For Lipscomb and Don Meyer, a court of reconciliation
It was a moment that would have seemed improbable 12…
Lipscomb nets first-ever appearance in NCAA men’s tournament
Where in the world is Lipscomb University? How do you pronounce it? And why is it “Bisons” instead of “Bison?”
Those are among the questions sports bloggers are asking after the Nashville, Tenn., university, associated with Churches of Christ, punched its ticket to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for the first time in its history.
On Sunday afternoon, the Bisons (yes, that’s how they pluralize it) beat Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles 108-96 in the Atlantic Sun championship game in Fort Myers, Fla. The Bisons built a 32-point lead but watched that advantage dwindle to five points before rallying to finish off the Eagles.
The Bisons began playing on the NCAA Division I level in 1999 as the team transitioned out of the NAIA. The men’s basketball team won the NAIA national championship in 1986.
Lipscomb’s women’s basketball team won the Atlantic Sun championship in 2004 and made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA women’s tournament, losing to Vanderbilt University in the first round.
The Tennessean reports:
When the NCAA selection committee unveils its bracket on Sunday, Lipscomb probably will be a No. 15 or No. 16 seed, meaning it would play a No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the opening game at one of eight sites around the country – one of them Bridgestone Arena.
It’s also possible Lipscomb will be in a “First Four” game on March 13 or 14 in Dayton, Ohio. Two of those four games will pit No. 16 seeds against each other, the winners moving on to play No. 1 seeds. A spot in Dayton would greatly increase the chances of Lipscomb following up its first NCAA tournament bid with its first NCAA tournament win.
Meanwhile, another institution of higher learning associated with Churches of Christ is celebrating two national titles in basketball. The men’s and women’s basketball teams at Rochester College in Rochester Hills, Mich., both won Division I titles in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.
View Comments
