Lipscomb suffers early scare, rebounds to drown Colonels 75-61

The Lipscomb men’s basketball team secured a 75-61 victory over Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday night at Allen Arena, snapping a two-game losing streak with a stifling defensive performance.

The Bisons (16-10) held the Colonels 20 points under their season average, a feat Lipscomb Head Coach Kevin Carroll attributed to a renewed sense of “urgency” after a short slump. Despite an early injury scare that saw starting senior center Charlie Williams briefly leave the floor with a right knee issue, Lipscomb maintained control, leading 43-31 at half time.

“Our defense really showed up,” Carroll said. “We challenged our guys at the under-8 media timeout and they really responded.”

Williams led the offensive charge with 18 points and eight rebounds, while redshirt junior guard Mateo Esmeraldo dominated the floor with 11 points and eight assists. The home crowd, known as the “Lippy Lunatics,” played a pivotal role in the second half, distracting Eastern Kentucky shooters at the free-throw line as the Bisons extended their lead.

“We thrive off of them,” Esmeraldo said of the fans. “It’s a great college atmosphere, and we got the best fans in the ASUN for a reason.”

Graduate student forward Grant Asman contributed 12 points and five rebounds to the win. As the season nears its end, Carroll noted the importance of the night for his veteran players.

“Those guys meant a lot to this program,” Carroll said. “We just want them to be able to play well and set them out on a high note.”

The Bisons return to action Saturday as they travel to face Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina. Tip-off is scheduled for three in the afternoon. 

Featured image taken by Micah Barkley.