(ASUN Conference photo)
Eli Pepper and the Lipscomb Bisons came up short in the NIT championship game Thursday night, but the former Caldwell County High School standout holds a prominent place in the ASUN Conference record book.
Pepper became just the fourth player in league history to top 1,000 career rebounds this week, and finished his college playing days with 1,016 boards. That places him third on the ASUN’s all-time list. Only the College of Charleston’s Thad Delaney (1,119 rebounds) and Campbell’s Jonathan Rodriguez (1,066) hauled down more rebounds than Pepper.
After a sterling postseason run to the championship game of the NIT, the Bisons were stopped by Texas 81-66 in the national finals. Lipscomb could never get on track offensively, shooting just 39 percent from the field in the setback.
Pepper failed to score in the championship game but did add three more rebounds to his total.
Pepper, a four-year starter at the Nashville school, finishes his college career with 925 points.
Lipscomb ends the season with a record of 29-8.
In four years with the Bisons, Pepper was a part of 84 wins, including three 20-win seasons and a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2018.
