Saturday night in Nashville brought a clash of basketball identities, and it didn’t disappoint. Lipscomb, known for its fluid, up-tempo offense, went toe-to-toe with an Austin Peay squad that thrives on physicality and defensive grit.
The result? A back-and-forth battle at Allen Arena that featured 26 lead changes, relentless energy, and a statement win for the Bisons, who came out on top, 82-78.
With the win, Lipscomb improved to 12-7 overall and 5-1 in Atlantic Sun play, pulling even with Austin Peay in the standings. Both now sit just behind Queens (6-0), who holds the top spot in the league. For Peay, the loss snapped a seven-game winning streak and served as a reminder of how thin the margins are in conference play.
“Very conflicting styles,” Lipscomb head coach Kevin Carroll said postgame. “We need space, freedom, and pace. They’re a physical, go-to-the-center-of-the-ring type, and to their credit, they kept us from doing what we like to do.”
Carroll wasn’t exaggerating. From the opening tip, Peay’s physical approach disrupted Lipscomb’s rhythm.
The Governors made it tough for the Bisons to get into their usual offensive flow, turning the game into more of a grind than a showcase. But Lipscomb didn’t flinch.
They adjusted, absorbed the blows, and found just enough breathing room to make plays when it mattered most.
The turning point came with just under six minutes to go. With the game tied at 65, forward Grant Asman stepped to the line and calmly buried two free throws to give Lipscomb a 66-65 lead. They wouldn’t trail again.
Still, it was far from comfortable. Peay kept coming, leaning heavily on forward Rashaud Marshall, who was a problem all night.
Marshall scored 23 points on an ultra-efficient 10-of-12 shooting, using his size and strength to bully his way to the rim. For most of the night, Lipscomb didn’t have an answer-until Cole Middleton checked in.
Middleton, who hadn’t seen much floor time in recent games, gave the Bisons a much-needed jolt off the bench. He didn’t shut Marshall down, but he made him work harder, contested everything, and brought a level of toughness that helped tilt the momentum late.
“He did a great job, so proud of him,” Carroll said. “He fought him and fought.
He’s been a guy who hasn’t played as much lately but has stayed engaged, been a great teammate. He’s waited for his moment.”
That moment mattered. And so did the dagger three from point guard Mateo Esmeraldo with 1:16 left.
With Lipscomb clinging to a four-point lead, Esmeraldo rose up and drilled a triple that stretched the margin to 78-74. It was the kind of shot you need from your floor general in a tight game-confident, clutch, and perfectly timed.
Now, Lipscomb turns its attention to the rest of a critical four-game homestand. Stetson comes to Allen Arena on Thursday, followed by Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday.
After that, the road gets tougher-literally. Seven of the Bisons’ final 10 games will be played away from home, including a pivotal showdown with league-leading Queens in Charlotte on February 14.
Saturday’s win wasn’t just about the standings. It was about identity.
Lipscomb showed it can win when the game gets messy, when the offense doesn’t come easy, and when physicality threatens to take over. That’s the kind of resilience that travels-and it’s the kind of performance that could have a major say in how the A-Sun race shakes out.