Final Score – Lipscomb: 76, North Florida: 85
Location – Jacksonville, Fla. (UNF Arena)
Records – Lipscomb: 13-7 (4-2, ASUN), North Florida: 13-12 (6-2, ASUN)
 
THE SHORT STORY
Lipscomb Men's Basketball finished up a three-game road swing in the Sunshine State Wednesday evening as it fell to North Florida 85-76 after a second-half comeback fell short. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
North Florida got out to a quick 8-0 lead before Will Pruitt got Lipscomb on the board with a pull-up jumper in the paint for his first points in a couple of games after he was out for the Bisons' last two games with an injury. 
 
Lipscomb then got a couple of defensive stops and Pruitt forced a turnover and found AJ McGinnis on the offensive end, who nailed a triple, quickly cutting the UNF lead 8-5. 
 
The game continued at a quick pace as the Bisons trailed 11-7 at the first media timeout of the matchup. 
 
Out of the break, the Bisons scored a pair of buckets and tied the game at 11 a piece with buckets from Dylan Faulkner and AJ McGinnis. 
 
After a little bit of an offensive lull in the game, Lipscomb took its first lead of the night when Derrin Boyd nailed a deep triple from the top of the arc, for a 14-13 advantage. 
 
The lead went back-and-forth before the Bisons got a bit of separation with a 22-18 lead after Derrin Boyd converted on a traditional three-point play that was created by a hustle defensive play by him on the defensive end. 
 
The battle continued into the under-eight media timeout of the first half as the Bisons held a 24-22 advantage. 
 
North Florida used a 6-0 run to retake a 28-26 with 4:40 to go in the first half. The Bisons tied the game at 28 each, but UNF scored five-unanswered out of the final media timeout for a 33-28 lead as head coach Lennie Acuff called a timeout. 
 
UNF's run continued with two more points before the half as the Bisons trailed 36-28 at the half. 
 
Out of the halftime break, Lipscomb's offensive struggles continued as UNF jumped out to a 53-37 lead with 13:01 left in the matchup.
 
Lipscomb started to find some spark on offense, but struggled to get the stops it needed on the defensive end to significantly cut into the Ospreys' lead. 
 
However, after back-to-back triples from McGinnis and Pruitt, Lipscomb got back within 12-points, 55-43 as North Florida called a timeout. 
 
Out of the break, the Bisons went to a zone defense and forced a North Florida turnover which turned into a pair for Lipscomb, cutting the deficit to 55-45. 
 
The squads traded buckets over the next several minutes and the Bisons had several chances to get back within single-digits, but couldn't hit the shot to get over that hump as North Florida held a 61-49 lead at the under-eight media timeout. 
 
Out of the media timeout, McGinnis connected once again and Boyd made a pair of free throws to get the Bisons back in single digits, 61-53, with 7:25 left to play. 
 
Lipscomb's run continued as McGinnis was fouled on its next possession and drained both tries, further cutting into the deficit, 63-55 with just under six to play. 
 
North Florida quickly got back out to a 10-point 65-55 lead with a strong layup and a couple of free throws as the Ospreys began to slow the pace of the game. 
 
Lipscomb still had life with clutch free throws and a couple of big steals from Joe Anderson as Lipscomb was in striking distance, 70-61, at the final media timeout. 
 
Rylan Houck had good minutes for the Bisons off the bench down the stretch when he cut the lead to 74-67 with a tough layup and then made a stop on the defensive end with good defense under the basket. The Bisons then earned another trip to the free throw line and Boyd converted the pair, cutting the UNF lead to five, 75-69, with 1:11 to play. 
 
Lipscomb tried for the trap, but a quick whistle put the Ospreys back on the free throw line and both attempts were converted. The Bisons quickly scored again on its offensive end to once-again make it a five-point game, 76-71, with 1:06 left on the clock.
 
The Bisons attempted to complete the comeback with fouls down the stretch, but couldn't get over the hump and ultimately fell 85-76 on the road to North Florida. 

UP NEXT
The Bisons will return home Saturday, Feb. 3 for a matchup against Jacksonville. Tipoff at Allen Arena is set for 4 p.m. CT.