The Lipscomb Bisons men’s basketball team won one for the lone senior against the Stetson Hatters Saturday at Allen Arena.
In an early morning tipoff, the Bisons secured a 83-76 win over Stetson.
As fans munched on free goodies from Fox’s Donut Den, the Bisons engaged in a highly defensive match.
In the first half, Lipscomb only made three of 13 attempts from the 3-point line, including the first points of the game, a 3-pointer from senior guard/forward Khion Sankey.
Despite the troubles from beyond the perimeter, Lipscomb inched closer and closer to Stetson’s cementing lead, with the Hatters up 38-36 at the break.
In the second half, the Bisons began to pick up steam. The 3-point problems began to erode, as the team made five of their 11 attempts. Lipscomb also out-rebounded Stetson 19-to-12 in the latter half. While Lipscomb never truly pulled away from the Hatters, the Bisons would hold on to win 83-76.
“It feels great, especially to get a win at home,” redshirt freshman J.C. Hampton said.
Freshman guard Josh Williams led the team in both scoring and rebounding with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Junior guard Martin Smith was not too far behind with 20 points.
Junior guard Malcolm Smith had 18 points and six rebounds. Hampton had nine points and five rebounds.
Fouling from Stetson helped Lipscomb’s cause, as the Bisons went 31-for-40 from the line. Malcom Smith hit 10 of his 12 attempts.
With the win, the Bisons close the regular season with a winning record overall (15-14) and in conference (10-8). The team finished fifth in Atlantic Sun regular season play behind Florida Gulf Coast, Mercer, USC Upstate and ETSU.
The game held a significant amount of weight to it, as a Bisons win would help the team’s efforts to secure a home conference tournament game. However, a North Florida victory over Kennesaw State leaves the Bisons fifth in the conference.
The Atlantic Sun Tournament begins for the fifth-seeded Bisons on Tuesday with a road trip to fourth-ranked ETSU in Johnson City, Tenn.
Sankey honored during senior day, thanks those who helped along the way
Before the game, Lipscomb honored Sankey at center court for his two season playing for the Bisons.
Sankey had five points, five rebounds and four assists on the day.
“It felt really good,” Sankey said about winning on senior day.
Sankey says that emotions were high for the game.
“I was a little nervous at first, but then I shot the first one. I was feeling alright, but my shot was off today. But, I’m happy we got the W,” Sankey said.
A fitting moment for Sankey on his special day, he drained the first points of the game for the Bisons, one of the only threes from the first half.
Before Saturday’s game, Sankey had averaged 24.8 minutes a game this season. He was averaging 7.2 points a game and led the team average in rebounding with 5.4 rebounds a game. Sankey played for Sheridan Community College in Sheridan, Wy., before transferring to Lipscomb.
In what could be Sankey’s last game at Allen Arena, Sankey thanked those that helped him during his time as a Bison.
“We had a good two years here,” Sankey said. “The fans supported us. I’m thankful for everybody that supported me.
“I’m thankful for Coach [Scott] Sanderson and the coaching staff last year for recruiting me. I’m thankful for Coach Casey [Alexander] and the coaching staff this year for helping me go through this year, having the best year. “
Hampton spoke highly of the senior, commenting on Sankey’s leadership.
“Khion’s been a leader since the day he stepped here at Lipscomb,” Hampton said. “I’m learning from him every day.”
Martin Smith echoes the impact of Sankey’s leadership.
“Khion’s had a big impact,” Martin Smith said. “He’s our leader. He brings that toughness to the team, and he holds everybody accountable, so it’s good to have him. We’re going to miss him.”
Photos courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics