Despite a 2-0 start at home and a 25-25 halftime deadlock, the Wildcats could not stop the Bison late, as Lipscomb took the first of the home and home series, 75-67.

After the even halftime score the teams continued to trade baskets, and at the five-minute mark junior Jaren Lewis tied the game at 57 with two free throws. Lewis was one of three Wildcats to finish in double figures as he scored 11 points and converted 3-of-4 of his free throw attempts.

The Bison responded with a 7-1 scoring run to build a six-point cushion at 64-58, but ACU did not go away. Two free throws from graduate transfer Tevin Foster and another free throw from Lewis cut the Lipscomb lead to one-point with 2:02 left in the game at 64-63. Foster also joined Lewis in double figures and was the game’s leading scorer, finishing with 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

But a three-pointer by Matt Rose and a layup from Michael Buckland extended the lead to six for the Bison and forced the Wildcats to start fouling to extend the game. Lipscomb would eventually finish the game on an 11-4 run as a result of  the free throws.

Each team posted impressive shooting percentages, with ACU recording a 44.6 percent clip and Lipscomb finishing 50 percent from the field. But it would ultimately be the bench scoring that would do the Wildcats in, as the Bison outscored ACU 30-6 off the bench. Sophomore Jalone Friday rounded out the Wildcat’s three double digit scorers with a 15 point, six rebound performance

The loss drops ACU to an even 2-2, while Lipscomb ends a two-game skid and emerges back above .500 at 3-2. The Bison also cut the all-time series deficit to two, and are now just 3-5 in eight meetings with the Wildcats. The two teams will meet again Dec. 17 in Nashville, Tennessee for the Bison’s home portion of the home and home series.

The Wildcats next head to North Carolina for the Campbell Tournament over Thanksgiving break. The tournament pits ACU against the likes of Campbell University, South Carolina-Upstate and Bowling Green.