Final Score – Lipscomb: 75, Eastern Kentucky: 61
Location – Nashville, Tenn. (Allen Arena)
Records – Lipscomb: 16-10 (9-4, ASUN), Eastern Kentucky: 10-16 (6-7, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Lipscomb got back in the win column on Wednesday, defeating Eastern Kentucky 75-61, improving to 9-4 in ASUN play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The game was a fast-paced, back-and-forth affair, with the squads trading buckets over the opening minutes, as EKU held a slight 8-6 advantage at the first media timeout.
The offense slowed considerably over the next several minutes, but EKU held onto a 15-11 advantage at the under-12 timeout.
Lipscomb took its first lead of the game when
Charlie Williams nailed a triple from the top of the arc with just over 11 minutes to play for a 16-15 advantage.
The bucket sparked a bit of the Bisons' momentum, and Lipscomb got out to its largest lead, 21-17, after buckets from Williams and
Ross Candelino. Lipscomb's lead continued to the next break with a 26-21 advantage with 7:35 left in the half.
Lipscomb continued to extend its lead, 35-24, with a tough offensive and defensive effort that forced several tough shots for the Colonels with four minutes left in the frame.
Ethan Duncan heated up in the final minutes of the first frame with three triples that helped the Bisons to a 43-29 advantage, forcing an EKU timeout with 2:06 on the clock.
Lipscomb would go on to hold a 43-31 advantage at the half.
Offense was slow on both sides coming out of the locker room, but the Bisons stayed out in front, 47-34, at the first timeout of the second half.
The Colonels continued to battle, never letting Lipscomb take complete control, shaving the lead 49-39 with 15 minutes left in the game.
Out of the under-12 media timeout, the Colonels shaved the Lipscomb lead down to single-digits, 53-44, and forced a Bisons turnover to gain some momentum. The Colonels continued to shoot well and cut into the Lipscomb lead as Kevin Carroll called a timeout with Lipscomb leading 53-47.
After a Lipscomb scoring drought of nearly five minutes, Williams finally got the Bisons back on the board with a pair from the charity stripe for a 55-49 lead that would hold to the under-eight break.
Lipscomb extended its lead back out to double digits, 63-49, with a 10-0 run, giving Lipscomb life with five minutes left to play.
The Bisons comfortably led 66-53 at the final media timeout. Lipscomb was able to see things out and get back in the win column with a 75-61 victory over Eastern Kentucky.
HERD NOTES
- Williams led Lipscomb with 18 points and eight boards
- Other double-digit scorers included Duncan (17), Grant Asman (12) and Esmeraldo (11)
- Esmeraldo finished with eight assists
- The Bisons shot 42% from the field and 38% from deep
- Lipscomb won the rebounding battle 37-36
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will hit the road to battle at Queens on Saturday, Feb. 14 with tipoff set for 3 p.m. CT.
