CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Five Bisons reached double figures in the Bisons 76-63 win in the program's first road battle with Queens (N.C.) (6-15, 0-8 ASUN). Senior Center Diana Saleh (12) and Sophomore Guard Ainhoa Cea (10) earned career-highs against the Royals Thursday night.
Blythe Pearson led the offense with 15 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Claira McGowan closely followed, scoring 14 off the bench, including a 5-of-6 mark from the free throw line.
Bella Vinson and Ainhoa Cea each put in 12 points and grabbed a combined 13 boards, while Saleh added four boards to go along with her 10 points, which match her career-high, which came against Tennessee Wesleyan during the 2021-22 season.
The Bisons snapped their two-game losing skid and extended their road win streak to three straight games. Lipscomb has a total of seven road wins this season, tied for the most in the ASUN, and moves to 12-9 overall with a 5-3 record in the conference.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Royals connected on several tough shots early, but the Bisons were able to keep pace in the score column in what ended up being a back-and-forth first ten minutes. McGowan connected on a three-pointer with 50 seconds remaining in the frame, the Bisons' largest lead of the opening period, but the Royals put in a three-pointer with five seconds left to keep within a point after one (21-20).
Queens (N.C.) scored the first bucket of the second quarter to take back the lead, an advantage that lasted just a possession as Pearson converted on a layup on the other end. A half-court heave from McGowan at the buzzer put the Bisons up five at the half (37-32).
Lipscomb opened the second half on a 7-2 run to take a nine-point lead, but a firm counter from the Royal cut their deficit down to three midway through the third. Lipscomb closed the period with another dominant run, taking an eight-point advantage into the fourth quarter.
A Saleh fast break layup stretched the Bisons' lead to eight after the Royals got within four early in the fourth. Lipscomb controlled the time of possession as time dwindled in the fourth quarter, eventually forcing the Royals to play the foul game.
Lipscomb got to the line 12 times in the fourth quarter alone and converted on 11 of those attempts, which put the contest out of reach in the Bison's favor.
Twelve of the Bisons' 17 points in the fourth came from the charity stripe, and two free throws from Cea with 31 seconds left sealed the deal for the Bisons' 76-63 win in Charlotte.
HERD NOTES:
- Lipscomb improved to 3-0 during the Division-1 era against Queens (N.C.), winning their first-ever showing in Curry Arena.
- Pearson extended her three-point streak to 11 straight games with at least one make.
- The Bisons shot 41 percent from the floor on 25-of-60 shooting, improving to 10-3 when shooting 40 percent or higher on the season.
- Lipscomb won the war on the boards 45-37, improving to 11-0 when they out-rebound their opponents.
- Five players scored in double figures for just the third time this season.
- The Bisons went 20-of-24 from the line against the Royal.
UP NEXT:
Next up for the Bisons is another road battle on Saturday, Feb. 3, against Kennesaw State. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. CT and can be strevamed on ESPN+. Continue to check lipscombsports.com and the team's social media accounts (@lipscombwbb on IG and @lipscomb_wbb on X) for the most up-to-date information on Lipscomb women's basketball.
