PORTALES, N.M. (December 13, 2016) - Lubbock Christian University wrapped up their non-conference schedule Tuesday night with a 73-67 victory over Eastern New Mexico University at Greyhound Arena, in a game that featured 16 scoring changes.
 
The Chaps were led by strong play from their big men. Brennen Fowler battled his way to a game-high 19 points and 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Chuck Kendley picked up right where he left off at Cameron, posting 18 points and seven boards. Senior Ridrell Holman led the Chaps from behind the arc (4-of-11) and tallied 18 points, six rebounds, two assists and one steal. LCU outrebounded the Greyhounds 43-36 and had a 32-22 scoring advantage in the paint.
 
LCU struck first, as Chuck Kendley cut to the hole and laid the ball up and in for the game's first points. The Chaps went back and forth with the Greyhounds until Marcos Schuster drained his first and only three-pointer of the evening to put Lubbock Christian up 8-5. Eastern New Mexico's Marquise Harris then took matters into his own hands and scored back-to-back three-pointers followed by a monstrous dunk to spark a 12-4 run and put the Greyhounds up 20-14 with 7:57 left in the first half. After the break, Lubbock Christian began cutting into Eastern's six-point lead, but a CoRnell Neal three-pointer put the Greyhounds up 23-16 and gave ENMU their largest of the half. LCU's final bucket of the half came on a Ridrell Holman three-pointer with 1:56 left before the break, to cut Eastern's lead to one. Unfortunately, ENMU scored the final four points to take a 31-26 lead at halftime.
 
Although Lubbock Christian shot a meager 8-22 (36.4%) from the field, they were still able to hold the Greyhounds to 37.5% shooting (12/32). Kendley (eight points) and Holman (seven points) kept the Chaps close in the first half. Heading into the contest, ENMU was ranked fourth in the nation with 303 free throw attempts. In the first half, Lubbock Christian limited the Greyhound to two free throws. Eastern grabbed the rebounding advantage in the first half by snagging 21 boards compared to LCU's 14.  
 
Although Eastern's Neal struck first in the second half with a long range jumper from behind the arc, Lubbock Christian wasted no time with a 10-0 run highlighted by consecutive three-pointers from Holman to put the Chaps up 36-34. But again, ENMU had an answer and Javaan Mumatz nailed a pair of treys to regain the Greyhounds lead. The two squads continued to trade blows as their would be six more lead changes until Marcos Schuster split a pair of free throws to give the Chaparrals their final lead of the contest at 65-64 with 4:24 left to play. LCU and ENMU went on a scoring drought where neither team was able to convert a bucket until Isaac Cardona knocked down a mid-range jumper to give Lubbock Christian some life. The Chaps closed out the game scoring six of the game's final nine points on their way to a handy 73-67 victory.
 
Lubbock Christian came out to play in the second half, as they dropped 47 points compared to their 26 points in the first half. Sophomore Brennen Fowler added all 10 of his rebounds in the second period. Fowler shot 7-of-10 from the field and scored 14 of his 19 points after halftime. Brennen's second half highlight reel lifted the Chaps to a 54.5% (18/33) shooting mark. As for the boards, LCU outshined the Greyhounds on the glass 29-15 in the second period. Fowler was not the only Chaparral to score in the double-figures in the second half as Holman and Kendley each netted 11 points and 10 points, respectively.
 
ENMU kept themselves in the contest after halftime with their three-point game. The Greyhounds shot 7-of-15 from behind the arc in the second period while shooting 11-27 from the field. CoRnell Neal and Marquise Harris led Eastern New Mexico with 17 points for the night. The duo accounted for eight of the team's 12 three-pointers. Neal also added six assists and two steals.
 
Lubbock Christian jumps to 6-4 on the year as they gear up for the beginning of Heartland Conference play. The Chaps first conference opponent is Dallas Baptist University Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is at 2:00 pm inside DBU's Burg Center.