Final Score – Lipscomb: 82, Austin Peay: 78
Location – Allen Arena (Nashville, Tenn.)
Records – Lipscomb: 12-7 (5-1, ASUN), Austin Peay Governors: 11-6 (5-1, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Lipscomb took down Austin Peay, 82-78, on Saturday night, handing the Govs its first ASUN loss.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lipscomb won the tip, and the back-and-forth affair began.
Grant Asman got Lipscomb on the board first, and four different Bisons scored by the first media timeout, where Lipscomb led 10-9.
Out of the timeout, the Bisons outpaced the Governors, using a 13-2 run to get out to a 25-16 advantage. The Bisons forced four turnovers during the four-minute stretch and continued to connect at a 75% rate from the field.
Out of the break, Austin Peay scored four-straight, cutting the Lipscomb lead 25-20 with 8:37 to play. They were then awarded a pair of technical foul free throws that saw the Bisons' lead dwindle to 25-22 which would hold to the under-eight media timeout.
Lipscomb's offensive struggles continued out of the timeout, allowing the Govs to get out to a 29-27 advantage. The Bisons started to settle back in and retook a 34-32 advantage just before the final media timeout of the first half.
The teams traded buckets down the stretch of the half. Lipscomb had the final shot of the half, but couldn't get it to go, and Austin Peay led 42-40 at the break.
Lipscomb scored the first bucket out of the break when
Titas Sargiunas nailed a triple from the wing, retaking the Bisons' lead.
The battle continued to the first media timeout, where Lipscomb held a narrow 47-46 advantage. Scoring slowed down by both squads over the next four minutes of play, but Lipscomb clung to a 53-51 advantage at the under-12 media timeout.
Out of the timeout, Lipscomb outpaced the Govs, 9-4, including a 7-0 run, to force an Austin Peay timeout with the Bisons ahead 62-55 with 9:06 to play.
Austin Peay scored four straight out of the timeout, and eventually retook a 65-64 advantage with six minutes of play remaining.
Ethan Duncan was important for the Bisons off the bench, scoring a couple of big buckets just before the final media timeout, including a triple for a 71-69 Lipscomb lead at the break.
With a 75-74 advantage and 1:16 on the clock, Mate Esmeraldo hit a massive triple, extending the lead, 78-74. The Bisons forced a tough shot on the next Austin Peay possession and secured the rebound with 48 seconds remaining.
Lipscomb held the ball, and
Grant Asman kissed a shot off the glass with 21 seconds left for an 80-74 Lipscomb lead.
After a timeout, the Govs inbounded the ball and took a deep three-pointer with 12.7 seconds left. The Govs got the rebound and were fouled with 9.6 seconds left. APSU hit both free throws as Lipscomb had an 80-76 lead with 9.6 seconds left.
Asman was fouled on the inbounds and hit both from the charity stripe as Lipscomb had an 82-76 advantage with 9.6 seconds remaining. Austin Peay hit a pair from the line after being fouled with 1.6 seconds to play, making the score 82-78.
The Bisons cleanly inbounded the ball and secured the 82-78 victory.
HERD NOTES
- Lipscomb's scoring effort was well-rounded, with five Bisons scoring in double figures and eight Bisons contributing to the scoring
- Esmeraldo led the way with 16 points and added six assists
- Asman was Lipscomb's leading rebounder with seven
- Lipscomb shot 49% to Austin Peay's 45%
- Lipscomb outrebounded the Govs 36-33
- Lipscomb was 15-15 from the free-throw line
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will return for another ASUN homestand on Thursday, Jan. 22 as it hosts Stetson at 7 p.m. CT.
