by Danny Kotula | Nov 29, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb men’s basketball team earned a competitive yet comfortable decision over the Kentucky Christian University Knights 86-67 Sunday afternoon. After a home win earlier this month over Division III Birmingham-Southern, Lipscomb improves to 2-0 against non-NCAA Division I opposition. The Knights are members of NAIA’s Appalachian Athletic Conference. Freshman forward Jacob Ognacevic paced the Bisons offensively with 27 points in 27 minutes, going 9 of 15 from the field and making 7 of 8 free throw attempts. A freshman Valparaiso transfer from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Ognacevic added 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 assists for the Bisons. He led the team in both points and rebounds for the afternoon. Alongside Ognacevic, junior guard Greg Jones made four 3-pointers en route to 17 points for Lipscomb, also adding 5 rebounds. Despite 5th-year junior center Ahsan Asadullah not suiting up for Lipscomb due to a minor injury suffered in a loss to Tennessee Tech last week, the Bisons controlled the paint, mostly via graduate student Parker Hazen. The Columbia City, Indiana-born forward contributed 6 of Lipscomb’s 12 points in the paint, ending with 12 points and 5 rebounds. “I’m happy with the team’s effort,” Hazen said. “Obviously, you look at a stat sheet like this, and there’s a lot of basketball things, but one thing you can’t put on a stat sheet is effort. So that’s something we’ll work towards; obviously, we play a great team on Thursday and [again] on Sunday.” Effort will be a key against Belmont and Chattanooga, both of which are top-tier mid-major programs and in-state rivals that will test the Bisons more than NAIA side KCU....
by Danny Kotula | Nov 29, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb women’s basketball team took down the Life University Running Eagles 72-59 Sunday afternoon. Guards Blythe Pearson and Jordan Peete were the key to Lipscomb’s offensive output, combining for 7-10 3-point shooting and 30 total points. Pearson dropped in a season-high and team-leading 17 points, despite the sophomore wing from Murfreesboro having to play with four fouls for the majority of the second half. “Jordan [Peete] is a fantastic player,” Pearson, a junior shooting guard from Overland Park, Kansas, said. “The way she can drive to the basket definitely pulls the defense so that I get those open shots.” “When [Peete] decides to play aggressive, she’s hard to stop on both ends of the floor,” assistant coach Chris Sumski said. “The effort and competitiveness she played with on the defensive end carried over to the offensive end, so that was fun to watch today,” Sumski said. Both Pearson and center Dorie Harrison ended the third quarter with four fouls, but neither one lost their composure and fouled out for Lipscomb. “We always have to plan ahead of time; we don’t know how the refs are going to call anything,” Pearson said. “We have to control the controlables.” What the Bisons did control was a high-octane offensive display, highlighted by a 25-point 3rd quarter. On a night in which Life outscored Lipscomb in the paint and the two teams finished with equal rebounds, it took effective possessions and capitalizing on turnovers for the Bisons to pull ahead. Lipscomb held a 15-point advantage in points off turnovers, creating a significant advantage that they would go on to need. After a...
by Gunnar Eng | Nov 18, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
The 2021 Lipscomb Athletics Hall of Fame ceremony introduced four new inductees, including long-time employee Andy Lane and three volleyball players: Ann Mullins, Alex Kelly Samuels, and Jake Pease House. The ceremony took place during homecoming weekend and began with an address by Lipscomb President Candace McQueen, who spoke on the importance of athletics in the university. “Lipscomb was a great place to grow spiritually and help with my goal orientation,” McQueen said. “That is really a testament to what our athletic programs have done for so many other athletes.” All four inductees gave heartfelt speeches to an audience filled with friends and family, after reminiscing on all that they had accomplished. Athletic Director Philip Hutcheson commented on the strengths of this hall of fame class. “They are all first ballot hall of famers because of the way they carried themselves and the way they performed,” Hutcheson said. “What they’ve done to elevate our program, and the way they connected to everyone on campus just makes this class special.” Hall of Fame inductee Andy Lane, who spent 33 years working for the athletic department in various roles, was thankful for the experience and what the ceremony cemented for his legacy. “It’s such an honor, having worked here a long time, and to be on the other side of an event like this, it’s so humbling,” Lane said. “I am just so thankful and blessed to have this opportunity.” Lane served as a sports information director, Director of Media Relations, Assistant Director of Marketing, Associate Director of Athletics for Administration, game management, assistant baseball coach, and the softball program’s first-ever...
by Danny Kotula | Nov 18, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb men’s basketball team handily defeated the Dayton Flyers 78-59 Wednesday night at a sold-out UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Over 13,000 Flyers fans crowded into the annual home of the First Four round of NCAA March Madness, and those sporting the red and blue of the home team were sent home disappointed by the visitors from Nashville. The Bisons earned the first points of the game with a bucket inside from senior center Ahsan Asadullah, and Lipscomb led from then on. Asadullah, hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, ended the night with a team-leading and season-high 21 points along with 8 rebounds and 3 assists. “Mainly, it was patience, just taking my time,” Asadullah said. “They’re really athletic, good shot-blockers. I knew all of them were going to be pretty strong and able to push me off the block, but not letting them rush me and getting the shots that I want was the main thing.” Asadullah scored 12 points in as many minutes in the first half, pacing the Bisons offense with a 3-point dagger, four baskets inside the lane, and a free throw. His contribution led Lipscomb to a 10-point lead with 8:15 to play in the first half, and after both teams traded buckets in the remainder of the period, Lipscomb held onto its double-digit advantage with a 38-28 mark going into the break. The Bisons shot accurately all night long, but were especially efficient in the first half, going 15-23 from the field for a 65% shot rate. Meanwhile, the defensive side of the ball was equally successful, holding Dayton to an equal 38.5% rate...
by Danny Kotula | Nov 17, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb women’s basketball team beat the Shorter Hawks 73-50 in their home opener at Allen Arena Tuesday night. It was never made easy for them, but the Bisons were resolute and found a way to win against a feisty Shorter side. Nine players scored 4 or more points for Lipscomb, as they used their depth to outlast the Hawks in the second half and take control of the game. After two losses to start the season against BYU and Utah, the coaching staff continued with the process and found the win it warranted. “Our mindset going into this game was the same,” assistant coach Chris Sumski said. “We’re just really focused on getting better every single day, especially on the defensive end. We were glad to see a little bit of improvement.” Freshman point guard Jordan Peete led the Bisons offensively with 17 points, also contributing 2 rebounds and an assist. Junior forward and Belmont transfer Maddie Cook added 9 points and 8 rebounds for the Bisons in her first game at Allen Arena in purple and gold. “Every time there’s a new first with the team, it’s a little bit weird,” Cook said. “I’m getting used to it, but the energy is amazing. Being here with my teammates, I feel right at home.” Despite their contributions, however, the Hawks made it difficult for the Bisons throughout, especially in the first half. On the back of hot shooting from Jasmine Gaines, who put up 8 points in the first quarter alone and ended with 20, Shorter raced out to a 9-4 lead at the first media break. Senior...
by Danny Kotula | Nov 15, 2021 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb volleyball team came back from a 2-0 deficit in sets to beat the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Allen Arena. After a 3-0 loss to the Gamecocks away from home, it looked by all accounts that Lipscomb was headed for the same fate at home in the final game of the regular season for both squads. Behind inspired play from a pair of true freshmen, however, Lipscomb found a way back from an improbable position, winning three straight sets to take the match. Oceanside, California-born hitter Anna Aubele reached 10 kills on 22 attacks, providing a big piece of the spark that brought the Bisons back. Fellow freshman hitter Addi Pelham, a native of Lenexa, Kansas, added six kills offensively for Lipscomb. Meanwhile, a familiar face led the charge at the net for Lipscomb. Sophomore outside hitter Kam Bacus led the team in kills with 17 and also contributed two blocks and a dig. “Obviously, Jacksonville State swept us earlier in the season, and so we just had a little chip on our shoulder,” Bacus said. “Nothing but confidence going into the ASUN Tournament.” That chip led the Bisons to a big finish in Set 3 just to keep the game alive. After four straight points from the Gamecocks, Lipscomb found themselves against the ropes and even at 21. Two straight attack errors from JSU put the Bisons in better position, and a kill from Pelham sealed the deal for Lipscomb, taking a 25-22 victory and forcing a fourth set. In the fourth period, the Bisons only trailed twice, but had to respond to yet...
