CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Lipscomb University Women's Basketball team fended off a fourth quarter rally by Austin Peay State University for a 51-45 road victory in Atlantic Sun Conference play on Saturday afternoon inside F&M Bank Arena. 

Final Score: Lipscomb 51, Austin Peay 45
Location: Clarksville, Tennessee (F&M Bank Arena)
Records: Lipscomb (6-11, 3-3), Austin Peay (11-5, 3-3)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Austin Peay scored the first bucket of the game 40-plus seconds into the opening tip, and neither team could connect for a while. However, when Lipscomb started scoring, they couldn't stop, as they went on a 9-0 run. An Olivia Vinson triple and free throws by Hope Counts, Hannah Richardson and Molly Heard was the scoring flurry. 

Leading 12-4 after one quarter, Lipscomb held APSU scoreless for over six minutes in the opening period, as the Governors connected on 2-of-14 from the floor.

The Bisons swelled the lead to 10 with a Richardson turn-around jumper to make it an 18-8 advantage with 8:23 left in the second. 

APSU connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the deficit to 18-14, but a 5-0 run capped by a second chance layup by Maris Zurliene made it a 23-14 lead en route to a 25-18 advantage for the Bisons into the locker room. 

McKayla Miller came out of the locker room firing on all cylinders with back-to-back jumpers to swell the lead to an 11-point lead at 29-18, the largest of the game, with 8:46 left in the third. 

APSU put together an 8-0 run after a three-point play from Janiah Newell to make it a 29-26 deficit for the Governors midway through the third quarter. 

On the next possession, Taylor Bowen's layup sparked a 7-0 run for the Bisons. After Bowen added two more off an Austin Peay turnover, Heard made it a 10-point game, 36-26, after driving in for a second-chance layup and drawing the foul for the three-point play.

After APSU cut the deficit to 29-26 with 4:48 left, Lipscomb ended the quarter on a 13-3 run to lead 42-29 after three quarters. 

Austin Peay did not go away quietly in the fourth quarter. A 15-point deficit whittled away to as low as five. While the Governors held the Bisons to 1-of-6 from the floor, the Bisons knocked down 7-of-9 from the free throw line to ice the game. 

HERD NOTES
The Bisons held the Governors to four points in the first quarter. Not only is it the lowest point total for an opponent this season, but it also slid into the record book for fewest points allowed in a quarter since it was established for women's college basketball in 2015-16. 

• Matched program record for fewest points in a first quarter
• Matched second-lowest all-time in any quarter

Lipscomb improved to 5-5 in contests played in Clarksville, including a perfect 3-0 inside F&M Bank Arena since the building opened during the 2023-24 season. 

KEY STATISTICS
Molly Heard led all scorers with 18 points after an 8-of-9 mark from the charity stripe. She also added nine rebounds, two blocks and a career-high five steals. 

Taylor Bowen recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds and 10 points, while McKayle Miller had seven points and three blocks. 

UP NEXT
The Bisons will continue the road swing next week with a Thursday matinee against Stetson at 11 a.m. EST / 10 a.m. CST from DeLand, Florida.