Bisons battle past SIU Edwardsville 78-77 in thrilling home opener
In a wild, down-to-the-wire home opener at Allen Arena on Friday night, the Lipscomb men’s basketball team pulled out a thrilling 78-77 victory over SIU Edwardsville, surviving a furious second-half surge to start their home slate in the win column.
The Bisons set the tone immediately after winning the opening tip. Redshirt freshman forward Devyn Martin got Lipscomb on the board first with a fast-break dunk off an assist from senior forward Titas Sargiunas, and Sargiunas followed up shortly after with his first 3-pointer of the game to push the lead to 8-5.
Lipscomb’s defense held SIU Edwardsville in check while the offense found its rhythm. Sophomore forward Kennedy Okpara provided an early spark with a big dunk at the 13:40 mark to make it 18-13, and the Bisons continued to build momentum behind balanced scoring.
Redshirt junior guard Mateo Esmeraldo knocked down a step-back 3-pointer with under four minutes left to push the lead to 42-31, and Martin punctuated the run with another fast-break slam. Behind 11 first-half points apiece from Esmeraldo and graduate guard Takai Simpkins, Lipscomb carried a 45-35 advantage into the locker room.
However, SIU Edwardsville came out aggressive after the break, slowly chipping away at the Bisons’ lead. A 3-pointer by SIUE’s senior guard Jordan Pickett at the 12:27 mark cut the gap to 56-54, and SIUE eventually tied the game at 56-56 with under eleven minutes remaining.
“We were up early coming out in the half, and we kind of got complacent going through the first three medias,” Martin said. “In our last media, we really wanted to challenge ourselves. In our last two games, we haven’t really prided ourselves on defense and getting those stops. So we were trying to just get stops and score.”
Head Coach Kevin Carroll echoed those sentiments regarding his squad battling fatigue down the stretch.
“That was about as gutty of a win as I’ve been a part of here,” Carroll said. “You have to understand, that’s our third game of the week. We were on a bus until 3:30 in the morning on Tuesday, traveling back on Wednesday with two days to get ready here. I thought we were really gassed in the second half, and at that last media timeout, we just talked about what it takes to be in this moment and win these types of games.”
That defensive focus proved vital as the two teams traded punches down the stretch in a physical battle. After SIUE took a 77-75 lead on free throws by junior forward David Wilson with 57 seconds left, Lipscomb responded immediately. Esmeraldo found Okpara inside for an electric, game-tying dunk with 45 seconds remaining to knot the score at 77-77.
On the next sequence, Okpara secured a massive defensive rebound off a missed jumper by SIUE’s junior guard Gianni Cobb, allowing Lipscomb to call a timeout with 27 seconds left to draw up the final play. With seven seconds remaining, Martin drew a shooting foul on Wilson.
For Martin, who committed to Carroll prior to his arrival at Lipscomb, the moment reflected the deep trust built between player and coach.
“Coach Carroll has really believed in me through everything,” Martin shared. “He recruited me early—I went to all of his camps. I originally committed to the school when it was a D-II school before he got the Lipscomb job, so I came over here. Ever since then, he’s trusted me all the way.”
That trust paid off under pressure. After missing the first free throw, Martin calmly sunk the second to give Lipscomb the 78-77 lead. SIUE called its final timeout to set up a last-second play, but Pickett’s contested 3-point attempt at the buzzer missed the mark, securing the 78-77 victory for the Bisons as time expired.
For Carroll, navigating early-season adversity with a young group makes the home-opening win all the more meaningful.
“Very few people realize just how great of a win that was,” Carroll noted. “That team is really good, they beat Arkansas State and Bradley in their exhibition games. We’ve got several guys out there who were playing in their first three college basketball games of their career tonight. November is going to be a month where we learn a lot about each other, but I sure am happy to get out with a win while we’re improving.”
Looking ahead, Martin emphasized keeping focus high heading into rivalry week.
“I think we’re just leaning into what we need to be,” Martin added. “We’re not going to be able to relax. You’re not going to be able to take plays off. We have to finish close games and be able to close it up. It’s great to get a first win. I think we need to carry that energy over to two of them and really get a break in.”
Lipscomb improves to 1-0 at Allen Arena to start the season. The Bisons remain at home for their next matchup as they host rival Belmont University in the 153rd edition of the Battle of the Boulevard on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at Allen Arena.
Featured Image Taken By Isaac Leedham
Interviews conducted by Will Blackmon/Bisons Radio and ESPN+ Broadcast
Harold Espinoza Lopez
Harold is a junior Sports Media major and Marketing minor. A Nashville native with a lifelong passion for sports, he loves bringing dynamic coverage to Herd Media. Outside of media and marketing, Harold is a true people person who stays busy traveling, playing sports, and exploring the world.
