All but one Lipscomb player scored as the Bisons cruised to a 92-78 victory over the USC Upstate Spartans Wednesday in Allen Arena.
Centers Rob Marberry and George Brammeier dominated in the post. Marberry led all scorers with 24 points and missed just twice from the field. Brammeier added 14 off the bench. Lipscomb out-rebounded USC Upstate by 11 and scored 56 points in the paint to the Spartans’ 24.
Coach Casey Alexander said the inside presence “helps the whole team.”
“It takes a lot of the burden off,” Alexander said. “That was the biggest key.”
Garrison Mathews rolled his left ankle and limped off early in the first half. The ASUN’s leading scorer returned a couple minutes later and finished with 10 points along with a team-leading 11 rebounds and three charges drawn.
Kenny Cooper finished with 16 points. Zach Flener, who played the final 23 seconds of the game, was the only Bison not to score.
Mike Cunningham led the Spartans with 20 points and five assists. Ramel Thompkins and Deion Holmes were the only other Spartans in double figures. Two Spartans fouled out.
After a sloppy start for both teams, Lipscomb closed the first half on a 10-0 run and took a 42-29 lead into the locker room.
The Bisons turned the ball over three times in four possessions to start the second period, allowing USC Upstate to bring the lead back into single digits. Coach Casey Alexander substituted all five players in favor of the bench unit of Brammeier, Asa Duvall, John Matt Merritt, Aaron Korn and Andrew Fleming.
Brammeier’s dunk just before the under-16 timeout pushed the lead back to 10, and the lineup played the Spartans to a draw over seven consecutive minutes. Duvall scored his first points of the season on a backdoor cut, assisted by Merritt. The unit drew a standing ovation when they were taken out with 10 minutes to go.
“I can’t say enough about those guys,” Alexander said.
The Bisons shot just 20% from three-point range. The teams combined for 36 turnovers.
Forward Matt Rose replaced Michael Buckland in the starting lineup for the second game in a row. Buckland hasn’t played or practiced since suffering an ankle injury against Florida Gulf Coast on Jan. 20.
The Bisons take on the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders (9-11, 2-3 ASUN) in Newark, N.J. Saturday. The Highlanders are 9-3 at home. Watch the game on ESPN3.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics