Lipscomb’s Michael Buckland enjoying home cooking for postseason

Michael Buckland will play the fourth postseason game of his Lipscomb career Wednesday night when the Bisons take on North Carolina State in the NIT quarterfinals.

And, conveniently, that will allow the North Carolina native to play in front of his family and friends yet again.

Buckland, who hails from High Point, has family scattered across the state, so each postseason game has offered a slightly different group of people a chance to see him in action.

“Every time that we’ve had these games, it’s been in a different place in North Carolina,” he said. “I’ve had friends and family at all of them, but I’ve had different people at every game.”

Lipscomb played North Carolina in Charlotte in the 2018 NCAA tournament, and the Bisons played two more postseason games in the Tar Heel State last week when they beat Davidson and UNCG in the first two rounds of the NIT.

UNCG is less than 20 miles from High Point, so the Buckland family opened their home to the Bisons last Friday for a night of food, ping-pong, pool and March Madness.

The arrangements were made on short notice because Lipscomb did not find out the date and time for the UNCG game until Wednesday afternoon. When Lipscomb Director of Basketball Operations Adam Notteboom asked Buckland for restaurant recommendations, the Lipscomb junior offered his house as an option.

“I was like, ‘I’m not sure how my family feels about this, but they’d probably be [happy] to have us over,’” Buckland said.

It wasn’t the first rodeo for Steve and Tammy Buckland, Michael’s parents. They hosted the North Carolina women’s basketball team several times when Michael’s sister, Megan, played for the Tar Heels in the ACC tournament in Greensboro.

“It’s been kind of weird, because everything has been so last-minute with these tournaments,” Michael Buckland said. “But my parents are experienced hosts.”

Buckland starts at guard for the Bisons and averages six points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Coach Casey Alexander has called him the team’s “best on-ball defender,” meaning that Buckland typically draws a tough defensive assignment every night.

“Everyone asks me if it’s annoying to guard the [other team’s] best player night-in, night-out, but I’ve kind of embraced it,” he said. “It’s been a really fun challenge… especially since I’m a perfectionist.”

But it was his offensive prowess that was on full display against Davidson on March 19. Buckland led the team with 19 points and knocked down four three-pointers, including one with 5:12 remaining that gave the Bisons the lead for good.

The season-high effort against the Wildcats was partially fueled by the fact that Buckland did not receive an offer from Davidson, even after he was recruited by the school that would’ve given him a chance to play closer to home.

“This game meant a lot to me,” he said after knocking the Wildcats out of the NIT. “[Davidson] is the school I wanted to go to. I had a little chip on my shoulder.”

There may be more chances for his shooting to shine next season after Lipscomb graduates Garrison Mathews, Nathan Moran and Matt Rose.

“We’ll see. I would obviously hope so,” he said. “I’d enjoy getting to show what I’m capable of and show people that haven’t necessarily seen that side [of my game].”

Before that, Buckland has another chance to play on a big stage in his home state. The winner of Lipscomb-NC State will advance to play Wichita State in the NIT Final Four next week in Madison Square Garden.

“We’re making the most of the end of this season,” he said. “I feel like we’ve been playing with a chip on our shoulder. We’re trying to prove a point and show why we should have been in the [NCAA] tournament.”

Photos courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics