COMMERCE, Texas (November 11, 2017) –
Tess Bruffey produced a double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds) and the Lady Chaparrals knocked down 10 three-pointers, as No.23 Lubbock Christian University improved to 2-0 on the season with a 71-53 win over Metropolitan State University of Denver Saturday evening at 1525 Tournament hosted by Texas A&M-Commerce inside University Field House.
Bruffey, coming off a foul-plagued six-point performance Friday, opened her scoring early, leading LCU with seven points in the first quarter. Teams traded buckets to tie the game 5-5 before LCU erupted with a 10-2 run, with four different players contributing to the run for LCU. LCU led 15-9 after the opening quarter. Both squads shot over 53% in the second quarter. LCU extended their lead to 31-18 on a three-pointer by
Olivia Robertson with 3:45 left in the half, but MSU Denver came back with an 8-0 run to cut the LCU lead to 31-26 before the break.
The Lady Chaps, leading 33-26 at the half, opened the contest 6-of-8 from three-point range and completed the half 6-of-10 from long range. Four different players were involved in the long distance connections, with Bruffey and
Kailin Davis each connecting twice in the half.
Jaelynn Squires-Horton made things interesting, hitting a three-pointer a minute into the third quarter for MSU Denver. The bucket capped a 5-0 run for the Roadrunners and cut LCU's lead to 37-32. LCU's
Delaney Gaddis ended the threat with a three-pointer of her own and LCU quickly got the lead back to double figures (42-32 with 4:47 to go in the third quarter). Later in the quarter, LCU fought off another MSU Denver rally with an 8-2 run paced by six free-throws to lead 55-42 heading into the fourth quarter. The Lady Chaps, who never trailed in the game, never led by less than 12 points in the final quarter and shot 50% from the field (6/12).
Bruffey led all scorers with her 20 points and she was joined in double figures by Davis (14 points) and Robertson (11 points). LCU completed the game 10-of-18 (55.6%) from three-point range. Six different Lady Chap hit three-pointers, led by a career high four three-pointers from Bruffey.
Georgia Ohrdorf led the Roadrunners with 14 points. MSU Denver (0-2) was 39.2% (20/51) from the field and 3-of-10 (30%) from long range.
TURNING POINT
With under six minutes to go in the third quarter, LCU went a span of missing eight straight field goal attempts during a three minute span, but they out-scored MSU Denver 4-3 during the span with free-throw attempts. Also assisting a shift in momentum was MSU Denver's inability to score during the span, as they were amidst a 2-of-11 shooting slump over a seven minute stretch.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The contest marked the first time this season LCU connected on at least 10 three-pointers. Last season, LCU completed the task eight times during the season, but only once over the span of the opening 12 games of the season.
WHAT'S NEXT
LCU remains in Commerce and will face Texas A&M-Commerce Monday at 5:30 p.m. before returning home for their Friday home opener.
