Final Score – Lipscomb: 81, Queens: 87
Location – Charlotte, N.C. (Curry Arena)
Records – Lipscomb: 16-11 (9-5, ASUN), Queens: 15-12 (10-4, ASUN)
 
THE SHORT STORY
 
Despite winning the second half, Lipscomb Men's Basketball was unable to overcome a large halftime deficit as the Bisons fell 87-81.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Bisons scored the first points of the night when Mateo Esmeraldo buried a triple from the corner for an early lead. The game was back-and-forth early, with the squads tied at 9 each at the first media timeout. 
 
Out of the timeout, the Bisons were plagued with early fouls that allowed Queens to settle in. The pace picked up, and the Royals were connecting at a high rate, allowing Queens to get out to a 24-16 lead as head coach Kevin Carroll called a timeout with 10:12 to play in the half. 
 
Out of the break, Queens continued on a 7-0 run, but Ross Candelino finally got the Bisons back on the board to stop the bleeding. 
 
Queens continued to dominate, however, shooting 73% with 4:41 remaining in the half to open up a 45-27 advantage. 
 
Queens got out to as much as a 20-point advantage, but the Bisons chipped away and used a 6-0 run to trail 52-38 at the break. 
 
Lipscomb kept pace with Queens in the early minutes of the second half, but couldn't get the stops needed to really cut into the deficit as Lipscomb trailed 67-51 at the under-12 media timeout in the second half. 
 
Kennedy Okpara connected on a traditional three-point play with just over six minutes to play that shaved the Queens lead 74-64. 
 
Lipscomb finally got the lead to single digits with 4:39 on the clock when Ross Candelino made a pair from the charity stripe for a 78-70 game. At the final media timeout of the game, Lipscomb trailed 80-70 with a pair of free throws coming out of the break. 
 
The Bisons continue to battle, and Titas Sargiunas nailed a triple with 2:42 to play, getting the Bisons within six, 80-74. 
 
Lipscomb forced a pair of turnovers with a minute left, but was unable to capitalize and turn them into points. 
 
The Bisons continued to battle, capitalizing on Queens' missed free throws, making a pair of triples with under 20 seconds remaining, shaving the Royals' lead 84-81 with 8.4 ticks of the clock. 
 
Queens, however, made its final three free throws as Lipscomb fell 87-81 in Charlotte. 
 
HERD NOTES

• Asman led Lipscomb with 16 points while Esmeraldo scored 10 and Williams added 12
• Nine Bisons scored in the loss
• Candelino led Lipscomb with eight rebounds while Esmeraldo had six assists
• Queens outshot Lipscomb 58% to 45% from the field
• The Bisons outrebounded Queens 35-29

 
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will continue its two-game road stretch at Bellarmine on Wednesday, Feb. 18 with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT.