by Cory Woodroof | Feb 6, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
When you extend your conference winning streak to four, the best way to do so is to win by knocking down a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds to go in the game. At least that’s what works for the Lipscomb Bisons men’s basketball team. After a road stretch in Kentucky and Florida, freshman guard Josh Williams’ game-ending three gave the Bisons a 77-75 win over the visiting USC Upstate at Allen Arena – the fourth straight Atlantic Sun win for Lipscomb. After Thursday’s win, the Bisons are officially on a hot streak. During a tense first half, the Bisons and the Spartans swapped the lead on more than one occasion, as neither team ever truly broke away from the other. Upstate grabbed a quick 31-29 lead at the half. In the second, Lipscomb and Upstate continued to showcase the ebb-and-flow nature of their battle, with neither team getting up for too long. However, the Spartans gained late steam, holding a 71-63 lead with a little over two minutes to go. But, a Chad Johnson three-pointer gave the Bisons a spark, as Williams and redshirt freshman guard J.C. Hampton also knocked down shots from the arch to help put the Bisons within three with around a minute to go. A Hampton layup pulled the team within one, and after Williams’ last-second jaw-dropper from the three-point line, the Bisons held the Spartans’ offense during the closing seconds to get the win. Williams and Hampton led the charge for the Bisons in scoring with 21, while senior forward Torrey Craig led for the Spartans with 18. Lipscomb’s junior forward Martin Smith had 14 points, while...
by Brianne Welch | Jan 18, 2014 | Sports
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...
by Bridgette Begle | Jan 17, 2014 | News Slider
Bisons upped their conference record to 2-5 with their 88-83 win against Kennesaw State Thursday night. With defense as a focus for the team throughout the week of practice, the men came out of the game with 17 offensive rebounds and 20 defensive rebounds, sophomore Talbott Denny pulling down ten on his own. “Defense, defense, defense. We didn’t work anything on offense,” redshirt freshman J.C. Hampton said. Hampton led the team with 22 points followed by junior Malcolm Smith with 21 points. Atlantic Sun Freshman of the Week Josh Williams had a night worthy of his award, scoring 19 with two steals. “As a freshman you go in there doing what the coach expects you to do and just find a way to help the team,” Williams said. “You never know when you’re going to be put in a situation to step up, you just have to be ready for that.” The Bisons started slow in the first few minutes of the game but kicked it into gear before the half. As the halftime buzzer sound, Hampton sent up a three-pointer that hit nothing but net, tying the score at 45. The game was a fight to the finish with the lead changing 15 times until the Bisons secured the win with Hampton’s layup with under a minute to go making the score 85-81. The Bisons take on Mercer Saturday at 4 p.m. in Allen Arena. The Bears are currently tied with Florida Gulf Coast for first in the conference, both teams sitting at a 5-1 in conference play. “In a game like Mercer, they’re a good team, but there...
by Aaron Schmelzer | Jan 7, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
While most of Lipscomb’s campus had their scarves bundled around their necks to stay warm in Monday’s frigid weather, the men’s basketball team was neck-and-neck with the Jacksonville University Dolphins on Monday night in Allen Arena. The Bisons fell to the Dolphins in the closing seconds to lose 88-85. Redshirt freshman point guard J.C. Hampton’s three point attempt was tipped and misdirected, and time ran out as the teams chased the rebound. Although Lipscomb came up short, three players for the Bisons scored in the double digits. Freshman Josh Williams had his first career start on Monday. The guard from Jackson, Miss., scored 28 points to lead the team and collected nine rebounds. “It was a great honor to start. I just took the opportunity to step up and do what the team needed,” said Williams, who went 50-percent from the arc and made all of his free throws. Hampton put up 19 points, and sophomore guard J.J. Butler rounded out the double-digit scoring with 13 points. Jacksonville’s field shooting led them to victory, knocking down 15-for-25 in the second half while the Bisons shot 15-for-32. The Bisons and Dolphins also combined for 27 total turnovers for the game. Jacksonville took advantage of the Bisons’ turnovers, scoring 16 points from the changes in possession. The Bisons travel to ETSU on Jan. 9 for their next matchup. Game Notes: Jacksonville scored four points off of fast breaks, while the Bisons had none. Both teams shot 80-percent from the free throw line. Photo credit: Erin...
by Aaron Schmelzer | Dec 5, 2013 | News Slider, Sports
Four Lipscomb Bisons scored in double digits in a 87-79 victory against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Allen Arena on Thursday night. Martin Smith, J.C. Hampton, Josh Williams and Malcolm Smith all broke the double-digit barrier. Junior forward Martin Smith led all scorers, putting up 24 points and going 12 for 14 from the free throw line. “I got to the free throw line, got my rhythm going and kept it going from there,” Martin Smith said. He credited his teammates on the evening’s accomplishments. J.C. Hampton had 19 points and was four for five from behind the arc. The redshirt freshman point guard said that that team wants to keep an up-tempo pace. “We want to play fast the whole game,” Hampton said. “We want to get out as quick as possible and get quick baskets. We practice hard to play fast.” Freshman guard Josh Williams had 20 points, a career-high for the new Bison. Malcolm Smith knocked down 11 points against the Golden Eagles and went four for five from the field. The win moved the Bisons to 4-4, while Tennessee Tech fell to 5-5. The game started out with a couple of fouls on each team, but the pace quickened, and with the fast pace, Lipscomb turned the ball over seven times in the first half, while Tennessee Tech had 11 turnovers. The turnovers lessened as the game went on, but Hampton says that team needs to be a little more careful with the ball. “[We need to] just slow it down a little bit, not being so passive and control the ball a little bit better,...
