Final Score: Lipscomb: 82 FGCU: 68
Location: Nashville, Tenn. (Allen Arena)
Records: Lipscomb: 19-8 (11-3, ASUN), FGCU: 14-13 (8-5, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Another impressive second-half performance led Lipscomb Men's Basketball to a crucial 82-68 victory over ASUN foe FGCU on Saturday afternoon in Allen Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The matchup got off to a furious and physical pace with the first stoppage coming at the 10:37 mark. FGCU's three-ball kept them ahead 22-18 at the first media timeout.
Physicality continued to be a big storyline throughout the opening minutes of the game. A
Gyasi Powell triple before the under-eight media timeout further closed the gap to FGCU as Lipscomb trailed 26-23.
Out of the break, back-to-back baskets from
Jacob Ognacevic and
Will Pruitt gave Lipscomb back the lead at 27-26.
The back-and-forth action continued and the Bisons held a slight 32-30 advantage at the under-four media timeout of the first frame.
Lipscomb continued to lead by four with just over a minute and a half to play in the frame when
Joe Anderson nailed a massive triple, giving Lipscomb a 37-30 advantage, forcing an FGCU timeout.
FGCU responded with a triple, but Ognacevic nailed one from the top of the arc to answer right back. Each team scored another bucket before the half, but Lipscomb held a 42-35 advantage after the first 20.
The Bisons outscored FGCU 11-6 out of the break to get its lead out to a 53-41 advantage with 15:52 left to play.
The Lipscomb defense continued to hold strong and forced tough shots from the Eagles and extended its lead 55-41 when
Will Pruitt made a wild layup before FGCU called a timeout at the 14:07 mark.
FGCU made the next three of its buckets out of its timeout, but Lipscomb clung to a 10-point advantage with just over 12 minutes to play.
The Eagles had a couple chances to cut Lipscomb's lead to single-digits, but a
Kellan Boylan triple and Ognacevic jumper stretched the Bisons lead back out 64-49.
Lipscomb got out to as much as a 16-point lead, but the Eagles made a couple back-to-back baskets that cut the Lipscomb lead 65-54 at the under-eight media timeout.
The Bisons were cold out of the timeout, with no field goals in nearly four and a half minutes, allowing the Eagles to get the lead back down 69-59 at the final media timeout.
In the bonus for the last six minutes, Lipscomb shot several from the line over the next several minutes, but fought to stay ahead with a 74-65 advantage with 1:53 left to play.
The Bisons didn't score a field goal in the last nine and a half minutes, but were solid from the free-throw line, going 20-for-26 on the night to ice an 82-68 victory.
HERD NOTES
- Ognacevic led all scorers with 24 points. Other double-digit scorers included Pruitt (20), Powell (16) and Anderson (15).
- Pruitt picked up his first double-double of the season with his 20 points and 12 rebounds.
- The Bisons shot 49-percent from the field and 33-percent from three-point range.
- Lipscomb finished the game with just three turnovers, two coming off shot clock violations.
UP NEXT
Lipscomb has a quick turnaround as Lipscomb travels to Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.
