by Travis Byrd | May 2, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
The Atlantic Sun conference has taken the college basketball world by storm over the last couple of years. In 2013, A-Sun member Florida Gulf Coast went on a magical run to the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA tournament, and in March, the Mercer Bears upset heavily favored Duke in the first round of the tourney. To Lipscomb Athletic Director Philip Hutcheson, the success of fellow A-Sun teams provides a good reputation to the other members of the conference. “A rising tide lifts all boats,” Hutcheson said. “When teams from this conference win, it makes everybody look good.” The good news for Lipscomb fans is that the Bisons have been very competitive with the conference’s top teams. “This year, we were right there,” Hutcheson said. “We split with FGCU and swept or split with most of the teams in the conference. We aren’t far from the top.” One of the problems that face teams from the A-Sun is that it is considered a non-power conference. The A-Sun is not in the same conversation as the ACC, SEC or Big Ten, but Hutcheson said he believes that with the recent success, the conference will not go unnoticed for long. “The thing about our conference is that only the conference tournament champion gets in the NCAA tournament,” Hutcheson said. “If teams from this conference continue to get in the tournament and advance, that could open the door for other teams that have good years in this conference to get an at-large bid.” This past season in men’s basketball was the first for Lipscomb head coach Casey Alexander. He led the Bisons to a fifth...
by Travis Byrd | Apr 7, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb Bisons completed a three game sweep of the East Tennessee State Buccaneers over the weekend. In game one the Bisons’ bats came alive pounding out sixteen hits. “When the hits start to spread from hitter to hitter, one guy feeds off the other. Good things happen,” head coach Jeff Forehand said. The offensive attack for the Bisons was lead by a 5-for-5 night at the plate by junior left fielder Josh Lee and a 3-for-4 game by junior center fielder Jonathan Allison. Allison hit a home run over the left field wall to give the Bisons an early 1-0 and later recorded a base-clearing triple that brought home two more runs. Allison finished the game with three RBI’s. ETSU did not go down easy. They responded to the 5-0 lead by adding two runs of their own to trim the margin to three. In the 7th inning ETSU closed the gap even more by adding five more runs, but the Bisons were able to hang on for the 9-7 win. In game two of the series, ETSU ran into a pitcher on a mission. Hunter Brothers pitched his first career complete game shut out. “When you get that performance that is all you need. He dominated from start to finish,” Forehand said. Junior shortstop Grant Massey lead the way offensively with a 4-for-4 day. He got the game started with a first inning triple to left and later scored on a RBI single. “Grant is one of the key components to this team. He is leading us on offense and defense but also with the spirit he brings...
by Travis Byrd | Mar 4, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb Bisons baseball team made a big statement this weekend against the University of Connecticut by taking two of the three games played. The Bisons pushed the Huskies to the brink in game one of the series by forcing extra innings, but failed to execute when it came down to the end. Junior shortstop Grant Massey did, however, launch his first home run of the year in the second inning to give the Bisons a 2-0 lead that eventually faded. UConn got on the board in the fifth inning after third baseman Bryan Daniello laced a line drive into the right field corner and eventually scored on an infield ground out. The Huskies took their first lead of the game in the seventh after putting several at bats together. Max McDowell was hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position. He was then driven home by a single to left field. UConn continually executed when they needed to. The Huskies capitalized on some Bison mistakes which lead them to the 6-4 extra inning victory. In game two of the series, the Bisons were in familiar territory. They once again forced UConn into extra innings and this timed executed. Senior designated hitter Chad Shannon drew a bases loaded walk in the tenth inning to give Lipscomb the 4-3-comeback win. The Bisons got a good start to the tenth inning after Massey bounced a double off the center field wall. Senior right fielder Drew Adams showed patience at the plate by drawing a walk to put two on the base paths. Junior first baseman Tyson Ashcraft then laid down a sacrifice bunt...
by Travis Byrd | Feb 26, 2014 | News Slider
The clock is ticking, but it is still not too late to sign up for a spring break mission trip. Lipscomb will be sending out eighteen mission teams all over the globe this spring break. Missions coordinator Paul Stevens says there is still time for students to sign up and participate. “Students can still sign up,” Stevens said. “Our trips are not full. There is still time to get involved.” With spring break only about two weeks away, many students think they have missed their shot at going on a trip, but Stevens says that is not the case. “We have had students sign up two or three days before the trip in years past,” Stevens said. “Lipscomb wants as many students to go that can.” Many mission teams have been meeting over the last few months to prepare for their trip, but students who still want to go should not let their lack of preparation keep them from going. “We have had teams meeting for months now,” Stevens said. “This has allowed them to grow together as a team and find out how well they will be able to work together. If there is room and the student has the capability to go, then we want them to.” Students may be wondering, “How do I get started this process started? Where do I go to check to see if trips are open?” Stevens says he recommends that students check out the university’s spring break missions page for trip availability. “All the mission teams are listed there and if the trip says it is open, then there is space, but some will say close...
by Travis Byrd | Feb 12, 2014 | News Slider
Friends are supposed to prevent each other from making bad decisions. On Tuesday, Lipscomb students were informed how to keep their friends from dating dumb. Michael Johnson (pictured to the right), the co-founder and and dean of dating of Future Marriage University, spoke to Lipscomb students during Tuesday’s Gathering. His foundation centers on how to date the right way. John Conger, who is the chair of department of family and consumer sciences, hopes that Lipscomb students will take Johnson’s message to heart. “I hope the take away will be that students and faculty will become more aware of the importance of relationship choices, not only for themselves, but also that friends don’t let friends date dumb,” Conger said. Johnson gave students a unique view into the world of dating by sharing ways to not date dumb, such as not dating because everyone is or just because they can. “A lot of people are making many fatal errors in relationships, and these cause untold suffering to individuals,” Conger said. “If there are children involved, these problems perpetuate into coming generations.” This chapel also signaled the start of what is being called Relationships Week. Students are going to be challenged to start taking a serious look at how their relationships are functioning. “It is a three day conference focusing on relationship choices and processes in today’s culture,” Conger said. “It’s time we had some serious conversations about this, and what better place and time than in college, when many will make these relationship choices.” Lipscomb students can get involved by attending various events throughout campus. Guys will be able to hear the second half of Johnson’s speech...
