Lipscomb Bisons Defeat Bellarmine Knights 75-72

Ross Candelino scores 17 points to lead Lipscomb to victory

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Lipscomb Bisons defeated the Bellarmine Knights 75-72 in a college basketball game on Wednesday. Ross Candelino led the Bisons with 17 points, while Titas Sargiunas and Ethan Duncan also scored in double figures. Jack Karasinski scored 23 points for the Knights in the losing effort.

Why it matters

This game was an important Atlantic Sun Conference matchup between two teams looking to improve their conference standings and tournament positioning. Lipscomb's victory over Bellarmine represents a key win for the Bisons as they aim to secure a high seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

The details

Lipscomb shot 45.5% from the field and made 9 three-pointers, while Bellarmine shot 41.8% and made 8 three-pointers. The Bisons outrebounded the Knights 38-34 and scored 15 points off of 12 Bellarmine turnovers.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.

The players

Ross Candelino

A key player for the Lipscomb Bisons, scoring 17 points and grabbing 7 rebounds in the victory.

Jack Karasinski

The leading scorer for the Bellarmine Knights, tallying 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in the losing effort.

Titas Sargiunas

Scored 14 points for the Lipscomb Bisons, including 3 three-pointers.

Ethan Duncan

Contributed 13 points for the Lipscomb Bisons, making 3 three-pointers.

Brian Waddell

Scored 18 points and grabbed 7 rebounds for the Bellarmine Knights.

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What they’re saying

“This was a hard-fought game between two competitive teams in our conference. I'm proud of the way our guys battled and made the plays we needed to come away with the victory.”

— Lennie Acuff, Head Coach, Lipscomb Bisons

“We had our chances, but just couldn't quite get over the hump. Lipscomb made the plays down the stretch and deserved the win. We'll regroup and get ready for our next game.”

— Scotty Davenport, Head Coach, Bellarmine Knights

What’s next

The Lipscomb Bisons will look to build on this victory as they continue their conference schedule, while the Bellarmine Knights will aim to bounce back in their next game.

The takeaway

This game showcased the competitive nature of the Atlantic Sun Conference, with two evenly matched teams battling it out. Lipscomb's ability to make key plays down the stretch proved to be the difference, as they secured an important conference win on the road.