The Lipscomb men’s basketball team defeated Florida Gulf Coast University 91-75 in an Atlantic Sun Conference contest on Sunday afternoon while setting a few new NCAA-era records.
The Bisons set an NCAA era school-record by scoring 19, three-pointers in the game and also set a new NCAA-era high for three-point shooting percentage by hitting 57.6 percent from deep.
“We had a lot of guys contribute to this record,” head basketball coach Casey Alexander said. “Multiple players gave us a huge lift and that is what made this accomplishment possible. We want to be a team that is hard to guard on the floor and a team that is hard to guard offensively.”
Lipscomb scored 51 points in the first half by shooting 62 percent from the field and 61 percent from three. Junior J.C. Hampton led the Bisons with 26 points in the game.
In the first half, freshman Garrison Mathews led the Bisons in scoring with 15 points. Lipscomb finished the game with five players scoring double figures.
Mathews scored 32 points in his first two conference games at home.
“Garrison is playing with great confidence,” Alexander said. “He has been thrown into the fire since the very beginning of the season. He has been improving every game and learning on the fly. He is going to be a good player for us now and in the future.”
The Bisons’ win broke FGCU’s seven-game winning streak and handed the Eagles their first loss in conference play this season.
“I don’t think they were quite as good as they normally are on defense,” Alexander said. “I am sure Coach Dooley for Florida Gulf Coast would be in agreement. I give our guys plenty of credit though, being ready and tough minded offensively.”
Lipscomb men’s basketball will take on NJIT in New Jersey on Wednesday night for the first time in school history.
“I want us to play inspired and with confidence,” Alexander said. “Hopefully this will be a lesson in if we execute and do things right the outcome will go the way we want it to.”
Lipscomb women’s basketball fell 71-39. The leading scorer for the Lady Bisons was sophomore Riley Northway with 10 points. Senior Ashley Southern and sophomore Loren Cagle, who led the team in points and assists, did not play in the game.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics