With key players and top rank, Bisons set sights on ASUN Title
Lipscomb Men’s Basketball opened the 2024 campaign with a win against Duquesne in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Head coach Lennie Acuff brings back key players, Jacob Ognacevic and Will Pruitt as well as several newcomers. The Bisons have reloaded and are looking to move forward after falling short in the ASUN Tournament last year. Moving forward won’t be easy. The Preseason ASUN Coaches and Media polls have Lipscomb in the top spot. Will Pruitt and Jacob Ognacevic were selected to the Preseason All-ASUN Team.
Coach Acuff previewed the team with the ESPN+ crew at the 2024 ASUN Tip-Off.
“We really, really like our team. Obviously having these two guys back goes a long way, but we had some other guys come back, Joe Anderson, Grant Asman, Dylan Faulkner. Those guys are also a big, big part of what we’re trying to do. But for us, we just want to be the best we can be.”
“I mean, it’s easy to say that every night out anybody can beat anybody. It’s the truth. I mean, it’s a highly competitive league. You’re going to talk to some great coaches here today. This league is very, very well coached with a lot of talent.
Lipscomb is not the only ones looking to make a mark on the league. Austin Peay finds themselves in the number 2 spot of the coaches poll. North Alabama is just below them at 3. The defending conference tournament champion, Stetson is ranked 8. Acuff believes the league is competitive now more than ever.
“We’ve been fortunate for the last two years. We’ve won 20 games and have a good core back, but last year when you came down to the last night of the season, we’re playing in conference tournaments, and every game goes down to the last possession. And at this level, the conference tournament is your signature. And so, when it starts coming down the stretch, it’s highly, highly competitive, and you better have your team healthy and playing at a high level.”
When it comes to competing, where the Bisons play is a major factor. Last year’s squad finished 12-2 at home and 6-9 on the road.
Home court has been quite the advantage.
“I think in the last couple of years, our record’s pretty substantial at home. We did lose a heartbreaker though in the conference tournament, and so that’s not foolproof. But you sure want to have the right to play at home, and you have to earn that right when you get to the conference tournament. But we play in some great venues, great towns in the ASUN. You get to go to a lot of neat places. So, it’s challenging, but it’s fun. That’s what you sign up for when you play at this level of college basketball.”
Will Pruitt returns for his 4th season as a Bison. Pruitt spoke about how he is looking to take the next step as a leader and a player.
“It’s really day in and day out, not getting ahead of yourself, taking one day at a time. Yes, we’re looking forward to playing a lot of games, playing other people, but I would say just coming in daily and being great, consistent, being a good communicator, helping each other, the younger guys learn the system, and just being really consistent, I think, and knowing this is my last go at it. So, taking everything in and not taking a day for granted.”
The Bisons home opener is Saturday, November 9th against Wofford.
