by Grant Ledgister | Feb 10, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb has defended its home court well this season. The Bisons held again with an 86-77 victory over Jacksonville University Saturday at Allen Arena. The game started out with the fast pace and intensity that is customary to a Bisons team that leads the ASUN in points per game, and the team jumped out to an early four-point lead. It looked like Lipscomb (20-4, 11-0 ASUN) might cruise to another victory. The Dolphins (11-15, 4-7 ASUN) had other plans. Jacksonville would quickly tie the game up again. The Bisons tried to consistently change the lineup but could not find one that allowed them to open the half up. “We couldn’t get any real rhythm and make a run to extend the lead,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “They were playing well; I felt like we just had to keep trying different combinations to see what would work the best.” From then on, the half was a back-and-forth affair, one that consisted of a total of 15 lead changes and five ties that lasted for over four-and-a-half minutes of game time. Near the end of a frustrating half for the Bisons, senior guard Garrison Mathews committed a technical foul directly after senior forward Eli Pepper had committed a personal. Jacksonville had the game tied up again after four free throws. Mathews, the leading scorer in the ASUN conference, had an otherwise quiet night by his standards. The Dolphins were able to keep him under control, as he shot 5-of-11 and totaled 16 points. Lipscomb jumped out to an eight-point lead coming out of the second half. The Bisons would never...
by Spencer Boehme | Feb 9, 2019 | News Slider, Sports, Uncategorized
The Lipscomb women’s basketball team took down Jacksonville University 61-58 on Saturday afternoon, breaking a 19-game losing streak dating back to mid-November. The Lady Bisons led by 17 at halftime and by 13 with 7:37 left in the fourth quarter, but Jacksonville nearly came back. The game ended on a missed three-point jumper by senior guard Jasmyn Brown with two seconds left, and Lipscomb forward Kailey Rosenbaum scooped the rebound. It’s the first win for the Lady Bisons (3-20, 1-9 ASUN) since Nov. 15, a game in which they edged Alabama A&M 62-58 to begin the year 2-1. Jacksonville dropped to 12-12 (5-6 ASUN). Junior guard Carleigh Short scored a team-high 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting, while Rosenbaum added 16. Redshirt sophomore forward Emily Kmec led the team with eight rebounds, and freshman forward Taylor Hammack threw in four assists. For the Dolphins, Brown led with 16 points, while senior forward Trudy Walker grabbed 15 boards. Senior guard Rolanda Hayes tabbed three assists. The Lady Bisons now have their first ASUN win, but they still rank at the bottom of the ASUN standings. Lipscomb plays at Liberty on Tuesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Photo by McKenzi...
by Spencer Boehme | Feb 8, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
Lumination Radio will be broadcasting the Lipscomb basketball doubleheader against Jacksonville University on Saturday, Feb. 9. Tipoff for the women’s game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. CT, while the men’s game starts at 4 p.m. Click here to access the radio station, which is also accessible by clicking the “Radio” tab above. The station is free to listen to. Spencer Boehme will be on play-by-play for both games. Bailey Burnett will be joining as color for the women’s game, while Russell Vannozzi will do the same for the men’s. The Lady Bisons (2-20, 0-9 ASUN) will be looking for their first conference win. They have lost 19 straight games since they started the season 2-1. Sophomore guard Taylor Clark leads the team with 11.5 points per game. The Bisons (19-4, 10-0 ASUN) continue to manhandle the ASUN after a 37-point win over North Florida on Wednesday night, and they stand at 31st in the NCAA NET rankings. Photo by Jamie...
by Russell Vannozzi | Feb 8, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Lipscomb men’s basketball team has always been known for its offense, dating back to the Don Meyer NAIA days in the 1980s and 90s. But this season, it’s been the team’s defense that has turned close games into blowouts. Lipscomb’s 92-55 victory over North Florida Wednesday night was the team’s largest margin of victory in its ASUN history. “That’s the most underrated part of our team,” Lipscomb junior Michael Buckland said. “Our experience helps. We know the tendencies of our conference opponents. It’s just executing scouting reports and going out there and playing.” KenPom.com ranks Lipscomb as the nation’s 14th-best in adjusted defensive efficiency, or points allowed per 100 possessions. The Bisons have allowed just 66 points per game in ASUN play, and they’ve held four conference opponents to less than 60 points. The adjusted defensive efficiency statistic is helpful for gauging the strength of the Lipscomb defense because its high-tempo offense affords opponents more possessions and opportunities to score. The Bisons ranked 316th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency in 2014-15, but they have steadily climbed the rankings since. “We’re known for our offense, but people need to realize that we practice defense a ton,” senior Garrison Mathews said. “If you look at the KenPom rankings and stuff, we’ve improved each year. It’s been great.” The Bisons, who have a +2.8 turnover margin, play with intensity on defense and often force opponents out of their rhythm. North Florida committed 15 turnovers to Lipscomb’s 10, and the Ospreys shot just 34 percent from the floor. “Defense is so much effort and a willingness to do...
by Russell Vannozzi | Feb 7, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Lipscomb men’s basketball team just keeps on rolling through the ASUN. After five straight losses at UNF Arena since 2014, the Bisons easily dispatched North Florida, 92-55, with a dominating performance on both ends of the court Wednesday night. “If we play like we did [tonight], we’ll beat a lot of teams,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “(North Florida) is in a tough spot right now, but regardless, it’s good for our team to come in here and take care of business.” The victory extended Lipscomb’s win streak to 10 games – a record in the program’s Division I era. The Bisons won nine consecutive games during the ASUN portion of their 2008-09 schedule. Garrison Mathews led the team with 22 points and five three-pointers. Junior Michael Buckland was a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the arc and set a new season high of 15 points. “We have a lot of really good scorers on this team,” Buckland said. “The ball doesn’t always come my way, but when it does, I have to be ready.” Lipscomb last won at UNF Arena on Feb. 1, 2014. The Ospreys hold a 13-5 advantage in the series over the last eight seasons, but the Bisons have now won the last three meetings. “All of our nerves were kind of up,” Mathews said. “Coach pounded in our heads that none of us have ever won here. It was good to get a win.” The Bisons (19-4, 10-0 ASUN) began to slowly build a lead in the early minutes before ending the first half on a 26-9 run to take a...
by Adrienne Luu | Feb 6, 2019 | News Slider, Sports, Student Spotlight
If you’ve been to a men’s tennis match in the past four seasons, you may have heard the crowd chanting “Manza!” Lipscomb’s men’s tennis recruited Alejandro Manzanares, the No. 1 player in Venezuela’s 18U division, back in the spring semester of 2015. Throughout his tennis career as a Bison, he has achieved multiple ASUN titles as well as finished every year with a positive individual record. Manzanares is currently a senior in his fifth spring semester. He anticipates on graduating this upcoming May. Due to NCAA rules, he is unable to play on the team this season since he has already played his four seasons of eligibility. However, head coach Geoff Hernandez offered Manzanares a position as the new assistant coach this season. “I think Alejandro obviously had a high IQ as a tennis player,” Hernandez said. “I knew that coaching was going to be a natural thing for him, and it’s honestly something that I feel like he might do with the rest of his life. On the court, Hernandez said Manzanares was known to have a winner’s mentality, smart play decisions and calm mannerisms. It was only a matter of time before he transferred those qualities over to coaching. “I think as he got organized with his academics in the fall, it was the right time for him to come into the spring, and he has had an immediate impact,” Hernandez said. Ironically, before Manzanares was offered the position, he was actually considering asking Hernandez himself if he could volunteer as the assistant coach. But Hernandez beat him to it, and Manzanares was not surprised that the opportunity presented...
