LUBBOCK, Texas (November 18, 2016) – Tess Bruffey made a welcoming return to the No.11 Lubbock Christian University roster Friday inside Rip Griffin Center, as she recorded a double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds to help lead the Lady Chaparrals to a 63-48 win over Colorado School of Mines in the Lady Chaps home opener and on the opening day of the Arbor Hotels Classic.
 
With 9:28 remaining in the fourth quarter the score was knotted up at 42-42. That was until Bobby Chitsey's put-back on an offensive rebound gave LCU a 44-42 and began a 12-2 run to give LCU a 54-44 lead with 3:48 remaining. LCU held the Orediggers without a field goal for a span of 6:35 in the quarter and outscored them 21-8 in the quarter.
 
The scoring surge to jump out to a double-figure lead is what LCU had been trying to seek in the prior three quarters. LCU had a trio of three-pointers in the opening quarter and led 15-10 halfway into the quarter. Heidi Hammond capped a 9-4 run to end the quarter for CSM and they tied the game at 19-19 to end the quarter. LCU let a four-point lead slip away in the second quarter, but did respond by ending the half on a 6-0 run                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     for a 33-27 lead. CSM was able to hang around in the third quarter, out-rebounding LCU 19-7 in the quarter and putting up eight additional field goal attempts than the Lady Chaps.
 
LCU was 42.9% from the field (24/56), while CSM was 25.4% (17/67). Of CSM's 17 field goals, eight were from three-pointers. LCU struggled from three-point range, going 20% (4/20) in three-point attempts. They started out 3-of-4 from long range, but then made one three-pointer on 16 attempts. Of the four three-pointers for LCU, two were by Delaney Gaddis, who finished with 10 points. Chitsey finished with 12 points and was 5-of-6 from the field.
 
Bruffey, who missed LCU's prior two games, registered her fourth career double-double of her career and the 11 rebounds matched a career high. She also produced four blocks. CSM's Laura Tyree was the Orediggers lone player in double figures with 10 points.  
 
LCU improved to 1-2 with the win and they are now 13-1 in home openers under head coach Steve Gomez. CSM fell to 2-4.
 
TURNING POINT
LCU's 12-2 run was the difference in Friday's victory. Bruffey scored eight of her 19 points in the fourth quarter. Her and Chitsey combined to go 6-of-7 from the field during the quarter.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
Each squad went opposite directions with shooting inside the perimeter. CSM was 19.6% inside the arc (9/46), while LCU was 55.6% (20/36) in two-point shot attempts.
 
NEXT
LCU gets their championship rings Saturday prior to their 6 p.m. tip against Texas Permian Basin. The championship banner will also be raised inside Rip Griffin Center.