(Lipscomb Athletics photo)
Eli Pepper has moved into fourth all-time on the conference rebounding list and Lipscomb University owns the regular-season championship in the ASUN Conference and the No. 1 seed for the upcoming tournament.
The Bisons wrapped up the regular-season title after winning 87-75 at North Alabama on Friday night.
Pepper, a former Caldwell County standout, nearly recorded a double-double in that game with nine points and 10 rebounds. He moved into fourth all-time in the ASUN in rebounding, passing Centenary’s Albert Thomas (1986-89).
Lipscomb will share the ASUN regular-season championship with newcomer Liberty as both teams finished 14-2 in league play. The Bisons hold the tiebreaker over the Flames by sweeping North Florida this season.
“It feels great, this is what you work for,” head coach Casey Alexander told Lipscomb Athletics. “It’s the hardest thing to do in any sport is to be the best team in your league. It’s a measure of long time success, they have been the best team in the league for 16 games.
“I am proud of the conference championship.”
Rob Marberry led Lipscomb with 22 points while Garrison Mathews added 17.
Meanwhile, Pepper, a senior, continues to add to his career totals.
He now has 972 career boards as he looks to become just the fourth ASUN player to reach the 1,000-rebound mark.
Pepper, a four-year starter at Lipscomb, has now scored 885 points on the college level.
This season, Pepper is averaging 7.8 points and 7.8 rebounds a game, having scored 226 points while also grabbing the exact same number of rebounds.
Lipscomb begins its quest for back-to-back ASUN Tournament championships when No. 8 seed Kennesaw State visits Nashville on Monday for the conference quarterfinals. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Allen Arena.
“Everyone knows it doesn’t matter who you are playing at this time of the year, you have to show up and be ready,” Alexander said. “I hope that Lipscomb fans will be there and support a team that has played really hard all year long, and earned the right to play at home.
“That creates people showing up and doing their part.”
