Final Score – Lipscomb: 78, Tennessee State: 71
Location – Nashville, Tenn. (Allen Arena)
Records – Lipscomb: 7-5, Tennessee State: 6-4
THE SHORT STORY
A Sunday afternoon battle that included seven lead changes and nine ties resulted in a 78-71 Lipscomb Men's Basketball victory over crosstown rival, Tennessee State in Allen Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Tennessee State started hot and got out to an early lead, but the three-ball kept Lipscomb in the game with triples from
Cody Head and
Owen McCormack early.
Lipscomb struggled to stop the Tigers' offense as TSU led 14-8 at the first media timeout.
Out of the break, Lipscomb went on a 4-0 run, cutting the lead to a couple of possessions.
Will Pruitt continued to will the Bisons back in the game when he converted a big and-one opportunity, shaving the lead to just a point.
Lipscomb finally got level with the tigers just before the second media timeout of the half when
Jason Montgomery buried a triple for 18 points each.
The Bisons struggled out of the break as TSU scored six unanswered, getting back out to a 24-18 lead with just under 10 minutes to play.
Tennessee State pushed its lead back to eight, but the Bisons never let things get to out of control as a couple of conversions at the free throw line and a turnover that resulted in a triple from
Joe Anderson saw the Bisons claw back within three points.
Lipscomb locked down defensively and utilized a 9-0 run over two minutes to take its first lead of the afternoon, 30-29, forcing a TSU timeout with 4:30 left in the first half.
The lead exchanged hands a couple of times over the next couple of minutes, but TSU went on a 9-0 run over the final minute and a half as the Bisons trailed 43-36 heading into the halftime break.
Lipscomb had a couple of really good possessions to start the second half including a Head offensive rebound that resulted in a bucket and an
AJ McGinnis triple, getting the Bisons quickly back within a pair, 43-41.
The Bisons tied things up at 43 each before the Tigers got on the board for the first time in the half just before the first media timeout of the second frame.
Lipscomb pulled ahead with its largest lead of the night with just under 13 minutes to play, leading the tigers 50-47 before a Tigers traditional three-point play tied things right back up at 50 each.
After trading a couple of buckets, a 6-0 Lipscomb run over 61 seconds pushed the Bisons out to a 58-52 advantage, capped off by a
Dylan Faulkner dunk before the Tigers called a timeout.
TSU, however, came back on fire out of the timeout and tied things at 60 each with eight minutes left.
Tennessee State continued its run and jumped out to a 65-60 lead, forcing head coach
Lennie Acuff to call a timeout with 6:07 left to play.
The Tigers had a six-point lead with four minutes to play, but
Rylan Houck drew a foul and drained both free throws to keep Lipscomb in striking distance. McGinnis once again connected on a crucial three-pointer at the 3:29 mark, cutting the lead 69-66.
Lipscomb locked down defensively, switching to a zone defense, and forced a pair of turnovers, converting on both possessions offensively for a 70-69 lead with 1:34 left on the clock.
The Tigers took the ball down the court, but Lipscomb held them to a tough shot and got the ball back with a one-point lead and a shade over a minute left on the clock. Anderson got an open look from the free throw line and cashed in for a 72-69 Bisons lead with 52.8 seconds left in the ballgame.
The Tigers fouled Lipscomb over the next few possessions, but the Bisons converted from the line and saw out a 78-71 victory
HERD NOTES
- Pruitt led all scorers with 19 points. Other Bisons in double figures included Anderson (15), McGinnis (13) and Faulkner (10).
- The Bisons shot 47% on the afternoon and held TSU to 37% shooting.
- Lipscomb out-rebounded the Tigers 42-36.
- Faulkner was Lipscomb's leading rebounder with 9 on the game.
UP NEXT
The Bisons will head to Little Rock, Ark. To take on SEC foe Arkansas on Saturday, Dec. 16. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. CT.
