Final Score: Lipscomb: 65, Middle Tennessee State: 67
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Murphy Center)
Records: Lipscomb: 7-5, MTSU: 9-3
THE SHORT STORY
A second-half comeback fell just short as Lipscomb fell at MTSU 67-65 on Thursday night at the Murphy Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams came out of the gate hot offensively, but MTSU jumped out to a 9-4 lead. Lipscomb, however, quickly cut into the deficit, 9-8, with the help of a pair of blocks. MTSU retook the momentum and got back out to a 13-8 lead at the first media timeout.
The game continued at a quick pace, but the Blue Raiders continued to hold a slight 18-14 advantage at the second media timeout of the first half.
Lipscomb scored the first points out of the timeout and held MTSU scoreless in the next few possessions, but never could take advantage for a lead. The back-and-forth action continued as Lipscomb trailed 23-18 with 7:13 left in the first frame.
The Bisons continued to stand strong defensively, but struggled to really get its offense going over the next several minutes, trailing 30-22 at the final media timeout of the first half.
Out of the break, Lipscomb went on a 6-2 run, cutting the MTSU lead 32-28, which forced a Blue Raiders timeout with 2:03 left on the halftime clock.
Lipscomb trailed by four with the halftime clock winding down, but MTSU, after missing its last seven field goal attempts, nailed a triple at the end of the shot clock to take a 37-30 lead into the halftime break.
The Bisons came out of the halftime gate hot, shaving the MTSU lead down to a possession, but the Blue Raiders continued to find the big shots when it needed to slow the Bisons' momentum and held a 46-41 advantage with just under 17 minutes to play.
Lipscomb went cold, not scoring for the next three minutes which saw the Blue Raiders push back out to a 50-41 advantage.
MTSU ballooned out to a double-digit advantage, but
Gyasi Powell came up with a much-needed triple to keep the Bisons within striking distance (54-47).
Lipscomb, however, continued to do enough to keep MTSU from pulling away.
Jacob Ognacevic continued to score at a high clip and make some key passes that kept the Lipscomb offense alive as the Bisons trailed 60-53 with 8:30 left in the game.
The Bisons offense connected on its next four shots, shaving the MTSU lead 62-58, with the help of a
Gyasi Powell triple from the top of the key just before the under-eight media timeout to ratchet up the pressure on the Blue Raiders.
Out of the break,
Ross Candelino made a pair of free throws to make it a one-possession game with just over seven minutes of basketball to play.
MTSU was scoreless in its next possession and Ognacevic made a tough jumper on the other end, tying the game at 62-all. The first tie since the first minutes of the matchup.
The Bisons took its first lead of the night shortly after when Ognacevic hustled to pick up a loose ball and beat the shot clock with a floater for a 64-63 Lipscomb lead with 5:12 to play.
Neither team scored for the next nearly two minutes, but MTSU connected on a contested jumper to retake a 65-64 lead with 3:21 left to play.
MTSU scored the next points for a 67-64 lead with 1:04 left to play, prompting a head coach
Lennie Acuff timeout.
With 55.4 on the clock, Ognacevic was fouled and he made one of two from the charity stripe as Lipscomb trailed 67-65.
Lipscomb got a stop and had possession, down two, with just over 30 seconds on the clock. The Bisons got down to the end of the shot clock and couldn't connect on a triple. MTSU was fouled on the rebound and missed both shots from the line. The Bisons, however, weren't able to get a good shot off in the final seconds and fell 67-65 in Murfreesboro.
HERD NOTES
- Ognacevic scored a season-high 32 points on the night, going 12-18 from the field.
- Ognacevic also had four blocks, six rebounds and a steal.
- Powell scored double-digits, finishing with 11 points.
- MTSU out-rebounded the Bisons 47-29.
- Lipscomb shot 46-percent from the field and 22-percent from three.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb breaks for the Christmas holiday, but will be back in action Sunday, Dec. 29 against Asbury. Tipoff in Allen Arena is set for 4 p.m. CT.
