Final Score – Lipscomb: 48, Liberty: 77
Location – Lynchburg, Va. (Liberty Center)
Records – Lipscomb: 8-7 (0-2, ASUN), Liberty 11-4 (2-0, ASUN)
 
Liberty got out to a hot start with two-straight triples for a quick 6-0 lead. Lipscomb struggled to score for the first several minutes of the game, but back-to-back buckets by Trae Benham and Will Pruitt quickly got the Bisons back in things. The Lipscomb defense stepped up and held Liberty to just one of its next eight shots as the Flames held a 9-6 lead at the first media timeout. 
 

Will goes strong to the bucket#IntoTheStorm ?? | #HornsUp ?? pic.twitter.com/yjJyxmiKj3

— Lipscomb Men's Basketball (@LipscombMBB) January 3, 2023

 
Out of the media timeout, Lipscomb's defense continued to hold strong as Liberty made just one shot from the floor over the next four minutes. The Flames, however, maintained the lead 15-9 with 10:59 left in the first frame. 
 

Will puts 'em on ?? and gives Grant an easy 2?#IntoTheStorm ?? | #HornsUp ?? pic.twitter.com/6nsWHJLjYG

— Lipscomb Men's Basketball (@LipscombMBB) January 3, 2023

 
Over the last half of the first frame, Lipscomb went cold offensively. After a nearly five-minute scoreless stretch, Grant Asman stopped the bleeding with a bucket with 54 seconds in the half. 
 
Lipscomb would head to the locker room at a 33-18 deficit which marked the Bisons' lowest scoring half of the season. 
 
The Purple and Gold came out strong in the second half with Ahsan Asadullah scoring the first two points of the half on a second chance layup. After a forced turnover, Jacob Ognacevic connected on a triple at the end of the shot clock for five unanswered points. 
 

JO at the ??#IntoTheStorm ?? | #HornsUp ?? pic.twitter.com/SVqxyIChoP

— Lipscomb Men's Basketball (@LipscombMBB) January 3, 2023

 
Liberty, however, scored the next six points to quickly retake a 39-23 lead with just under 17 in the second half. 
 
Benham began to heat up over the next several minutes with a pair of triples but Liberty silenced the Lipscomb offense with a 9-0 run to take a 66-40 lead with six minutes left in the half. 
 
Lipscomb was ultimately unable to mount a comeback and Liberty closed out a 77-48 victory in Lynchburg Monday night. 
 
HERD NOTES

• Clark had a team-high 12 points and was the only Bison in double figures. 
• The Bisons shot a season-low 37% while Liberty shot 49%. 
• Lipscomb was plagued by 16 turnovers. 

 
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will return home for the first time in 2023 on Thursday, Jan. 5. Tipoff against North Alabama is set for 7 p.m. CT.