by Russell Vannozzi | Apr 25, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
The last few weeks brought plenty of change to the Lipscomb men’s basketball program. But one of the team’s steady leaders is staying put. Associate head coach Roger Idstrom will remain on staff, new Lipscomb coach Lennie Acuff announced in his introductory press conference Wednesday. “A big for part for me in taking over the job is that I felt like we needed someone that had been here,” Acuff said. “The more I talked to people, there was no doubt that Roger Idstrom needed to be a part of our staff. “Roger’s a good man and a really good basketball coach, and he’s had an awful lot to do with [Lipscomb’s] success. I really thought he’d make our transition a lot smoother.” Idstrom served as Lipscomb’s interim coach after Casey Alexander departed for Belmont. He talked with recruits, worked on next year’s schedule and kept tabs on the players, even while his own future was up in the air. “Yeah it’s crazy, and it’s been stressful,” he said. “It’s probably been more stressful for my wife and family, just the unknown part of it. But really for me, it’s been focusing on the day-to-day of this program and making sure that our guys are doing what they need to be doing in the classroom.” The 1989 Mars Hill College graduate has also served on the staffs at his alma mater, UNC Asheville, Montreat, Wabash Valley College, Gardner-Webb and Stetson. Idstrom followed Alexander to Lipscomb in 2013 to become associate head coach. Idstrom’s presence brings a welcomed familiarity for Lipscomb’s current players. Rising senior guard Michael Buckland said he is thrilled Idstrom...
by Russell Vannozzi | Apr 25, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
Lennie Acuff once wanted to play basketball for Lipscomb, but he admitted that he “wasn’t good enough” for Don Meyer’s legendary NAIA teams. Instead, the longtime Alabama-Huntsville skipper now gets his chance to coach the Bisons. Lipscomb officially introduced Acuff as its next head coach Wednesday, beginning a new era for a program that is coming off one of its most successful seasons – a year that ended one victory short of an NIT championship. But Acuff was familiar with the Bisons long before they joined the NCAA Division I ranks. He attended Lipscomb basketball summer camps as a kid, and he continued to learn from Meyer as an adult, even visiting his house on at least one occasion. “I think it’s important that everybody knows that I understand what Lipscomb basketball is about,” he said. “[Two] of the guys on my high school team played on the [1986] national championship team – Anthony Jones and Bob Ford. “I would’ve loved to have been a Bison. [Coach Meyer] was the best teacher the game has ever had. I cannot tell you how much he taught me, how much I learned from him and the level of respect I have for what he built here.” Acuff seems like a natural fit for the Bisons. He’s down to earth, family-oriented and speaks with a Southern drawl. He’s also bald, just like Meyer and Casey Alexander – arguably the two best coaches in Lipscomb’s history. But, perhaps most importantly, Acuff has the basketball resume to keep the Lipscomb program on an upward trajectory. His track record at UAH, which includes 437 wins,...
by Russell Vannozzi | Apr 24, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb guard Kenny Cooper is transferring to Western Kentucky, the Hilltoppers announced in a release Wednesday. Cooper entered his name in the transfer portal April 15, just five days after coach Casey Alexander bolted for the same job at Belmont. He then took an official visit to Bowling Green last weekend. “We’re excited to have Kenny join our program,” WKU coach Rick Stansbury said. “He’s a high-character young man from a great family. He has the valuable ability to make players around him better, and he’ll bring a wealth of experience and toughness to our team.” The loss of Cooper is a tough blow to an already-depleted Lipscomb roster, which is graduating five key seniors. He was set to be the team’s top returning player, having averaged 9.8 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season. Cooper is currently a junior with one year of eligibility remaining. Non-grad transfers typically have to sit one season before playing, but he plans to apply for an eligibility waiver from the NCAA. Other schools that showed interest in Cooper included Butler, Virginia Tech, Missouri State, UNC Charlotte, Southern Illinois and Loyola Chicago, according to Corey Evans of Rivals.com. Cooper’s departure leaves Lipscomb with just one scholarship point guard in rising sophomore Alex Jones. Columbia Academy’s Carson Cary will be a walk-on next season, and rising senior John Matt Merritt is also a walk-on. New coach Lennie Acuff could look to the transfer portal to fill Cooper’s spot. Nearly 700 players from Division I schools were exploring transfer options as of last week. Photo by McKenzi...
by Russell Vannozzi | Apr 15, 2019 | News Slider, Sports
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Lipscomb men’s basketball team. After losing coach Casey Alexander to Belmont last week, junior guard Kenny Cooper announced that he’s putting his name in the NCAA transfer portal. “I have decided through a lot of thought and prayer that I will be putting my name on the transfer list and [will explore] other institutions,” he said in a tweet Monday. “Everyone [is] entitled to their own opinion, but this is what I feel is best for me.” Cooper averaged 9.8 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season. He has been the team’s starting point guard for the last two seasons after contributing 6.9 points per game as a freshman in 2016-17. “I want to thank Coach Alexander, Coach Idstrom, Coach Drabyn and Coach Rutigliano for believing in me and allowing me to play at Lipscomb University,” Cooper said. “You all trusting in my abilities is something that I will be forever grateful for.” The Franklin Road Academy graduate saved some of his best performances for the end of the season. He recorded a rare triple-double (15 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) against Kennesaw State in the ASUN quarterfinals and later hit the game-winning shot in a 94-93 victory over NC State in the NIT quarterfinals. Cooper has one season of eligibility remaining, and he told 247Sports analyst Evan Daniels that he plans to appeal to the NCAA for a hardship waiver to be eligible immediately. If Cooper isn’t granted a waiver, he would have to sit out next season if he stays on the Division I level....
by Erin Franklin | Apr 5, 2019 | Galleries, News Slider, Newscast
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The postseason magic finally ran out for the Lipscomb men’s basketball team in Thursday’s NIT championship game. Texas used 13 three-pointers and its pesky defense to take the NIT title with an 81-66 victory over Lipscomb in Madison Square Garden. Senior forward Rob Marberry led the Bisons with 17 points, while senior guard Garrison Mathews had 15 and led with eight rebounds. “They did an excellent job guarding us,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “Garrison, for a large part, [they] took him out of the game, especially until he got to the free throw line [in] the second half.” Full story here. Photos by Erin Franklin « ‹ of 2 ›...
