Senior Travis Strong led the Bucs with 15 points against Lipscomb.Image courtesy of ASunPhotos.com.
Date Posted: 3/6/2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Fourth-seeded East Tennessee State took advantage of missed opportunities from tournament host Lipscomb down the stretch to advance to the semifinals of the 2008 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Conference Basketball Championships with an 81-74 victory on Thursday night. Lipscomb connected on only 5-of-11 from the charity stripe for the game, and 4-of-9 in the second half.
ETSU (19-12) never trailed in the game and held a 15-point lead in the latter moments of the first half. Three-point shooting allowed the Bisons (15-16) to stay close, shooting 46.9 percent (15-32) as a team, which was over a percentage point better than their free throw percentage (.455). With the loss, Lipscomb extends the championship drought for hosts of the A-Sun Men’s Tournament; no school has captured the title on its home court since Georgia State in 2001.
Kenyona Swader proved to be the difference maker for the Buccaneers. Swader, who averaged 8.5 points and 5.1 rebounds during the season, dominated the paint with 11 points and 14 rebounds. He set career-highs in free throws attempted and made, going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. As a team, the Buccaneers were 19-of-26 (.760).
Travis Strong led a balanced attack in the scoring column with 16, as he was one of four Buccaneers in double figures. Strong connected on what would be the game-winning shot when he knocked down a jumper with 1:46 remaining in the game to put ETSU ahead by two, 73-71.
Eddie Ard paced three Bisons in double figures with 19, followed by LaKory Daniels and Michael Lusk with 15 a piece. Daniels and Ard combined for 10 three-pointers, each contributing five. Jimmy Oden dished out a game-high eight assists for the Bisons.
The win gives ETSU consecutive victories against Lipscomb in the A-Sun Tournament, and allows them to advance to the semifinals to face No. 1 seed Belmont Friday at 8:15 p.m. CT.
