by Grant Ledgister | Jan 17, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
The scoring started early for senior forward Rob Marberry and didn’t stop until the game was over. From the opening tip-off, Marberry showed why he’s one of the top scorers in the ASUN Conference. He scored Lipscomb’s first 10 points on perfect 5-5 shooting, giving way to a 70-52 Lipscomb victory. Lipscomb (13-4, 4-0 ASUN) came into the game looking to stay perfect within conference play, while NJIT was looking to bounce back from a six-point loss to UNA. NJIT (13-5, 1-2 ASUN) has been great at home, dropping only a single game at the WEC. The game started out quickly for the Bisons, as the team was able to force four turnovers within the first five minutes to jump out to a 10-4 lead. NJIT was able to get Lipscomb’s lead down to three points on a Diandre Wilson three-pointer to end a several-minute long scoring drought that affected both teams. With seven minutes to go in the first half, the Bisons started rolling. The Bison’s smothering defense was able to keep the Highlanders at bay, which turned into more opportunities for the offense. Over the next five minutes, Lipscomb would go on an 11-2 run, including holding its opponent scoreless for another several-minute stretch. At the half, Lipscomb was ahead 36-20. The team forced 11 turnovers – though the Bisons committed eight of their own. By the end of the game, NJIT had amassed a total of 21 turnovers. “You can’t get deflections and steals and be great helpers defensively if you’re not where you’re supposed to be,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said on the turnover number....
by Grant Ledgister | Jan 10, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
ASUN conference play is heating up, which means every game is important and no opponent should be underestimated. It was touch-and-go for a good portion of the first half, but the Lipscomb men’s basketball team turned up the heat on the North Florida Ospreys and never let go in an 81-66 victory at Allen Arena Tuesday night. Senior guard Garrison Mathews returned to action after missing last Saturday’s game with a leg injury he suffered at Clemson on Dec. 30. He scored 25 points and knocked down five shots from beyond the arc, in addtion to giving the Bisons a boost with his veteran leadership and poise. Lipscomb (11-4, 2-0 in ASUN play) has dropped four of its last five games to the Ospreys (7-10, 1-1 in ASUN play), and early on in Wednesday’s contest it looked as if trend might continue. Despite senior forward Eli Pepper grabbing his Lipscomb record-setting 841st rebound, neither team was playing particularly well. The teams combined for 16 turnovers – 9 of which were committed by Lipscomb – with around 8 minutes to go in the half. Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said he was disappointed with how often his team turned it over. “This is three games in a row where we’ve uncharacteristically made a lot of turnovers,” he said. “We’ve got to fix it. It’s personal pride. It’s just being a little bit more solid decision-making performance.” The Bisons wouldn’t make the fix before the end of the first half, going on to commit 6 more turnovers. But they kept pouring on the points anyway. A good stretch of possessions, including a...
