DELAND, Fla. (Interstat) — Jamie Phillips scored 30 points to lead Stetson to a 91-83 men’s basketball victory over Lipscomb on Thursday night at Edmunds Center. The Hatters, who led 46-28 at halftime, withstood a second-half push from the Bisons to secure the conference win. Stetson (6-10, 2-1 ASUN) capitalized on Lipscomb mistakes, scoring 18 points off 13 turnovers. Phillips added six assists for the Hatters, who shot 10 of 28 from 3-point range and 23 of 29 from the free-throw line. Grant Asman led Lipscomb (9-7, 2-1) with 21 points. The Bisons, which entered as a double-digit favorite, dominated inside with 44 paint points but could not overcome the early deficit in front of an announced crowd of 669.

DELAND, Fla. (Interstat) — Jamie Phillips scored 30 points and dished out six assists, leading Stetson to a 91-83 upset victory over Lipscomb in an ASUN Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Edmunds Center. The Hatters, who entered as heavy underdogs, used a dominant first-half offensive display and a disruptive defensive effort to snap a two-game skid and improve to 6-10 overall. The Bisons, projected by analytics to have an 87.7% chance to win, fell to 9-7. The most critical phase of the game was the opening half, where Stetson built an 18-point lead that Lipscomb spent the entire second half trying to overcome. The Hatters shot a blistering 10 for 28 from 3-point range in the game, with much of that damage coming early, and converted Lipscomb’s 13 turnovers into 18 points. Stetson’s backcourt pressure, which generated 10 steals, consistently disrupted the Bisons’ rhythm. Phillips, a 6-foot-5 guard from Winter Haven, Florida, was the catalyst. He scored 20 of his points in the first half, including a deep 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to give Stetson a 46-28 lead at the break. His performance continued a stellar stretch, following games of 29 and 22 points in his last two outings. Lipscomb emerged from halftime with renewed energy, opening the second period on a 22-7 run to cut the deficit to 53-50 with just over 15 minutes remaining. Grant Asman, who led the Bisons with 21 points, was central to the surge, scoring 11 points during the stretch. Each time Lipscomb threatened, however, Stetson had an answer, often from Phillips or Ethan Copeland, who finished with 12 points. When the Bisons closed to within 67-65 with 7:52 to play, Phillips assisted on a Jake Johnson 3-pointer and then hit two free throws to push the lead back to seven. Lipscomb would never get closer than five points the rest of the way. The Bisons won several statistical battles, outscoring Stetson 44-34 in the paint and 17-12 on fast breaks. They also shot a higher percentage from the field, connecting on 52.6% of their attempts compared to Stetson’s 52.7%. But the Hatters’ advantages from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line, where they made 23 of 29 attempts, proved decisive. Lipscomb was just 6 of 21 from 3-point range and 17 of 24 from the line. Mateo Esmeraldo added eight points and seven assists for Lipscomb, while Ethan Duncan contributed 14 points. For Stetson, Daniel Macgregor and Calvin Sirmans each had nine points, with Sirmans adding three assists. Johnson scored all nine of his points from the free-throw line. The game’s total of 174 points sailed over the pregame over/under line of 150.5, largely due to Stetson’s offensive explosion. The announced attendance was 669. Lipscomb looks to rebound quickly, traveling to face Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday. Stetson continues its homestand, hosting Austin Peay on Saturday. The two teams will meet again in a rematch in Nashville on Jan. 22.

DE LAND, Fla. (Interstat) — A surging Lipscomb squad looks to continue its winning ways when it visits a struggling Stetson team in an ASUN Conference men’s basketball matchup Thursday night at Edmunds Center. The Bisons (9-6) enter on a two-game win streak following conference victories over Jacksonville and North Florida. The Hatters (5-10) aim to rebound from a 20-point road loss at Central Arkansas, having split their first two league games. Lipscomb, which averages 82.1 points per game, is led by guard Titas Sargiunas. He is coming off a 19-point performance in the win over North Florida and has scored in double figures in three of his last five contests. His backcourt play will be pivotal against a Stetson defense allowing 77.5 points per game. The Hatters will counter with high-scoring guard Jamie Phillips, who has been a bright spot during a difficult non-conference slate. Phillips erupted for 29 points and nine rebounds in a win at North Alabama on New Year’s Day and followed with 22 points against Central Arkansas. Containing him will be a primary focus for the Bisons’ defense. Stetson holds a slight home-court advantage in the series, but Lipscomb has won three of the last five meetings. The Bisons have shown resilience on the road this season with wins at Marshall and Southeast Missouri State, though they fell to power conference foes Duke and Cincinnati. This game opens a critical early-January stretch for both teams. Lipscomb seeks to solidify its position near the top of the ASUN standings, while Stetson looks to find consistency and climb out of the lower tier. The rematch is scheduled for Jan. 22 in Nashville. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST.