NASHVILLE – The Lipscomb women’s basketball team fell to the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 82-69 Saturday afternoon at Allen Arena after giving up a large first-quarter lead.
Scoring characterized the first quarter, as both teams shot over 50% from field goal range in the opening frame. Freshman forward Bella Vinson and sophomore guard Blythe Pearson scored back-to-back three pointers, followed by freshman Jordan Peete taking a charge on the defensive end.
EKU fought back quickly, though. After a Bisons turnover, guard Ariel Kirkwood from EKU scored as the quarter ended to tie the game at 21-21.
In the second quarter, Knoxville-native Casey Collier would make a tough floater shot to cut the lead to one point. However, the Colonels scored 27 points across the quarter while Lipscomb’s shooting percentage dropped.
“I think the thing that really started to snowball for us was giving up second chance points,” assistant coach Chris Sumski said. “I think their length affected us a little bit.”
Maddie Cook, a redshirt junior from Belmont, disrupted what would have been a wide-open EKU layup after a turnover by putting up a strong block. Despite Cook’s defensive play and Pearson’s 13 points, though, the Bisons trailed 48-33 at half.
Midway through the third quarter, the Bisons cut the lead to 56-45 thanks to sophomore Jalyn Holcomb’s back-to-back shots from behind the arc. Peete also replicated Holcomb’s performance with a pair of consecutive threes of her own.
The margin was stretched to a game-high 22 points in the fourth quarter when Italy native Alice Recanti scored in the paint for EKU. The Bisons were not able to create a spark on offense from there, as they were only able to cut the lead to 13 with the final score at 82-69.
Despite the loss, Lipscomb vastly improved on one of their lowest points of the season when they last played EKU. In the away fixture of the series, Lipscomb lost by a score of 77-41 in Richmond, Kentucky.
“I think we made some strides,” Sumski said. “Honestly, we’re just trying to fight every single day to get a little better.”
Pearson would score the team high 13 points in the game, while Holcomb, Collier, and Cook all scoring double digits as well. Holcomb and Collier had the team highs with five rebounds and six assists respectively.
The Bisons drop to 8-16 (3-8 ASUN) and the Colonels rise to 12-13 (4-7 ASUN). Lipscomb will have a quick turnaround as they play North Alabama 3 p.m. Monday. The match will be broadcast live on The Bison, Lipscomb’s on-campus radio station.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics