LUBBOCK, Texas (January 23, 2021) – The assist record for the Rip Griffin Center was in danger of falling on Saturday night, as the Lubbock Christian University offense dismantled a short-handed Texas A&M International team 83-50 to move to 8-0 on the season.
 
Ultimately, the assist facility assist record of 31, which was set on New Year's Eve 2015 in a win over Oklahoma Panhandle State, remained intact, but the 28 assists by the Chaps on Saturday night were their most since that game.
 
Playing with just five players, TAMIU started the game off well, getting six points from Tre Thomas and taking a brief lead after not leading at all in the Friday night matchup. Aamer Muhammad gave the Chaps the lead for good with a three-pointer at the 15:15 mark.
 
Muhammad's three-pointer sparked a 14-0 run over four minutes by LCU, putting them up by 12 points with 11:57 left in the first half. The run feature three straight made three-pointers by Chaparrals Jalen Brattain, Cameron Copley and Ty Caswell.
 
Copley's three was his only made field goal of the night, but the veteran guard dished out the most assists – eight – on an assist-heavy night for the team. He also added in seven rebounds. Freshman Gonzalo Corbalan was right behind Copley with seven assists, giving him a new career-high in that category.
 
TAMIU was never able to cut the Chap lead back to single digits, and a quick 9-0 run by LCU around the seven-minute mark pushed LCU out by more than 20. Rowan Mackenzie hit a three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer sounded, and Lubbock Christian went into the locker room ahead by 29.
 
A three-pointer and a layup from Lloyd Daniels, who led the Chaps in scoring on the night with 13 points, put LCU ahead by 30 early in the second half.
 
The closest the Dustdevils ever got the rest of the way was 24 points, and the lead ballooned all the way out to 35 points on back-to-back three-pointers by Ben Janssan and Corbalan with just under five minutes to go.
 
All 14 players on the Chap roster saw playing time for the second straight game, and Zach Barsalou was able to get his first collegiate point, going 1-for-2 at the free throw line after taking a foul with just over a minute to play.
 
Freshman Jalen Brattain also set a new career-high with 11 points on an efficient 5-of-7 shooting. He was joined in double-figures by Daniels (13), Corbalan (12) and Mackenzie (10).
 
TURNING POINT
From the 15:15 mark to the 11:53 mark in the first half, Lubbock Christian did not allow Texas A&M International to score, while pouring in 14 points of their own on four three-pointers and a pair of free throws. The Chaps would lead by double-figure for the remainder of the game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
By limiting Texas A&M-International to just 50 points on the night, LCU lowered their scoring defense mark to just 60.8 points per game, which is the best in the Lone Star Conference. The Chaps also rank No. 5 in the LSC in offense with 80.5 points per game.
 
NEXT UP
The Chaps have one more game in their current homestand, hosting a tough test against Midwestern State at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night.