Final Score – Lipscomb: 70, North Alabama: 75
Location – Florence, Ala. (CB&S Bank Arena)
Records – Lipscomb: 16-11 (7-5, ASUN), North Alabama: 13-13 (7-5, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Lipscomb fell 75-70 to North Alabama in a tightly contested, back-and-forth battle on the road Thursday night in ASUN play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The game started off at a quick pace early with both teams converting offensively. The squads kept pace with each other early, but it was North Alabama who held a slight 11-8 advantage at the first media timeout of the game.
The furious pace continued, but the Bisons' offense slowed a bit and the Lions took advantage, taking a 21-16 lead with a tick under 11 to play in the half.
Out of the under-12 media timeout, Lipscomb showed a different defensive look that gave UNA problems. A pair of forced turnovers, capped off by an
AJ McGinnis triple gave Lipscomb a 23-21 lead with 8:07 on the clock.
The scoring pace slowed through the next minutes as the defensive end picked up for both squads.
Lipscomb inbounded the ball with 6.2 seconds left in the half and down by three, but the triple was off the mark and the Bisons would head to the half at a slight 35-32 disadvantage.
Out of the half, the Lions got out to a quick 43-34 lead as the Bisons offense was cold, going 1-for-7 out of the gate, forcing a
Lennie Acuff timeout.
Out of the under-16 timeout,
Owen McCormack nailed a triple for his 1,000
th career points to spur an 8-0 Lipscomb run in which the Bisons tied things 45-45 with just under 13 minutes left in the half.
Lipscomb's offense picked up and the Bisons held a slight 49-47 advantage at the under-12 timeout.
Throughout the next minutes,
Dylan Faulkner was a big weapon for the Bisons off the bench with a pair of traditional three-point plays, helping the Bisons to a 55-51 lead with 8:30 left to play in the game.
UNA retook a 61-58 lead with 5:55 to go and kept the lead into the final media timeout, holding a 64-61 advantage with 3:49 left in the game.
North Alabama stayed in the lead through the final minutes, but the Bisons made things interesting when McGinnis drained a triple with 12 seconds left, shaving the North Alabama lead 70-73. The Lions, however, made its free throws down the stretch and saw out the 75-70 victory over the Bisons.
HERD NOTES
- McGinnis and Will Pruitt led scoring for the Bisons with 17 points each. Anderson and Faulkner also finished with double digits with 10 and 13 points, respectively.
- Lipscomb shot just 43-percent, well under its season average. North Alabama connected at a 51-percent clip.
- Lipscomb made just four triples on the night, also well under its season average.
- The Bisons won the rebounding battle 33-31 on the night.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will continue its two-game road swing at Central Arkansas Saturday, Feb. 17. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. CT.
