Final Score – Lipscomb: 76, Austin Peay: 87
Location – Clarksville, Tenn. (F&M Bank Arena)
Records – Lipscomb: 15-9 (8-3, ASUN), Austin Peay: 16-6 (10-1, ASUN)
THE SHORT STORY
Despite a halftime lead, Lipscomb Men's Basketball fell 87-76 on Wednesday night at Austin Peay.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Austin Peay got out to an early 7-0 advantage before
Grant Asman got Lipscomb on the board with a pair from the charity stripe. The 7-2 score would hold to the first media timeout.
Lipscomb's offense picked up after the break as
Mateo Esmeraldo and Asman made three-pointers. Lipscomb, however, continued to trail 15-12 at the under-12 media timeout.
Out of the timeout, a
Ross Candelino trey and Esmeraldo layup leveled the game at 17 apiece.
After Austin Peay missed a pair of free throws, Lipscomb took its first lead of the night, 19-17 on a
Cole Middleton layup.
The pace picked up over the next several minutes as the Bisons got out to their largest lead of the night, 30-25, with 6:52 to play in the first half.
The squads continued to trade buckets as Lipscomb continued to hold a 36-31 advantage at the final media timeout of the half.
The Bisons didn't score for the final 2:26 of the second half, but its defense kept Austin Peay from taking advantage as Lipscomb led 38-35 at the break.
Out of the break, the game was quickly tied at 43 each as both teams picked up where they left off. Austin Peay began to connect from deep and retook a 46-45 advantage with 17 minutes to play in the half.
The game stayed competitive, tied 50-50 at the first media timeout of the second frame.
Out of the timeout, the Govs outscored Lipscomb 13-2, opening up a 63-52 advantage with 11:50 to play as the Bisons called a timeout.
Austin Peay's lead grew before the next media timeout as the Bisons were behind 72-56 with 7:42 to play.
The Bisons offense slowed as it struggled to make shots, falling behind as much as 17 points with 4:34 to play. Lipscomb scored on two-straight possessions, getting the deficit to a more manageable 76-64 at the final media timeout with 3:51 left on the clock.
Lipscomb would eventually be defeated 87-76 by Austin Peay, falling to 8-3 in ASUN play.
HERD NOTES
- Austin Peay shot 60% to Lipscomb's 49%
- The Bisons outrebounded the Govs 30-27
- Asman led Lipscomb in scoring with 19 points with Esmeraldo (15) and Candelino (14) also scoring double-digits
- Candelino led the way with six rebounds
UP NEXT
Lipscomb will return home after a three-game road stint on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 4 p.m. CT.
