Lady Bisons lose regular season finale to USC Upstate, trip to FGCU ahead for A-Sun tourney

It was a tale of two halves for the Lipscomb women’s basketball team Saturday at Allen Arena. After connecting on six 3-pointers in the first half, the Lady Bisons could not buy one in the second half, which resulted in a 91-71 loss to USC Upstate. The Purple and Gold kept pace with the Spartans for the majority of the first half, but a late 15-2 run for Upstate carried them to the finish. “I thought we played well the first 14 minutes,” head coach Greg Brown said. “But throughout the rest of the game, we did not match their physicalness or their intensity. With our size and depth, we can’t afford that.” It was evident that their lack of size became a problem as Upstate more than doubled their offensive rebounds and hauled in 20 more altogether. Redshirt sophomore guard, Danay Fothergill led all scorers with 21 points; however, it was not enough to slow down the Spartans. “We kind of changed our defense, they kept going downhill and getting threes,” Fothergill said. “They just kept getting offensive rebounds, and I think that’s what hurt us the most.” The Lady Bisons seemed to be very aggressive the whole game. They made several drives to the basket that resulted in 39 free-throw attempts, yet they could only account for 25. “We were trying to get to the foul line on offense, but we just couldn’t knock down those easy shots like we have been,” Fothergill added. Redshirt sophomore forward Ashley Southern was the only other Bison to score in double figures. She recorded 12 points and pulled down 11...

Freshman Josh Williams finding success in first year with Bisons basketball team

For many freshmen, getting acclimated to college is quite an adjustment.  For freshman athletes, the learning curve often is even bigger. Freshman basketball player Josh Williams has hit the ground running and hasn’t looked back. The freshman guard has taken the conference by storm with his play and has been a big lift for the Bisons. He credits the coaches and teammates for much of his success. “I have to give a lot credit to the coaching staff for putting me in positions to succeed, and my teammates,” Williams said. “They’re always trying to make me better.” The Jackson, Miss., native has received the Atlantic Sun Newcomer of the Week award twice this season. “It’s nice to be recognized by the conference for my play,”  Williams said. “I’m just trying to get better each day.” Williams has elevated his play since returning to school from the Christmas break, posting 12.2 points per game and grabbing 4.7 rebounds per game so far this season. He says that he is playing with a lot more confidence and feels comfortable in his role. “Coming into the season, I really didn’t know what to expect, but when my opportunity came, I just tried to make the most of it,” Williams said. “I just try to let the game come to me, and take what the defense gives me.” Note: The author is a member of the men’s basketball team. Photo courtesy of Lipscomb...