The Lipscomb women’s basketball team lost to the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders 84-59 Sunday afternoon at Allen Arena in Nashville.
The loss is Lipscomb’s first since February 2020 and breaks a 12-game winning streak at home for the Bisons.
A dominant third quarter was the difference-maker for the hot-shooting perennial power, as MTSU earned their second win of the weekend after a double-digit margin of victory versus Mercer Friday night.
The Bisons stuck with now 7-1 MTSU in the first half, making multiple late-quarter runs to keep things close after periods 1 and 2. The halftime lead for the Blue Raiders was just 32-27 in a game that the Bisons never led, but kept within a possession multiple times in the first half of play.
In the second half, a energy-sapping full-court press from MTSU’s stingy defense took its toll on the Bisons, who would end up committing 26 turnovers in a game where countless passes were intercepted, especially in the backcourt.
On the other end of the floor, Lipscomb had no answer for MTSU’s behind-the-arc shooting clinic, as the Blue Raiders rattled in 16 three-pointers.
In the second half especially, MTSU’s strong shooting pushed them past a resilient Bisons side, giving them a 10-0 run to start the third quarter. The away side, which brought a sizable contingent of away fans from 45 minutes south in Murfreesboro, got hot again at the end of the period with an 11-0 run to end the 3rd, outscoring Lipscomb 29-12 in that game-securing frame.
Leading the way for Lipscomb was a coalition of scorers; four players ended in double figures in scoring. Belmont transfer and Murfreesboro native Maddie Cook became the team’s leading scorer on the season with her 12-point outing, which was matched by Butler transfer shooting guard Sydney Shelton, who made two three-balls in 25 minutes off the bench.
Also scoring 10 or more were freshman forward Bella Vinson, who knocked down three triples on the afternoon, and experienced point guard Casey Collier, who provided 10 more in 37 minutes for the Bisons. Collier is the only Lipscomb player to average over 30 minutes a game.
With the loss, Lipscomb falls to 2-5 on the year and 0-5 against Division I opponents. They face Division III members LaGrange 11 AM Wednesday at Allen Arena in a bid to get back on track after 3 losses in their last 4.
That match will be streamed live on The Bison, Lipscomb’s on-campus radio station.
Photo courtesy of CJ Arndt