Final Score: Lipscomb: 48, Bellarmine: 68
Location: Louisville, Ky. (Freedom Hall)
Records: Lipscomb: 9-19 (4-11, ASUN), Bellarmine: 4-22 (1-14, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY: Lipscomb dropped its final road game of the regular season 68-48 as Bellarmine boasted an explosive offensive performance.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first quarter was all Bellarmine as the Knights forced four Lipscomb turnovers in the first frame and held the Bisons to just two buckets as Lipscomb trailed 11-4 after the first quarter.
Lipscomb's offense began to pick up through the first minutes of the second quarter. Back after a lengthy hiatus due to injury,
Dorie Harrison entered the game and made an immediate impact on both ends of the floor.
Though Lipscomb's offensive picked up, the defense struggled to slow the Knights and the Bisons trailed 17-11 with 4:30 left to play in the first half.
Out of the timeout,
Jordan Peete scored four-straight points for Lipscomb to cut the Bellarmine lead 17-15.
Bellarmine punched back with a three-pointer, but
Sydney Shelton made a statement with a deep three-pointer to keep pace.
After a good defensive stand, Holcomb drove the basket and tied things up 20-20 at the rim with 1:51 left in the half. Bellarmine's three-point shooting continued to be hot as they would hit two more before time expired, but
Bella Vinson and Holcomb connected in the final two Lipscomb possessions to keep the Bisons within a pair, 26-24, at halftime.
The Knights picked up where they left off in the third quarter, splashing back-to-back three pointers and opened up a 32-24 lead. Bellarmine made another jumper and held Lipscomb without a field goal for over five minutes to open the second half.
The Bisons, however, manufactured points from the charity stripe to stay within striking distance. Shelton connected on another big three with 4:58 to go in the third quarter to end the Lipscomb drought and put Lipscomb back within a couple possessions, 34-30.
After an offensive foul by Bellarmine,
Maddie Cook took advantage of the turnover and powered her way to the rack, shaving the Knights' lead 34-32 with 2:35 left in the third quarter.
Bellarmine answered right back with yet another triple for a 37-32 lead but Cook answered with another layup to keep the Bisons within three. Over the final two minutes of the third quarter, the Knights used a 6-4 run to open it back up to a 43-36 lead after three stanzas.
Bellarmine utilized a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter to jump out to its largest lead, 52-36, of the game. Harrison stopped the bleeding with a layup, but the Knights continued to connect on the offensive and snuffed out the Bisons offense for the next several possessions. Unable to mount a comeback, the Bisons eventually fell 68-48 to the Knights in Freedom Hall.
HERD NOTES
- Peete and Holcomb led Lipscomb offensively with 11 points each.
- Blythe Pearson collected a team-high six rebounds.
- Cook and Shelton both finished with six points on the night.
- The Bisons were outshot 50-percent to 37-percent.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will return home to Allen Arena for its final game of the regular season Saturday, Feb. 26. Tipoff against Central Arkansas is slated for 3:30 p.m. CT.
