by Spencer Boehme | Mar 11, 2019 | News Slider, Opinion, Sports
The stage was set for the ASUN men’s basketball championship game on Sunday afternoon. After a stormy Saturday, the sun came out and fans began filling Allen Arena to watch the No. 1 Lipscomb Bisons (25-7) take on the No. 2 Liberty Flames (28-6). And then Lipscomb lost a heart-wrenching, back-and-forth contest, 74-68. “It was an unbelievable day,” Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander said. “And I’m proud of our team for being in a position to host this game, and I love the Lipscomb people who showed up and made it a great day for us.” 5,607 fans showed up to the sellout game, setting a new Allen Arena record. It was difficult to find an empty seat, and the raucous crowd made itself seen and heard. Instead, Sunday’s game featured towel-waving fans in a nationally televised game that lived up to its expectations. “I think the ASUN won tonight,” Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay said. “That crowd was terrific. That was a great atmosphere.” The big question is: can Lipscomb continue to fill its arena? First, we have to acknowledge the fact that Sunday’s game was special and doesn’t happen every day. That makes my answer an immediate ‘no.’ Second is the fact that Lipscomb lost on Sunday. That’s not to diminish the novelty of Sunday, especially when you look at the Bisons’ recent attendance boosts. Starters Kenny Cooper and Michael Buckland will be seniors next season. Redshirt freshman Ahsan Asadullah played some solid basketball on Sunday with eight points, nine rebounds and two steals. The fans loved watching him. Overall, there are a lot of bench players who...
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 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 ›...
by Mckenzi Harris | Mar 5, 2019 | Galleries
The odds were in favor of the Lipscomb men’s basketball team during Monday night’s ASUN quarterfinal matchup against Kennesaw State. Not only were the Owls without head coach Al Skinner, who recently resigned, but leading scorer Tyler Hooker (19 points per game) also missed the contest after taking an elbow to the face last week. Despite 25 points from Danny Lewis and 18 more from Bobby Parker, the Bisons were able to fend off the pesky No. 8 Owls in an 86-71 victory at Allen Arena. The win propelled Lipscomb (24-6) to the ASUN semifinals, where it will host No. 5 NJIT on Thursday at 7 p.m. Lipscomb guard Kenny Cooper registered a rare triple-double by scoring 15 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. It was just the second triple-double in the program’s NCAA Division I era — the first came when Josh Slater had 10 points, 12 assists and 10 steals on Feb. 17, 2011 against USC Upstate. Read full story by Russell Vannozzi here. « ‹ of 3 ›...
