by Kailey Schuyler | Mar 4, 2020 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb men’s basketball team took down FGCU in an ASUN quarter-finals thriller. The third seed Bisons defeated the sixth seed Eagles 68-63. “It was a really important game. Obviously, it’s an eliminations game. We knew that we were going to have to play hard because they weren’t going to give up because it’s an elimination game for them as well,” said sophomore center Ahsan Asadullah. Both teams had sharpshooting in the first half, shooting 45 percent from the floor. The score was tied four times and saw five lead changes in the first half. However, and 8-3 run from the Eagles put them up 33-32 at the half. The second half was a back and forth game. Lipscomb came out on an 8-2 run with back-to-back baskets from Ahsan Asadullah. But FGCU responded with a 7-0 run of their own. “I’m real proud of our kids. A month ago we were 7-13 and 2-5 in the league, but we never quit we just kept coming and coming,” said Acuff. Asadullah, named first-team All ASUN earlier in the day, stepped up for his team with a career-high 40 points along with 14 rebounds. “I have been fortunate to have a lot of good players and some guys that have played at a high level, but that right there — to put the chips on the table put everything on the line. That’s as good as I’ve ever seen,” said Acuff. Greg Jones chipped in 11 points and 5 rebounds and Michael Buckland had 8 points with 5 rebounds. “Even though Ahsan obviously is the main story tonight and he deserves...
by Mckenzi Harris and Erika Plunkett | Mar 3, 2020 | News Slider, Travel
All university-sponsored international travel this coming spring break is canceled due to the coronavirus. Domestic trips during spring break and summer are still scheduled as planned. Lipscomb Director of Missions Tyler J. Kemmerer informed the student population Tuesday via email. “As a spring break team leader, my heart goes out to all of you and the disappointment we are all experiencing,” Kemmerer wrote. “I understand that my words may be of little consolation to you, but please know that we have been closely monitoring this situation for several weeks and I assure you that we have not made this decision lightly.” Speculation over these cancellations began last week when fundraising deadlines were extended around the same time that the university relocated the students studying in Florence to Vienna because of the coronavirus cases in Italy. Barstool Bisons tweeted about the rumored cancellations Monday night in a since-deleted tweet, which sparked discussion across campus. Less than 24 hours later, Kemmerer sent the official cancellation notice, although many teams had already been notified by their respective team leaders. Belmont, Pepperdine, Trevecca, the University of Alabama and many others have all made similar decisions to cancel study abroad trips. Due to these cancellations being so last minute, with some teams having been scheduled to depart in less than 10 days, University Missions will have a number of situations to sort through, including financial concerns over the money that had been raised and was being applied to travel, lodging and food. Kemmerer said the university will be looking for solutions that are best for both the community and students. “Financially, we have a lot to...
by Mckenzi Harris | Mar 3, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider
A deadly tornado roared through Middle Tennessee in the early hours Tuesday, leveling homes, businesses and schools and leaving around 50,000 households and businesses without power. The danger caused Lipscomb to take precautions for students. After the National Weather Service announced the tornado warning for Davidson County around 12:35 a.m., Lipscomb residents were evacuated from their dorms to safe locations on campus. “I started hearing the weather alert on my phone, and then maybe 10 minutes later they said for Johnson Hall to go down to the basement,” said Lipscomb senior Kate Holt. “They [the RAs] were very calm about it.” AP News is reporting at least 22 deaths in Tennessee due to the EF-3 tornado, which had winds measured around 160 mph. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday declared a level-three state of emergency for Tennessee. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Tennessee on Friday. Vice President of Student Life Al Sturgeon emailed Lipscomb students early Tuesday. “Our hearts are with everyone affected by last night’s storms in our Nashville community,” Sturgeon wrote. “Our Security & Safety and Housing & Residence Life departments were up all night keeping watch over campus while several of us monitored the storm.” The lack of sleep after the students were evacuated to safer locales worried Holt. “This [the storm] could affect someone who has midterms, class, or even an internship they have to perform well in,” Holt said. But the students’ safety came first, considering the widespread violence of the deadly storm. “We have already received reports from employees who have been impacted by the severe weather,” said Vice President of...
by Kathryn Farris | Mar 3, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider
Nashville sustained significant damage early Tuesday morning, as a line of severe storms and a tornado hit the neighborhoods of Germantown and East Nashville. The tornado continued eastward to hit in Donelson and Hermitage before causing major damage in Mt. Juliet and moving across to Cookeville and Putnam County, where there was a devastating loss of life. The effects of the storm are being felt across Middle Tennessee and altering polling locations for voters in today’s election. Voters who normally are assigned to Hadley Park Community Center, Robert Churchwell Elementary, Centennial Park Art Center, Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church, or Union Hall 737 may vote at Pearl Cohn High School. Voters assigned to Hermitage Presbyterian, Dupont Tyler School, Hermitage Hills Baptist Church, Hermitage Community Center, TN School for the Blind or Two Rivers Middle School can vote at Donelson Presbyterian. Those assigned to vote at Ross Elementary, East Community Center, Shelby Community Center, Martha O’Brian or Cora Howe School may vote at Cleveland Community Center. Haynes Middle School will vote at Whites Creek Fire Station 25. Looby Community Center will vote at Northwest YMCA. Lead Brick Church Middle School will vote at Bellshire Elementary. Tuesday morning, Davidson and Wilson County polls were scheduled to open at 7 a.m. but were delayed until 8 a.m. Some were staying later than the normal 7 p.m. also, meaning Super Tuesday primary results will come in later than normal. Any other Davidson County voter whose assigned polling location was impacted can vote at the Election Commission Offices at 1417 Murfreesboro Pike or 800 Second Avenue S. For a full list of information to find your...
by Grant Ledgister | Mar 3, 2020 | News Slider
Joe Biden pulled off what national news analysts are calling “the comeback of all time” or words of that sort after the former vice president swept through the South – Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina and Arkansas – as well as took Massachusetts, Minnesota and Oklahoma and is projected to take Maine when the counting’s done in the Super Tuesday primaries, according to reports from the Associate Press, ABC News, CNN and other national news agencies. Coming after his huge victory in South Carolina last weekend, Biden has moved slightly ahead of his No. 1 rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Bernie Sanders. Sanders underperformed – his goal was to sock the nomination away by sweeping the contests Tuesday – and he is projected to take California (the most delegate-rich state), while he did win in his home state of Vermont, as well as in Utah and Colorado. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg dropped out of the race Wednesday and threw his support — and his billions — behind Biden’s effort to beat Donald Trump in November. Trump, of course, was the Republican primaries choice on Tuesday. Here is our Lumination Network story leading into Tuesday’s contests: March 3 is Super Tuesday. On Super Tuesday, 15 states (including Tennessee) will hold their primaries, going a long way in deciding who will reach 1,991 delegates and be the party’s nominee for president. While he does have a challenger in former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld, it is all but guaranteed President Trump will be the party’s nominee. With Pete Buttigieg and Tom Steyer having dropped out over the weekend, only...
by Spencer Boehme | Mar 3, 2020 | BREAKING NEWS, News Slider, Sports
When the Lipscomb men’s basketball team took the floor against Liberty on Saturday, the Bisons needed a tough win or some help from opponents to secure the fourth seed in the ASUN tournament. Not only did Lipscomb beat Liberty 77-71 (including a 29-6 lead to start the game), but Stetson also lost to Jacksonville, and Lipscomb got the tiebreaker over the Hatters and jumped a spot. This comes one season after graduating from a star-studded lineup of seniors that included Garrison Mathews and the transfer of starting point guard Kenny Cooper to Western Kentucky. Not to mention Casey Alexander’s departure to Belmont. “I was really proud of our guys for staying the course,” Lipscomb head coach Lennie Acuff said before practice on Monday. “I thought there [were] many times we could have punted. And obviously our roster’s been depleted, and we lost [Jake Wolfe and Alex Jones] for the year. But we just stayed the course, and we kept going.” That means the Bisons (14-15, 9-7 ASUN) have the No. 3 seed heading into Tuesday night’s matchup against No. 6 FGCU at 7 p.m. CT. Fans who can’t make the game can tune in on ESPN+ or listen for free on the Bison. “Florida Gulf Coast is very talented,” Acuff said. “We split with them. They beat us down there, we beat them here. They can really score the ball. We need to play well defensively.” Lipscomb went 5-8 in non-conference (3-8 against Division I opponents) and then started out the ASUN slate 2-5, including a four-game losing streak to cap it off. But the Bisons dealt North Florida...
