NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A decisive first-half surge fueled by efficient three-point shooting and a dominant performance from Charlie Williams propelled the Lipscomb Bisons to a 75-61 victory over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in an ASUN Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Allen Arena.

The Bisons, improving to 16-10 overall, seized control with a 43-point first half, building a 12-point lead by the break that the Colonels could never seriously threaten. Eastern Kentucky fell to 9-17 with the loss.

The most critical stretch of the game occurred late in the opening half. Leading 29-23 with just over six minutes remaining, Lipscomb unleashed a 14-4 run to close the period. The burst was powered by the long-range shooting of Ethan Duncan and the playmaking of Mateo Esmeraldo. Duncan, a guard from Lubbock, Texas, drilled two three-pointers during the run, while Esmeraldo capped it with a triple of his own, assisted by Or Ashkenazi, just before the halftime buzzer to give the Bisons a 43-31 advantage.

That cushion proved insurmountable for an Eastern Kentucky team that struggled with offensive consistency throughout the night. The Colonels shot just 38.7 percent from the field and a frigid 5 of 10 from the free-throw line. While they managed to stay even with Lipscomb in total rebounds and committed only one more turnover, the Bisons capitalized on those miscues with devastating efficiency, scoring 23 points off turnovers compared to just four for Eastern Kentucky.

Lipscomb’s offensive success was anchored by Williams, a 6-foot-10 forward from Carmel, Indiana. He scored a game-high 18 points in just 22 minutes, showcasing his versatility by hitting three three-pointers, blocking three shots, and altering several others at the rim. His presence defensively disrupted Eastern Kentucky’s attempts to score inside consistently.

Duncan provided crucial scoring support with 17 points, all but two of which came in the first half, including five three-pointers. Esmeraldo, a guard from Monroe, Connecticut, orchestrated the offense with eight assists to go with 11 points. Grant Asman added 12 points and four rebounds for the Bisons, who shot 42.4 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Eastern Kentucky was led by MJ Williams, a 5-foot-10 guard from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, who finished with 14 points and five assists. Turner Buttry added 12 points, all on three-pointers, and Jalen Cooper chipped in 10 points. The Colonels managed 26 points in the paint but were often forced into difficult shots against Lipscomb’s interior defense.

The second half saw Lipscomb maintain its double-digit lead, answering every modest Eastern Kentucky push. When the Colonels cut the deficit to 11 points early in the half, Williams and Asman quickly scored inside to restore order. Later, after a three-pointer from Buttry brought Eastern Kentucky within 53-47, Lipscomb responded with a 7-0 run, highlighted by another three from Williams, to push the lead back to 13 and effectively seal the game.

Lipscomb’s offensive rating of 115.1 on 65 possessions starkly contrasted with Eastern Kentucky’s 94.2, underlining the Bisons’ superior execution. The win keeps Lipscomb in the upper tier of the ASUN standings, while Eastern Kentucky continues to search for consistency in conference play.

An announced crowd of 1,186 at Allen Arena saw the Bisons win their second straight home game. Lipscomb will travel to face Queens (N.C.) on Saturday. Eastern Kentucky returns home to host West Georgia next Wednesday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Richmond, Kentucky, on Feb. 28.