Final Score – Lipscomb: 86, Austin Peay: 72
Location – Nashville, Tenn. (Allen Arena)
Records – Lipscomb: 11-8 (3-3, ASUN), Austin Peay: 8-11 (2-4, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Behind a team-high 22 points from
Jacob Ognacevic, Lipscomb Men's Basketball played to an 86-72 victory Saturday afternoon at Allen Arena for its second-consecutive win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Austin Peay got off to a hot start, scoring the first four points of the game, but the Bisons fought back with five-straight points for a 5-4 lead. The squads traded buckets for the next several possessions, but
Jacob Ognacevic drained a triple for the final points before the under-16 media timeout, giving Lipscomb an 8-6 lead.
Over the next three minutes, Lipscomb's three ball started to fall with triples from
Trae Benham and
Derrin Boyd to propel a 9-3 Bisons run which opened a 17-9 lead at the 11:57 mark of the first half.
Lipscomb's run continued out of the break to extend the lead 23-9 before the next Austin Peay bucket.
The Govs couldn't get anything going and the Bisons took advantage, continuing on an extended 20-4 run over nearly six minutes.
AJ McGinnis hit his third triple of the afternoon at the 7:29 mark, forcing an Austin Peay timeout.
At the under-four media timeout of the first half, Lipscomb had extended its lead 42-24 with a balanced scoring approach and stifling defense.
After holding the Govs scoreless for nearly two and a half minutes, Lipscomb took a 45-24 lead, its largest of the night with 1:35 left in the first frame.
The Bisons didn't hit a field goal in the final 2:56 of the first half, but still took a 45-29 lead into the halftime break.
Austin Peay started to chip away at the Lipscomb lead in the early goings of the second half, outscoring the Bisons 12-7 over the first four minutes to shave the lead 52-41.
The Bisons went cold, with no buckets in three and a half minutes, which saw the Govs pull back in single-digits, 53:45, with 13:34 left in the second frame.
Ognacevic ended the Lipscomb drought with a triple from the top of the key that
Will Pruitt followed up with a traditional three-point play and another bucket to push back out to a 61-48, 13-point lead.
Austin Peay picked up the full court press, but Lipscomb withstood the pressure, as the squads traded buckets for the next several possessions.
At the final media timeout of the second half, Lipscomb held a 69-59 lead over the Govs with 3:58 left to play.
Every time the Govs threatened to cut the lead to single-digits, Lipscomb would convert with a big basket on the other end to keep a comfortable lead.
Austin Peay was called for a technical foul with 2:01 left on the clock and Ognacevic calmly hit both of the free throws for a 76-64 advantage. Boyd followed those shots with a pair of points from the charity stripe to quickly get the Bisons out to a 78-64 lead.
The Govorners, however, hit a quick triple and fastbreak dunk, cutting the Lipscomb lead to nine with 1:22 to go.
Lipscomb converted its free throws down the stretch and held strong defensively to close out an 86-72 victory for its second-straight win.
HERD NOTES
- The Bisons shot 51% to Austin Peay's 40%.
- Ognacevic has scored over 20 points in consecutive outings.
- Lipscomb outrebounded the Govs 32-31.
- Benham led Lipscomb with five rebounds.
UP NEXT
The Bisons will stay at home on Thursday, Jan. 19 for a critical ASUN matchup against Eastern Kentucky. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT.
