Final Score – Lipscomb: 82, North Florida: 74
Location – Allen Arena (Nashville, Tenn.)
Records – Lipscomb: 9-6 (2-0, ASUN), North Florida: 2-13 (0-2, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Despite a slow start, Lipscomb ground out an 82-74 victory over North Florida to get out to a 2-0 start to ASUN play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bisons got out to a slow start, struggling to find its footing offensively, which gave North Florida the chance to jump out to a 5-0 advantage in the opening two minutes of the matchup.
Lipscomb was still looking for its first field goal four minutes into the game, and North Florida was shooting the ball well. Head coach Kevin Carroll called a timeout trailing 10-1 with 15:59 on the clock.
Cole Middleton finally got Lipscomb a field goal with a triple with just over 14 minutes to play in the half.
Middleton continued to be a spark plug off the bench for the Bisons, scoring eight-straight points himself, cutting the North Florida lead 13-12.
Ethan Duncan continued Lipscomb's run with a triple, shaving the lead 13-12 and forcing an Osprey's timeout.
The Bisons tied things up at 16 each, but North Florida outscored Lipscomb 7-2 over the next several minutes as Lipscomb once again fell behind 23-18 before the under-eight media timeout.
Out of the timeout, Lipscomb took its first lead of the night, 24-23, with the help of a pair of and-one opportunities and four UNF forced turnovers.
UNF, however, answered with an 8-0 run of their own, retaking a 31-26 lead with 3:19 remaining in the first frame.
Titas Sargiunas began to take over for the Bisons, scoring 10 quick points en route to the Bisons retaking a 36-25 advantage with a minute to play in the half.
The Bisons got the final points of the half when Sargiunas scored another contested layup. North Florida had a chance for a bucket at the buzzer, but the ball rimmed out and the Bisons held a slight 38-35 advantage at the break.
Out of the locker room, Lipscomb scored the first seven points of the half, jumping out to a 45-35 advantage, forcing an early Ospreys timeout.
Lipscomb began to score at a much higher clip in the second frame and took its largest lead, 50-39, just before the under-16 media timeout.
North Florida quickly erased the Lipscomb lead with four-straight triples. Lipscomb called a timeout with 12:28 to play, down 51-50.
Charlie Williams helped Lipscomb to settle things down with a pair of triples of his own as Lipscomb tied things back up.
The triples started to fall for the Bisons as
Ross Candelino hit a pair and Lipscomb took a 62-55 advantage before North Florida called a timeout with 8:04 to play.
Grant Asman started to heat up for the Bisons, breaking down the Ospreys' defense. North Florida, however, stayed in it with its three-point shooting, but Lipscomb led 76-68 at the final media timeout.
Yet another triple out of the timeout, shaved the Lipscomb lead 76-71 with a minute and a half left to play.
Lipscomb's defense held strong over the final 90 seconds, holding North Florida to contested triples. The Ospreys fouled the Bisons, who were in the bonus, several times down the stretch. Sargiunas, Candelino and
Ethan Duncan all made clutch buckets from the stripe as Lipscomb pulled out an 82-74 victory to start 2-0 in ASUN play.
HERD NOTES
- Asman notched his second double double of the season with 12 points and a career-high 15 rebounds
- Sargiunas led all scorers with 19 points
- Esmeraldo picked up eight assists
- Lipscomb shot 38% to UNF's 39%
- Lipscomb forced 16 turnovers and scored 11 points off those turnovers
- The Bisons connected on 21 fastbreak points
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will hit the road to continue ASUN play. The Bisons head to Florida to take on Stetson on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. CT.
