Bisons topple Dolphins in penultimate season game

With only two games remaining in the regular season, the Lipscomb men’s basketball team was looking to enter the Atlantic-Sun Tournament with two strong home wins. Thursday night, the Bisons accomplished part of that task. Lipscomb defeated the University of Jacksonville Dolphins (14-16) 77-73, which evens the teams out at 1-1 (with the Dolphins winning the first match-up of the season). After a strong start by Lipscomb (the Bisons were up 17-6 by 14:10), the Dolphins inched their way back at the game, gaining their first lead at 5:49.  The Bisons entered into halftime with a slim 36-35 lead. In the second half, the two teams went back and forth for the lead, with the Bisons taking the final lead at 8:36. Lipscomb fought off a close margin towards the half’s close to walk away with the conference win. Sophomore Martin Smith led the Bisons in scoring with 24. Freshman Stephen Hurt followed with 20 points, and led the team in rebounds with nine. Junior Khion Sankey added 12 points and eight rebounds. Smith said he believes that the victory over the Dolphins will help come next week’s trip to Macon, Ga., to take part in the A-Sun tournament. “It’s a big win for us going into the conference tournament, “ Smith said.  “This is a little confidence booster for us.” Smith said he hopes the team’s second-half play can be carried over to Saturday night’s final season game against North Florida. Tip off for that game is at 8:15 p.m. in Allen...

Athletic department confirms suspension of Smith and Williams

Bison basketball players Damarius Smith and Marvin Williams have been suspended from the team and are not present at Wednesday’s Atlantic Sun tournament game versus Mercer. Lumination alluded to the possibility of this on Monday when the two were not at the team’s practice. As of Wednesday night at 7 p.m., Smith and Williams are no longer members of the Bison basketball team. In an official announcement from the athletic department, the two players have been “suspended” from the team permanently. “Damarius Smith and Marvin Williams have been suspended indefinitely and will not participate in postseason play. They are not traveling with the team,” the statement reported. On Monday, Lipscomb head coach Scott Sanderson said that it was mainly a “disciplinary issue” with Smith. Sanderson did not elaborate on Williams’ status at the time but said he had missed the last four games because he has been “banged up” with a knee injury. Saturday was not the first time Smith had been held out of playing. Earlier this season against Belmont, Smith dressed and warmed up with the team but did not enter the game. “It was just a discipline issue,” Sanderson said of Smith’s status in the Belmont game. “We handled it internally, and we moved forward.” “We’re just trying to learn and do what’s right,” he said. “Sometimes being young is difficult, and we are just trying to learn from day to day and do the right thing.” However, with the suspension of the players, it seems the team, as well as Smith and Williams, had reached their breaking point. This makes for eight players that have either...