Lipscomb’s women’s basketball team (9-14, 5-3 ASUN) beat the NJIT Highlanders (3-20, 1-7 ASUN) 66-58 Saturday to pick up its third straight win in conference play behind Loren Cagle’s 22-point, 13-rebound and six-assist night.
Coach Greg Brown said his team was turning the corner after a couple of close losses, thanks to effort and confidence.
“That’s a heck of a win right there, just being able to grind one out when it was ugly,” Brown said. “I think a lot of it is just confidence of playing, working hard in practice and you’re starting to see results.”
Both teams were plagued by dry spells and shot under 40% from the field. The Highlanders turned the ball over 16 times and the Bisons added 13.
Lipscomb outrebounded the Highlanders 39-38. Taylor Clark scored 13 points for the Bisons. Lauren Rau chipped in 10.
The Highlanders attacked Lipscomb’s zone defense through the high post and led 19-16 at the end of the first quarter. Amber Morgan’s layup pushed the NJIT lead to 24-18 and coach Greg Brown called his first timeout.
“We were a little flat-footed, I think, and we didn’t have as much pressure,” Brown said. “In the fourth quarter I think we did a better job pressuring the ball.”
Loren Cagle made a contested three, then a layup through the foul to bring the Bisons back even. Loshaveon Jones gave Lipscomb the lead with a pull-up jumper, forcing the Highlanders to take a timeout of their own.
Then the Bisons turned the ball over four times and missed four shots, allowing NJIT to retake the lead 36-34 at the half. Cagle tallied 13 points and nine rebounds in the half. Morgan and Tatianna Torres paced the Highlanders with seven points apiece.
Another Lipscomb scoring drought gave NJIT the chance to extend its lead to 44-37 with five minutes left in the third quarter, its largest margin of the game.
Then the Highlanders went cold for the last five minutes of the quarter while Cagle and Rau’s speed in transition sparked a 7-0 run to tie the game at 46.
NJIT coach Steve Lanpher picked up a technical foul for arguing while the game was tied at 51 midway through the fourth. Rau split the free throws, Clark scored on the next possession and the Bisons did not trail again.
Lipscomb plays at USC Upstate (7-15, 2-5 ASUN) Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics