Lipscomb defeated North Alabama 76-65 in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship game on Sunday in Nashville, Tenn., To secure its second title in program history.
Led with 23 points from Joe Anderson, 17 from Will Pruitt and 16 from Gyasi Powell, the top-seeded bisons lit (25-9, 14-4 Asun) 40.4 percent of their field goals and 12 out of 27 (44.4 percent) from 3-point intervals.
LIPSCOMB will play in the NCAA tournament for the second time. The first came in 2018.
Jacari Lane poured 18 points for the other seeded lions (24-10, 14-4), Corneilous Williams added 15 and Will Soucie had 10.
High Point 81, WINTHROP 69
Panthers gathered during the second half and surpassed the Eagles with 22 to win the Big South Championship game in Johnson City, Tenn., And served his first quay in the NCAA tournament.
Bobby Pettiford scored 17 points and Kezza Giffa added 16 for No. 1 Seed High Point (29-5, 14-2), which was struck by 10 at half time. Abdoulaye Thiam chipped in 12 while Trae Benham published an eight-point, 10-Rebound effort in the victory.
No. 3 Seed Winthrop (23-11, 11-5) had five players in double numbers, led by Kelton Talaford’s 15-point, eight rebound effort. Bryce Baker and Nick Johnson added 11 points, while KJ Doucet and Kasen Harrison had 10 pieces.
Drake 63, Bradley 48
Bennett Stirtz scored 24 points and Tavion Banks added 13 to lead the top-seeded bulldogs over the other-seeded Braves in the Missouri Valley Championship game in St. Louis.
Drake’s Conference title secured his eighth appearance in the NCAA tournament and the third in a row.
Drake (30-3, 17-3) drained 21 out of 46 shots (45.7 percent) and 6 out of 15 3-score while exceeding Bradley 32-19, including 11-3 on the offensive glass. The banks added nine returns, while Stirtz, Cam Manyawu and Kael Combs each had four.
Darius Hannah led Bradley (26-8, 15-5) with 19 points, the Duke DEEN chipped in eight and Christian Davis had seven. Braves shot only 41.5 percent from the floor and 25 percent beyond the arch.
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