Final Score – Lipscomb: 80, EKU: 77
Location – Richmond, Ky. (Baptist Health Arena)
Records – Lipscomb: 19-12 (12-6, ASUN), Eastern Kentucky: 18-13 (11-7, ASUN)
 
THE SHORT STORY
Lipscomb Men's Basketball rounded out the regular season with a gritty 80-77 victory at Eastern Kentucky on Saturday afternoon behind a 17-point performance from Grant Asman.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Lipscomb started out with buckets from Titas Sargiunas and Or Ashkenazi for four early points, but went cold for the next several minutes heading into the first media timeout, allowing Eastern Kentucky to get out to an 8-4 advantage at the first media timeout. 
 
EKU continued to be in control out of the timeout, getting out to an 18-11 lead, but back-to-back buckets from Mateo Esmeraldo shaved the lead to 18-16, forcing an Eastern Kentucky timeout with 12:06 on the clock. 
 
The Bisons forced a turnover out of the timeout, and Ethan Duncan capitalized with a fast break bucket, tying the game at 18 apiece. Lipscomb continued to have the momentum, taking its first lead since the opening bucket when Ross Candelino nailed a triple for a 21-18 advantage. 
 
Lipscomb held onto a narrow 23-22 advantage at the under-eight media timeout, after outscoring EKU 10-4 over four minutes. 
 
The squads traded punches over the next several minutes as the Colonels narrowly led 33-31 at the final media timeout of the half. Lipscomb retook control in the final minutes, leading 42-41 at the halftime break. 
 
Out of the halftime locker room, the teams continued to trade buckets with neither getting much separation, but Lipscomb continued to hold a slight 50-49 lead at the first media timeout. 
 
The pace of the game grew frenzied over the next several minutes as the physicality increased. Eastern Kentucky held a 65-63 advantage at the under-12 media timeout. 
 
Lipscomb had a scoreless drought of over four minutes, but strong defense kept EKU from taking advantage.  Sargiunas finally broke the drought with a triple to give Lipscomb back a 66-65 advantage with 6:50 left to play. 
 
The back-and-forth continued, but Lipscomb was able to get out to a two-possession lead just before the final media timeout when Candelino nailed a triple for a 74-70 advantage. 
 
EKU quickly erased the Lipscomb lead, retaking a 75-44 advantage, marking the 21^st lead change of the night, with 2:38 to play. 
 
The Colonels led 77-75 with 1:08 to play and inbounded the basketball, but Ashkenazi expertly read the pass and got the ball back with 1:05 to play before Lipscomb called a timeout. 
 
Out of the break, Charlie Williams tied the game at 77 with 50 seconds to play. Lipscomb forced an EKU stop with 26 seconds to play, and held the ball until 3.5 seconds to play when Grant Asman sunk a triple from the corner for an 80-77 advantage. 
 
The Colonels called a timeout to set up one final play. EKU got one final shot up, but it went off the back iron as Lipscomb defeated the Colonels 80-77. 
 
HERD NOTES

• Asman led Lipscomb with 17 points while Sargiunas and Candelino both finished with 15 
• Esmeraldo was Lipscomb's top rebounder, grabbing eight while adding eight assists
• The Bisons shot 43% from the floor and 33% from behind the arc 
• Lipscomb had just five turnovers while forcing 13 EKU turnovers

 
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will head to Jacksonville, Fla. for the ASUN Tournament. The Bisons earned a bye to the Quarterfinal round, which will be played Friday, March 6 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.