Final Score: Lipscomb: 71, Eastern Kentucky: 80
Location: Nashville, Tenn. (Allen Arena)
Records: Lipscomb: 14-8 (6-3, ASUN), Eastern Kentucky: 11-11 (4-2, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Lipscomb Men's Basketball was unable to overcome a slow offensive start on Thursday night as it fell 80-71 in Allen Arena to Eastern Kentucky.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The game started slow offensively with neither team shooting very well. EKU took an early 2-0 lead, but Lipscomb responded with five straight for a 5-2 lead at the first media timeout.
Lipscomb increased its lead 9-2 before EKU responded with seven-unanswered to tie the game up at nine a piece.
The offense started to pick up on both ends of the court with the three-ball falling for each squad. The back-and-forth action continued and EKU held a slight 20-19 advantage at the under-eight media timeout.
EKU extended its lead over the next four minutes as Lipscomb made just one of its next seven field goals as the Colonels led 30-22 with 4:06 to go in the first frame. The Bisons were shooting just 24-percent.
The Colonels got out to as much as a 13-point lead, but the Bisons made its last three field goals to trail 37-30 at halftime.
Out of the break, Lipscomb cut the EKU lead down 43-40 by the first media timeout with the help of a pair of triples from
Jacob Ognacevic and
Joe Anderson.
Lipscomb got within a pair twice over the next minutes, but each time, the Colonels punched back on the other end to stay in front.
The Bisons continued to keep its composure and cut its deficit to a point, 49-48, just before the under-12 second half media timeout.
Out of the break,
Charlie Williams nailed a triple for a 51-49 advantage, its first since the first half.
Lipscomb's lead was short-lived as EKU bounced back out to a 57-53 advantage with 7:15 left to play. EKU continued on to extend its lead back out 69-60 with 3:35 to play.
Lipscomb was ultimately unable to overcome its deficit and fell 80-71 on Thursday night.
HERD NOTES
- Ognacevic led Lipscomb with 20 points and 12 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season.
- Anderson also scored double-digits with 17 points while Gyasi Powell contributed 13 points.
- The Bisons shot just 39-percent from the field to EKU's 43-percent.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will be back in Allen Arena on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 4 p.m. CT against Bellarmine.
