Lipscomb men’s basketball brings home overtime win against Stetson

The Lipscomb men’s basketball team took on the Stetson Hatters in Allen Arena Thursday afternoon, in a match moved up to avoid the winter storms. The last time the Bisons faced off against the Hatters, on January 8, in DeLand, Florida, the Bisons lost 83-91.

But that wouldn’t be the case this time.

This time, when the Bisons took on the Hatters, at home, they beat them in overtime, 79-74.

The Bisons took the lead early, graduate student forward Grant Asman making a layup to start off their momentum. By the 12 minute mark in the first half, the Bisons were leading 21-9. Nearly three minutes passed with both teams in a scoring drought, but both found their wind around the nine-and-a-half minute mark.

Holding on to their lead, the Bisons closed out the first half 34-29 against the Hatters.

Coming into the second half, the Bisons started strong. By the 12-and-a-half minute mark of the second half, they’d extended their lead to 12 again, 53-41. The Hatters were determined to catch up, however, and they did.

As the minutes of the second half ticked by, the Hatters inched closer. By the six-and-a-half minute mark, they’d managed to tie the score at 55. The fans in attendance, over 500 despite the game falling in the middle of a school day, were on the edge of their seats.

For the last six minutes of the second half, the Bisons and Hatters would pass the lead back and forth. With just 30 seconds left in the game, the Bisons were down, 66-65. Only 11 seconds on the clock, the Bisons recovered the ball, now trailing 68-65. The Bisons called a timeout, then play resumed.

With only two seconds left on the game clock, Lipscomb junior forward Titas Sargiunas sank a 3-pointer, tying the teams at 68 and sending the game into overtime.

The five-minute overtime period began, the Hatters the first to score. That wouldn’t be the case for long, as Asman would make a layup to tie the score at 70. Bisons’ redshirt junior guard Ethan Duncan followed with a 3-pointer, then Asman made another layup to give the Bisons the lead, 75-73.

Lipscomb redshirt junior guard Mateo Esmeraldo was fouled, making both free throws to extend the Bisons’ lead, 77-73. Lipscomb’s freshman forward Or Ashkenazi would be the last to score for the Bisons, making two more free throws with nine seconds left on the clock.

The fast-paced game closed out at the end of the first overtime period, the Bisons beating the Stetson Hatters 79-74. Now 20 games into their season, the Bisons remain undefeated at home, 10-0, and are tied with Austin Peay State University for second in the ASUN, with a 6-1 conference record.

The Bisons’ next game will be in Allen Arena against the FGCU Eagles on Friday, January 23, at noon. Currently, FGCU is seventh in the ASUN, with a conference record of 2-5, and an away game record of 2-6.

Featured image taken by Micah Barkley.