners and three of its primary starters from a squad that finished 16-16 overall and 9-7 in ASUN
  • Lennie Acuff is in his 2nd season at the helm of the program and his 31st overall as a head coach. His 16 wins last season were the most by a first-year head coach in Lipscomb's Division I era.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Jake Wolfe

#10 Jake Wolfe

Guard
6' 5"
Sophomore
Ahsan Asadullah

#23 Ahsan Asadullah

Center
6' 8"
Sophomore
KJ Johnson

#0 KJ Johnson

Guard
6' 1"
Freshman
Romeao Ferguson

#3 Romeao Ferguson

Guard
6' 5"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Jake Wolfe

#10 Jake Wolfe

6' 5"
Sophomore
Guard
Ahsan Asadullah

#23 Ahsan Asadullah

6' 8"
Sophomore
Center
KJ Johnson

#0 KJ Johnson

6' 1"
Freshman
Guard
Romeao Ferguson

#3 Romeao Ferguson

6' 5"
Graduate Student
Guard
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