LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Lipscomb University women's basketball team fended off Bellarmine University, 76-71, in an Atlantic Sun contest from Knights Hall. 

With the win, the Bisons have locked up the three-seed in the 2025 ASUN Championship and will host their quarterfinal matchup inside Allen Arena next Friday, March 7. 

Final Score: Lipscomb 76, Bellarmine 71
Location: Louisville, Kentucky (Knights Hall)
Records: Lipscomb (19-9, 12-5), Bellarmine (17-13, 8-9)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 8-6 with six minutes remaining, the Bisons ended the quarter on a 14-2 run to make it a 20-10 lead through 10 minutes. Claira McGowan flipped the score back in favor of the visitors with a triple, followed by field goals by Molly Heard, Elena Bertrand and Bella Vinson. 

The 10-point lead did not last long, as Bellarmine cut the deficit down to one, 31-30, with a Skylar Treadwell jumper with 48 seconds remaining in the half. However, Ainhoa Cea knocked down two key free throws to lead 33-30 at the break. 

Lipscomb got out to a hot start out of the locker room. Cea and Taylor Bowen knocked down two 3-pointers to lead by seven, 39-32. From there, the Bisons poured it on, outscoring the Knights 17-5 to start the third quarter. Cea's layup in the paint with 5:20 swelled the lead to 15, the largest of the game. 

The Knights did battle back to make it a 56-51 lead for the Bisons after three quarters, and they used that momentum to retake the lead with eight minutes left in the quarter. 

Tied at 62 with 4:50 left in the ballgame, Heard drilled a layup to give the Bisons the 64-62 lead. 

Despite the Knights cutting it back to one possession at the 2:57 mark thanks to Hayley Harrison's free throws, the Bisons began to pull away again, starting on the other side of the court where McGowan knocked down a 3-pointer as the shot clock was winding down. 

That sparked a 7-0 run that saw Bowen knock down two clutch free throws and McGowan's layup in the paint swelled the lead back to double-digits, 74-64, with 1:21 left. 

KEY STATISTICS
Molly Heard posted her career-best in ASUN games with 26 points in 35 minutes. She shot 9-of-17 from the field and added six rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. 

Claira McGowan secured back-to-back 20-point games with 20 more on Thursday. 

Ainhoa Cea nearly missed a double-double with 11 points, nine rebounds and three assists. 

Taylor Bowen scored eight points, while Bella Vinson grabbed nine boards. 

HERD NOTES
With the Bisons win on Thursday, they will play a quarterfinal game inside Allen Arena next Friday, March 7. More details will be announced following Saturday's games.

Lipscomb shot 21-of-32 inside the paint that saw 42 of the team's 76 points. 

The Bisons were able to out-rebound the Knights, 41-39. It marked the fourth time this season they surpassed 40 boards or more in an ASUN game.

UP NEXT
Before the Bisons look ahead to the postseason, there's still one more game left in the regular season schedule. Lipscomb will see the regular season close at Eastern Kentucky on Saturday.