NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Lipscomb Bisons built a commanding first-half lead and held off the Stetson Hatters for a 67-53 win in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday night at Allen Arena. Lipscomb led 43-19 at halftime after scoring 22 points in the first quarter. Stetson’s offense struggled throughout, shooting just 31.7% from the floor. Taylor Bowen led Lipscomb with 16 points. Promise Keshi scored 14 for Stetson. Lipscomb improved to 5-9 overall. Stetson fell to 8-6. An announced crowd of 486 attended the ASUN Conference matchup.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A dominant first-half performance by the Lipscomb Bisons proved too much for the Stetson Hatters to overcome, as the home team secured a 67-53 victory in an ASUN Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Allen Arena. The Bisons, fueled by a blistering start, built a 22-point lead by halftime and withstood a determined but inefficient second-half push from the Hatters to improve to 5-9 overall. Stetson fell to 8-6. The game’s decisive stretch came from the opening tip. Lipscomb established control immediately, racing to a 22-11 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 43-19 by intermission. The Bisons shot 50% from the field in the first half, including 6 of 12 from three-point range, while their defense stifled Stetson into 8-of-30 shooting and forced nine turnovers. Taylor Bowen was instrumental in building that cushion for Lipscomb, scoring 12 of her game-high 16 points before the break. The Carmel, Indiana, native also finished with a game-high 10 rebounds. The Bisons’ backcourt duo of Molly Heard and Elena Bertrand each added 13 points, with Bertrand dishing out four assists. Stetson emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, opening the third quarter on an 8-0 run to cut into the deficit. The Hatters outscored Lipscomb 34-24 in the second half, winning both the third and fourth quarters. Their defensive pressure intensified, leading to eight of their nine steals after halftime. Promise Keshi led the Stetson comeback effort, scoring all 14 of her points in the second half. The guard from Rubano, Italy, also contributed five blocked shots and two assists. However, the Hatters’ offensive struggles from the perimeter, where they finished just 5 of 31, prevented them from ever seriously threatening the Lipscomb lead. Stetson shot 31.7% overall from the field. A key sequence early in the fourth quarter typified the night. After Stetson had trimmed the margin to 59-48 with 7:44 remaining, Lipscomb’s defense forced a difficult shot and secured a stop. On the ensuing possession, Olivia Vinson drained a critical three-pointer off an assist from Maris Zurliene to push the lead back to 14 and effectively halt the Hatters’ momentum. While Stetson won several statistical battles, including points in the paint (28-20), offensive rebounds (10-8), assists (9-6), steals (9-6), and blocks (6-6), their poor shooting efficiency was the overriding factor. Lipscomb’s ability to capitalize from beyond the arc, making 9 of 20 attempts compared to Stetson’s 5 of 31, provided the essential scoring margin. McKayla Miller provided a significant defensive presence for Lipscomb with five blocks and nine rebounds to go with nine points. For Stetson, Aleah Sorrentino added seven points and six rebounds off the bench. The announced attendance at Allen Arena was 486. Lipscomb will look to build on the conference win when they host Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday. Stetson continues its road trip at Austin Peay on Saturday. The two teams will meet again in DeLand, Florida, on Jan. 22.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A surging Stetson squad looks to continue its strong start to ASUN Conference play when it visits a struggling Lipscomb team on Thursday night at Allen Arena. The Hatters (8-5, 1-1 ASUN) are coming off a dominant 76-59 home victory over North Alabama on Saturday, where their backcourt shone. Guards Rose Caso and Cameron Thomas combined for 39 points, while versatile forward Promise Keshi filled the stat sheet with 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Keshi, a key player to watch for Stetson, has been a consistent all-around contributor, averaging 6.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 blocks over her last five games. Her play will be central against a Lipscomb frontcourt looking to build momentum after its first conference win. The Bisons (4-9, 1-1) edged North Florida 67-65 on the road last Thursday but fell 72-59 at Jacksonville on Saturday. Hope Counts has emerged as a focal point for Lipscomb, averaging 11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks over the last two games. Her defensive presence inside will be tested by a Stetson offense that scored 71 points or more in three of its last five non-conference games. Stetson has found success on the road this season, with notable non-conference wins at UCF and Saint Louis. Lipscomb, however, has struggled at home, posting a 2-4 record in Nashville, including a narrow 63-60 loss to Tennessee-Martin on Dec. 4. The matchup marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams this month. They will meet again in DeLand, Florida, on Jan. 22. For Lipscomb, containing Stetson’s guard tandem of Caso and Thomas will be a priority, while the Hatters must account for Counts’ rim protection. The game tips off at 7 p.m. EST as both teams seek an early advantage in the ASUN standings.