Men’s basketball encounters more injuries that lead to loss

More injuries plagued the Bisons Saturday as they fell to the no.1 team in the Atlantic Sun Conference 87-66. The Bison’s were short two starting players entering the game against Mercer. Sophomore guard Talbott Denny and junior forward Martin Smith were both out with minor ankle injuries. Smith is the Bison’s leading scorer this season with 301 points and averaging 16.7 points per game. Saturday was also the first time Smith has not started in 58 games, but redshirt freshman J.C. Hampton is encouraged that his teammates will soon be back on the court. “I’m pretty sure Martin and Talbott should be back,” Hampton said. “Just minor ankle injuries, so hopefully we can get them back.” Several other injuries this season have prevented the Bison’s from being at full strength. With redshirt freshman center Charles Smith and freshman forward Brett Wishon also out, the team is very guard heavy. This caused the Bison’s to struggle even more against Mercer who had a significant height advantage. “It was a little challenge to us as we’re all guards,” Hampton said. “It’s a little hard scoring and on both ends of the floor.” Despite the challenges during the game, senior guard Khion Sankey is very proud of the way his team fought. “We played extremely hard,” Sankey said. “I felt like we got better as a team today, and I think everybody stepped up. Everybody took on the challenge.” Sankey led the team with 19 points and five three pointers during the game. The Bison’s have a week off to rest before facing conference opponent Northern Kentucky in a road matchup. The...

Men’s basketball promotes brotherhood for upcoming season

With “brotherhood” as their mantra, the fresh crop of Lipscomb Bisons focuses on getting to know each other while tuning up for the historic Battle of the Boulevard rivalry Nov. 9. “That’s a pretty big game,” sophomore forward Martin Smith said. “It’s the first game of the season, and everyone is really looking forward to that–getting hype–and we’ll be ready for it.” The 6:30 p.m. Nov. 9 tipoff at Allen Arena will begin the game that is for the first time a non-conference matchup.  Belmont left the Atlantic Sun this past year to join the Ohio Valley Conference. Nine new players have joined the squad, and coach Scott Sanderson said he knows that the focus of practices will be coming together internally as one group of players. “Right now we are more focused on what we’re doing,” he said, adding that what concerns him most is “our day-to-day process, our day-to-day work ethic, you know, how we are paying attention to detail and getting ourselves better individually to help our team get better.” Key additions to the team are: junior Khion Sankey from Stockton, Calif.; freshman John Ross Glover from Jackson, Tenn.; junior Oscar Garcia from El Paso, Texas; freshman J. J. Butler from Abingdon, Md., freshman Dylan Greene from Anaheim Hills, Calif.; and freshman Stephen Hurt from Murfreesboro, Tenn. With so many new faces, the Bisons are keying on the word “brotherhood” as their team motto. “I think when you look at our team currently, they’ve really come together as a brotherhood,” said Assistant Coach Pete Froedden. “They actually came up with that term brotherhood, and that’s something...

Men’s basketball announces notable opponents scheduled for upcoming season

A trip to Rupp Arena, Oxford, Miss., and Memphis are just a few of the highlights on the Lipscomb men’s basketball schedule for the 2012-13 season that was unveiled today. The Bisons are set to take on a few big-name teams this season, including the defending National Champions, the Kentucky Wildcats. Outside of conference games, the men’s team will play Kentucky, Ole Miss, Memphis, Gardner-Webb and Austin Peay at their respective stadiums. At home, the Bisons will play Freed-Hardeman, Maryville, Tennessee Tech, UT Martin and recent NCAA tournament participants Murray State in their non-conference match-ups. The annual Battle of the Boulevard series against Belmont will take place at Allen Arena on Friday, Nov. 9, and at Belmont on Tuesday, Dec. 4. This is the first series in which the Bruins are competing outside of the Atlantic Sun Conference, as the team moved into the Ohio Valley Conference earlier this year. Coach Scott Sanderson, entering his 13th season as head coach of the men’s basketball team, told Lipscomb Athletics that he believes having home games against notable, non-conference opponents is very significant for the team. “Those games are important to us,” he said. “Having a couple of marquee games at home like Belmont and Murray State, who will be the first top-25 team to ever come in here and play, is huge.” Sanderson also believes that the lofty schedule might be one of the team’s toughest in recent years. “This is probably one of the most challenging schedules we’ve had,” Sanderson said. “With Memphis, Kentucky and Ole Miss, who I think is going to be a really good SEC team, along with...
Lipscomb mourns loss of track and field standout Deery

Lipscomb mourns loss of track and field standout Deery

It is with deep sadness that the Lipscomb University athletic department announces that rising sophomore Matt Deery, a track and field standout, lost his life in an automobile accident in Upper Nazareth Township, Pa., on Wednesday afternoon. An All-Atlantic Sun Conference honoree for the Bisons in just his first season of competition, Deery was honored by his teammates and coaches as “Freshman of the Year” and as the “Fightin’ Bison” award recipient given to the toughest competitor on the team. “Matt was an incredible athlete and an even more incredible person,” Lipscomb track and field Head Coach Bill Taylor said.  “Everyone loved him.  He was a smart, caring, likable guy.  He was a gifted athlete, yet he was so humble. “It’s really hard to comprehend this right now.  Matt was a wonderful person with a gigantic future.  He is going to be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.  I know our entire team is praying for his family, his friends and each other.” Deery became the first Lipscomb field athlete in school history to earn second-team all-conference honors at the A-Sun indoor championships this past season with a second-place pole vault of 4.55m (14’ 11”).  The Philipsburg, N.J., native went on to earn a bronze medal in the heptathlon at the A-Sun meet earning 4,889 points that set a school record. “We are obviously heartbroken for Matt’s family and friends, and I ask that you please be in prayer for comfort and peace all of those who will be grieving over his loss,” said Lipscomb Director of Athletics Philip Hutcheson.  “Matt was a very special student athlete and...

Lipscomb, Belmont to continue basketball series

NASHVILLE – They will be in two different conferences next season, but they still share the same boulevard. Lipscomb University remains in the Atlantic Sun Conference, but Belmont shifts to the Ohio Valley Conference beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year. But that doesn’t mean the basketball rivalry between the two schools, known as the “Battle of the Boulevard” is over. Today both schools are announcing that the rivalry will remain intact with Lipscomb hosting the first meeting on Friday, Nov. 9.  It will be the regular season opener for both teams. The rematch is Tuesday, Dec. 4, at Belmont. “It is a good thing for both teams and for both universities to continue playing,” Lipscomb Coach Scott Sanderson said. “There is so much attention put on both of those games every year. “The biggest difference is the games will be played in November and December instead of January and February. We will play the first game of the season here at Allen Arena. It will be a great atmosphere for both programs and both programs will benefit from it.” Ticket information will be available in early fall.   Press release from Lipscomb...