by Mckenzi Harris | Mar 11, 2019 | Galleries, News Slider
The Lipscomb men’s basketball team had a chance to earn a return trip to the NCAA tournament if it could win Sunday’s ASUN championship game. But Liberty (28-6) stood in the way, and most of the record crowd of 5,607 in Allen Arena went home in disappointment. The Flames used a 45-point outburst in the second half to squeeze past the No. 1 Bisons, 74-68. That gave the No. 2 Flames the ASUN championship and an automatic berth to the Big Dance. “It certainly stings,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “It’s a real privilege to be part of a game like that. I loved the Lipscomb people that showed up and made it a great day for us.” Full recap by Russell Vannozzi here. « ‹ of 4 ›...
by Russell Vannozzi | Mar 10, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb men’s basketball team had a chance to earn a return trip to the NCAA tournament if it could win Sunday’s ASUN championship game. But Liberty (28-6) stood in the way, and most of the record crowd of 5,607 in Allen Arena went home in disappointment. The Flames used a 45-point outburst in the second half to squeeze past the No. 1 Bisons, 74-68. That gave the No. 2 Flames the ASUN championship and an automatic berth to the Big Dance. “It certainly stings,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “It’s a real privilege to be part of a game like that. I loved the Lipscomb people that showed up and made it a great day for us.” Despite an impressive regular season that included 11 road wins and a No. 42 NET ranking, Lipscomb (25-7) is likely heading to the NIT. Seeds and pairings for both tournaments will be announced next Sunday, March 17. Liberty forward Scottie James made a layup with 56 seconds remaining to give his team the lead for good, and Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz hit a three on the next possession to extend that advantage to 70-66. Lipscomb senior Rob Marberry then converted a jumper and drew a foul, but he missed the free throw, and James hit two freebies to ice the title for Liberty. “They’re a resilient team, a tough team,” Lipscomb junior Kenny Cooper said. “They know what they’re running, and they run it well. Kudos to them for sticking to their plan and pulling it out.” Liberty went on a 9-0 run to end the first half and took a 29-28 lead...
by Russell Vannozzi | Mar 10, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
The scenarios for Sunday’s ASUN championship game are simple: winner goes to the NCAA tournament, loser goes to the NIT. It’s the rubber match for No. 1 Lipscomb and No. 2 Liberty, and this time, the teams will battle on a national stage. The game will be televised by ESPN, and a sellout crowd is expected in Allen Arena. “I would almost say it’ll be a similar feeling to when we went to March Madness last year, but it’ll be on our home floor,” Lipscomb senior Garrison Mathews said. “It’s going to be crazy to play in front of that many fans that are going for [us].” Lipscomb (25-6) knocked off Kennesaw State and NJIT to reach its second-straight title game. The Bisons beat Florida Gulf Coast 108-96 to advance to the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history. Meanwhile, Liberty (27-6) beat Jacksonville and North Florida to earn a trip to Nashville and a chance for a title in its first season as a member of the ASUN. On Jan. 29, Lipscomb crushed Liberty on its home-court, 77-55. The Flames then returned the favor by handing the Bisons a 74-66 loss two weeks later. The two teams play different styles, but something must give this time. “The styles were what was so different,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “The first game better reflected how we like to play, the second one better reflected how they like to play. It’s not always that simple, but that will go a long way toward who wins this game.” BREAKING DOWN THE FLAMES: Liberty had a clear path to the...
by Russell Vannozzi | Mar 9, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
If you’ve been to a Lipscomb basketball game, you’ve probably seen Conner Mirt dance. That’s because Mirt often makes himself the halftime entertainment at Allen Arena, much to the delight of the crowd. “The first time we saw it, we were in shock,” said Deb Mirt, Conner’s mother. “Then it went viral – somebody filmed it and put it on Facebook. He likes to get the crowd riled up.” Conner, who has Down syndrome, is a 2016 graduate of Lipscomb’s IDEAL program, which was created to offer a full college experience to students with intellectual and/or development disabilities. The 27-year-old is one of the biggest supporters of Lipscomb men’s and women’s basketball. Conner gives Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander a hug after every game, and he’s often seen encouraging the team from the stands or the sideline with a huge smile on his face. “He’s nothing but a positive influence on us, and we try hard to be the same for him,” Alexander said. “It’s a great relationship that we have with him.” That infectious grin has made Mirt a celebrity of sorts at Lipscomb. The men’s team threw him a birthday celebration after their win over Jacksonville on Feb. 9. He was one of the first people to the floor to congratulate the women’s team on its first ASUN victory that same day. “They all take care of him,” said Mike Mirt, Conner’s father. “It’s really amazing to watch.” But Conner and his family don’t just go to home games. They often attend practices and travel to select road games, along with players’ families like the Morans, the Peppers,...
by Mckenzi Harris | Mar 8, 2019 | Galleries
One year after winning its first ASUN title, the Lipscomb men’s basketball team has earned a chance to defend its crown. The Bisons (25-6) dominated NJIT in a 78-55 ASUN semifinal victory on Thursday in Allen Arena. That sets up a rubber match with Liberty (27-6) on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT for the ASUN tournament title and a spot in the Big Dance. The game will be televised by ESPN – Lipscomb’s first-ever national television appearance at home. The Bisons topped Florida Gulf Coast 108-96 on the road in last year’s championship, but this time, the big stage will come to Green Hills. Read Russell Vannozzi’s recap here. « ‹ of 3 ›...
