by Aaron Schmelzer | Nov 11, 2013 | News Slider, Sports
In their first win of the season, the Lipscomb men’s basketball team held off a late game surge by the Oakland City University Mighty Oaks to walk away with the 88-78 Monday night victory at Allen Arena. The Mighty Oaks battled back from being down by 20 points at halftime. However, the Bisons were able to hold off the perimeter shooting of Oakland City, a major factor in accomplishing the win. “[The win] would feel a lot better if we had played a more complete 40 minute game,” said Casey Alexander, who won his first game as the Bisons’ head coach. “But it’s still better than the alternative.” Alexander said the team has also made adjustments from their last game, including improvements with turnovers and better defense. “Tonight, we were much better at taking care of the ball and getting good shots, and then we also defended well. “We just challenged them to be better, and in a lot of ways, we need to play without regard for the score or the opponent. Try to play your best on each possession, then, the results will more often be what you want them to be.” Speaking of good results, junior forward Malcolm Smith produced a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Smith was 6-9 from the field, and knocked down both of his free throws. Smith spoke about the team earning the win, a task accomplished after Friday’s loss to Belmont. “Our coach told us good teams bounce back,” Smith said. “That’s something that everyone in the locker room knows. It’s common knowledge.” Smith also gave insight into some...
by Cory Woodroof | Nov 10, 2013 | News Slider, Sports
Allen Arena has been an exciting-yet-heartbreaking place for basketball in the past few days. After the men’s basketball team nearly pulled off a big win over Belmont, the women’s basketball team opened their season in similar style, nearly topping their own Ohio Valley opponent. Despite a standout afternoon for redshirt sophomore Ashley Southern, the Lady Bisons fell in overtime 82-77 to the visiting Morehead State Lady Eagles. The Lady Bisons started off strong with two three-pointers from junior Sara Bliss, but Lady Eagle difference-maker Terrice Robinson began to put her own points on the board, giving Morehead State a brief lead. Soon after, Lipscomb took control of the first half, leading at halftime 33-25. The game looked to be far from the Lady Eagles’ reach when the Lady Bisons went up 47-33 with around fifteen minutes on the clock, but some key arch buckets from Robinson got Morehead State right back in the game. Lady Eagle Shanice Parker sunk a three at the 11:41 mark that that had the Lady Bisons’ lead down to four. The Lady Bisons began to once again distance themselves from Morehead, going up 57-49 at the eight minute mark, but more clutch play from the Lady Eagles allowed them to catch up to Lipscomb, taking a small lead as the final minutes ticked away. The Lady Bisons refused to call it quits, though, keeping the margin low for the Lady Eagles. With 19 seconds left, Robinson scored a layup that put Morehead up by 3, but a last-second three from Bliss sent the crowd into an uproar and the game into overtime. Though overtime...
by Cory Woodroof | Nov 8, 2013 | News Slider, Sports
The past couple of seasons in Lipscomb basketball can be summed up in one word: change. In the past two years, the university has seen two coaching changes in two of its biggest sports programs. In 2012, former Lady Bisons basketball coach Frank Bennett transitioned into a role as an associate athletic director for the school, and former University of Central Florida assistant Greg Brown took on the role as head coach for the team. In April, longtime Bisons basketball coach Scott Sanderson resigned, and, in May, former Belmont assistant and Stetson coach Casey Alexander returned to Nashville to become the next coach of the Bisons. Alexander may be new to don the purple and gold, but he’s no stranger to town, having been a standout player and coach for the Bruins during his time with Rick Byrd’s legendary program (the two will meet again in tonight’s first installment of this year’s Battle of the Boulevard series). After leaving Belmont, he spent two seasons as the head coach for the Stetson Hatters before making the move to the other side of the boulevard as Lipscomb’s new coach. After spending the summer and fall semester getting acquainted with the team, Alexander is getting ready to begin his era of Bisons basketball. Alexander says that the transition into his new role at Lipscomb, on both a personal and professional level, was as smooth as it could be. “It’s been very easy,” Alexander said. “It’s a place that I was so familiar with and knew a lot about, and knew that it was the kind of place that I wanted to be,...
by Jesica Parsley | Nov 6, 2013 | News Slider, Sports
The Lady Bisons defeated the Fisk Lady Bulldogs in the second and final exhibition game in Allen Arena Wednesday afternoon. Lipscomb got on the board first with a jump shot by sophomore Alex Banks. The Lady Bisons never looked back. The final score was 83-66. Four players scored in double digits for the Lady Bisons while Ashley Southern and Faith LeGate each posted a double-double. Southern, a redshirt sophomore from Tuscumbia, Ala., led the way with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Banks finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. Junior Sara Bliss had six assists on the night. All 10 players that are healthy got several minutes of playing time and all scored points in the game. “There are a lot of girls that haven’t played in a college game, so it’s good to see them get comfortable on the court and calm their nerves before the actual season starts,” Banks said. Stevonna Scott, the Fisk junior from Chattanooga, Tenn., led the game with 35 points. Rebounds were the key for Lipscomb. The Lady Bisons grabbed 54 rebounds with 20 of them being offensive. “We just crashed the boards as hard as we could which is what Coach jams into our minds every single day,” Banks said. Coach Don Meyer was in the stands and talked to the Lady Bisons after the game. “We all love Coach Meyer like he is our coach, and he is so wise,” Banks said. “It’s so great getting to talk to him.” The Lady Bisons begin regular season on Nov. 10 against Morehead State in Allen Arena. The game will be streamed on...
by Kyrsten Turner | Nov 1, 2013 | Sports
This week’s basketball exhibition games filled Allen Arena with the sounds of cheering fans, slick sneakers on the hardwood and plenty of booming buzzers. Through all the noise and confusion that accompanies live sports, the pep band is usually the one providing the structured soundtrack to the evening. “Emphasis on musicality,” said Elliot Bowman, Lipscomb’s pep band director for the year. “Instead of being a really loud band, we want to be able to hear all the parts, all the instruments. Each instrument does have an important role in each song we play and we want that to be showcased.” The conglomeration of trumpets, drums, flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trombones, a piccolo and a bass guitar bring together the best of wind and jazz instruments. “We don’t have any tuba players this semester but I’d love to have anybody that wants to play one,” Bowman said. Coming off the Bisons and Lady Bisons exhibition games, the pep band is ready to begin a new season. Bowman said the band isn’t just a way to showcase students’ musical talent, but a way to be more involved in the games and support Lipscomb athletics. “In the past, while [band members have] shown moderate interest, they’ve not been shouting with the cheerleaders and trying to help out like a normal student would,” Bowman said. “We’ll put a little bit of emphasis on that.” Jennifer Green, Bowman’s co-assistant, is looking forward to making the pep band a vital part of the game’s atmosphere. “We used to be a really small group that didn’t have much school spirit,” Green said. “Now, we have grown exponentially and...
