by Russell Vannozzi | Nov 12, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb men’s soccer team is heading the Pacific Northwest for its second NCAA tournament appearance. During Monday’s NCAA Selection Show, the Bisons learned that their first-round opponent will be the Washington Huskies. The match is set for Thursday at 9:00 p.m. CT in Seattle. “It’s great to still be going and still be a part of all of this,” Lipscomb senior forward Logan Paynter said. “I haven’t been to the Pacific Northwest and I don’t know much about [Washington], but [I’m] super excited to get out there and go play a game.” Lipscomb (9-9) began its season with a dismal 1-7 record, but the team made a miraculous turnaround to win eight of their final 10 matches. That stretch included upsets of No. 10 Louisville and No. 24 Florida Gulf Coast. In Saturday night’s ASUN title game, the Bisons defeated Stetson, 2-0. Paynter set the school record for goals by scoring the 34th and 35th tallies of his career. Lipscomb dropped a 2-0 contest at Butler in its NCAA tournament debut last season. Lipscomb coach Charles Morrow said he believes the lessons learned from that loss will help the Bisons in their second-straight postseason appearance. “[Butler] was a team that could have gotten a bye in the first round,” Morrow said. “I think that, while Washington will be just as strong, I really feel like the guys have more belief and more confidence in themselves this year.” Washington (12-7) is making its sixth NCAA tournament appearance under coach Jamie Clark, and the Huskies have a 12-23-2 all-time record in tournament play. Senior forward Scott Menzies leads the team with nine goals....
by Russell Vannozzi | Nov 11, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb didn’t play its smoothest basketball on Saturday, but the result still turned out just fine. The Bisons topped Tennessee State by a score of 86-79 at Allen Arena as Lipscomb alumni and fans descended on campus for Homecoming Weekend. “[TSU] really played with more passion and energy than we did for a lot of the night,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “But I give our guys great credit for just staying with it in a tough game where it wasn’t smooth and [still] finding a way to win.” Lipscomb (2-0) led just 41-40 at halftime, and the contest remained tight throughout. But Lipscomb big man Eli Pepper came through with a reverse layup with 7:40 remaining, and the Bisons never trailed after that point. Garrison Mathews delivered the dagger when he swished a three-pointer with 26 seconds left. He finished with 23 points, while junior Kenny Cooper led the team with a career-high 24 points. “It’s been a long time coming, but I feel like I can let loose and play my game,” Cooper said. “I’m a third-year guy now, so [the coaches] expect [a lot] of me. I take that to heart, and I know what I can do.” Pepper delivered perhaps the most complete performance of his college career, posting 19 points and 17 rebounds in 33 minutes played. “[He] gave us a huge lift,” Alexander said. “That’s a guy that’s really stepping up and doing what he can to help the team.” Newly-hired TSU head coach Brian “Penny” Collins played for Belmont from 2002-06 while Alexander was on the team’s staff, making for a friendly...
by Russell Vannozzi | Nov 10, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb and Mississippi State women’s soccer teams entered uncharted territory in Starkville Friday evening. The two programs were both making their first-ever NCAA tournament appearances, but it was the Lady Bisons that pulled out a stunning, 1-0 victory in Golden Goal to advance to the second round. Neither team scored in regulation or overtime, forcing the match to go into sudden-death overtime. Lipscomb junior defender Dominique Diller launched a free kick from midfield, and the ball found its way through several players and into the box. The pass then bounced off the head of senior Justis Bailey and into the net. GOLDEN. GOAL.#NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/HjeeSvSiWm — NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) November 10, 2018 Bailey had her back turned to the kick and was simply in the right place at the right time. The goal set off a wild celebration as the Lady Bisons became Lipscomb’s first team to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament in any sport. Senior goalkeeper Kate Mason made seven saves for her ninth clean sheet of the season. The ASUN Goalie of the Year also made a highlight-reel save to keep the game scoreless with 22 minutes remaining. .What.A.Play… this merits a replay & @SportsCenter #Top10 play consideration! ? #SCtop10 #Saveoftheweek ? by @kateemasonn #FullStretch #Ncaasoccer #CollegeCup @espnW @nwslville @NWSL @NCAASoccer @LipscombWSOC @LipscombBisons #SecondRound here we come! pic.twitter.com/S5xhJHCeio — Shannon O'Brien (@ObShannon) November 10, 2018 Lipscomb will take on Duke in the second round of the tournament. The game is set for Friday, Nov. 16 in Washington, D.C. Start time and television information have yet to be...
by Russell Vannozzi | Nov 7, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
The last time the Lipscomb men’s basketball team took the court, it was for the school’s NCAA tournament debut against powerhouse North Carolina. Center Ahsan Asadullah was forced to watch that game on the bench while rehabbing an ACL injury. But on Tuesday night, the 6-foot-9 big man made his presence felt by leading the Bisons with 26 points in a 97-53 drubbing of Division-III Sewanee at Allen Arena. The Tigers more closely resembled a strong high school squad than a college team and were simply outmatched from the beginning, despite Lipscomb not being at its best. “It definitely helped,” Asadullah said of playing a weaker opponent. “We got to run some of our sets and stuff instead of [just] practicing against each other. [But we] knew it wasn’t going to be easy even though [they] were a D-III school.” Asadullah admirably filled in for Rob Marberry, who missed the game due to a hand injury. It’s unclear when the senior forward will be back in action, which could pose a problem in next Thursday’s Battle of the Boulevard against rival Belmont. “He’ll probably be back soon – he’s been practicing,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said of Marberry. “We know we need him for us to be as good as we can be.” Asadullah missed the entirety of the 2017-18 season after tearing his ACL last fall, and he said he felt some nerves during warmups. But you wouldn’t have known that by watching his nearly-flawless performance. “A couple of us were a little nervous,” Asadullah said. “I know I was a little nervous. My first shot got blocked,...
by Russell Vannozzi | Nov 6, 2018 | News Slider, Sports
The wait is finally over for college basketball fans. The Lipscomb men’s basketball team begins its quest for a second consecutive ASUN championship on Tuesday when Sewanee pays a visit to Nashville. Lipscomb is loaded with experience, but that means expectations are high. The ASUN tabbed the Bisons as the preseason favorite to win the league, and numerous media outlets also have projected Lipscomb to return to the NCAA tournament. “Regardless of how last season went, which everyone still wants to talk about, we’d still be ready to play and excited about what’s ahead,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “It’s a fun group and a group that has a lot of potential.” Here are five storylines to watch as Lipscomb begins its season: Can the Bisons recreate last season’s magic? Championship seasons usually require the stars to align, and that’s exactly what happened for Lipscomb last year. The Bisons swept Belmont for the first time since the 2009-10 season, finished atop the ASUN with a 10-4 conference record and knocked off Florida Gulf Coast on the road to take the league title in front of a national TV audience. With each of its top six scorers returning, it’s reasonable to assume that Lipscomb’s offense could be improved in 2018-19. Couple that with the attrition that other ASUN teams have experienced during the offseason and it’s easy to see why the Bisons have been tabbed as the favorite. “We’ve got a new team with a new schedule and a new season,” Alexander said. “Our only goal is for this year’s team to be as good as this year’s team can...
