(Lipscomb Athletics photo)
Former Caldwell County standout Eli Pepper has his 1,000 career rebounds and has one more game left in his collegiate playing days at Lipscomb University.
Pepper and the Bisons will play for the NIT championship Thursday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Lipscomb overcame an 11-point deficit in the second half on Tuesday and knocked off Wichita State 71-64 in the semifinals. The Bisons scored the final 14 points of the contest as the Shockers were held scoreless for the final 3:46.
Pepper, a senior, scored just two points on 1 of 2 shooting from the field. However, he grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds, giving him 1,013 boards in his Lipscomb career.
Pepper became just the fourth player in ASUN Conference history to reach 1,000 career rebounds, getting to that plateau in the first half.
Garrison Mathews had 34 points for the Bisons, who advance to Thursday’s 6 p.m. championship game.
Lipscomb is now 29-7 on the season.
The Bisons will face Texas in the NIT final. The Longhorns turned back Texas Christian 58-44 in Tuesday’s second semifinal tilt.
