Defeating a team three times in one season is no easy task, but that’s what the Lipscomb men’s basketball team must do if it wants to advance in the ASUN tournament.
The No. 1 Bisons play No. 8 Kennesaw State on Monday night at 7 p.m. in Allen Arena. Lipscomb has home-court privileges for the entirety of the ASUN tournament after edging out Liberty (25-6, 14-2 ASUN) for the tiebreaker.
“That’s what you work for,” coach Casey Alexander told LipscombSports.com. “I think the hardest thing to do in any sport, and at any level, is to be the best in your league. That’s a long-term measure of success, and our guys have been good for 16 games in the league.”
Lipscomb (23-6, 14-2 ASUN) already owns two victories over Kennesaw State after beating them 86-57 on Jan. 21 in Nashville and 83-67 on Feb. 16 in Georgia.
Ironically, the only time the two teams have met in the ASUN tourney was when Lipscomb was a No. 1 seed and Kennesaw State was a No. 8 seed in 2010. The Owls squeaked out a 72-69 upset.
“It was a completely different time, but we know,” Alexander said. “Anything can happen in a 40-minute game, regardless of seed, and that’s the way we approach it.”
BREAKING DOWN THE OWLS
Kennesaw State has had a difficult year. The Owls finished the regular season 6-25 overall (3-13 ASUN), and coach Al Skinner recently announced his resignation, effective at the end of the season.
But the Owls have the ASUN’s second-leading scorer in junior Tyler Hooker (19.0 PPG) – second only to Mathews (19.8 PPG). Hooker scored 18 points at Allen Arena and followed that up with 23 more in the second meeting between the programs.
He also scored 36 points against Stetson last Friday to propel his team into the eighth and final seed in the ASUN tournament. Alexander said he thinks the Skinner news has loosened up the team’s approach over the last two weeks.
“They’re playing a little differently,” Alexander said. “They’re probably throwing caution to the wind a little bit more now.”
Guards Danny Lewis (10.3) and Bobby Parker (8.5 PPG) provide Hooker with a solid supporting cast in the backcourt, while forward Bryson Lockley averages 7.1 rebounds per game.
Kennesaw State’s three ASUN victories against North Florida, NJIT and Stetson all came at home. The Owls also beat Oglethorpe and Tennessee Tech at home during nonconference play, but they’re a winless 0-14 on the road.
“Everybody knows it doesn’t really matter who you’re playing,” Alexander said. “This time of the year you’ve got to show up and you’ve got to be ready.”
BREAKING DOWN THE BISONS
Lipscomb seems to have recovered from its mid-February slump that included losses to Liberty and Florida Gulf Coast. Those defeats doomed the team’s at-large bid hopes, but the Bisons are still well-equipped to make a run at the ASUN tournament title.
Senior guard Garrison Mathews scored 49 combined points over his last two outings, which were victories over NJIT and North Alabama. That helped Lipscomb clinch the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage for the tournament.
Should the Bisons beat Kennesaw State, they will then play the lowest remaining seed in the semifinal round – a change from the tournament’s previous format.
One area of concern for Alexander is his team’s defense, which has seen some uncharacteristic lapses in recent weeks. Lipscomb ranked as high as 14th in KenPom.com’s adjusted defensive efficiency statistic on Feb. 8. But as of March 3, the Bisons rank 51st.
“I would like us to be more consistent and be the defensive team that we were for the first 20 or so games,” Alexander said. “I don’t think we’ve lost our touch necessarily, but within games, we’ve had segments where we haven’t been as good.”
Experience is also on the Bisons’ side. They are using the same starting lineup from last year’s ASUN tournament, which includes the star power of Mathews and Rob Marberry. Just as important is Lipscomb’s depth in players like Eli Pepper, Michael Buckland, Matt Rose and Ahsan Asaduallah.
“It’s the strength of our team,” Alexander said. “We’ve got so much experience and quality depth that it should be an asset for us.”
Mathews went for 25 points in the first meeting with the Owls, while Rob Marberry added 14. The second contest was much closer, but the Bisons pulled away late and still won by 15.
“We’re ready,” junior guard Kenny Cooper said. “We have no reason not to be ready, especially with this being the biggest game of the year thus far. I think our guys will come out ready to compete.”
ANALYSIS & PREDICTION
Expect the Bisons to handle business, but don’t expect a huge blowout. Conference tournaments often bring out a team’s best performance, and the Owls narrowed the gap the last time they played the Bisons in mid-February.
Mathews appears to have regained his shooting touch after the three-game mini slump that included losses to Liberty and FGCU. It’s hard to imagine a Kennesaw State upset here, especially since its coach is already halfway out the door.
Prediction: Lipscomb 86, Kennesaw State 70
Photo by McKenzi Harris