LUBBOCK, Texas (January 20, 2022) – It was tied at halftime, but Lubbock Christian University started the second half on a 15-0 run and dominated St. Edward's 52-25 in the period overall, cruising to an 87-60 win Thursday night at the Rip Griffin Center.
 
It is the 17^th straight win to start the season for the Chaps (17-0, 5-0), breaking the previous record for best start, which was set by the 2020-21 squad. The Chaps are the only Lone Star Conference team still undefeated in league play, as Texas A&M International lost to Oklahoma Christian.
 
LCU and SEU went into the locker room tied despite the Hilltoppers leading for much of the first half thanks to Rowan Mackenzie, who got free on a Chap inbounds play and beat the buzzer with a three-pointer. Neither team shot the ball particularly well to open the game, but eight of St. Edward's 11 makes came from behind the arc. Luke Pluymen was a large part of that, going 4-4 on three-pointers himself, despite averaging just 4.5 points per game the rest of the season.
 
The Chaps did have a five-point lead early in the game, but lost it and were down by six points when Uche Dibiamaka nailed a three-pointer with 8:19 to play in the first half. LCU stayed close though, and the Makenzie three-pointer set up what looked to be a tense second half.
 
Except, it wasn't. The Chap got a steal from Parker Hicks and a fastbreak dunk on the other end from Jalen Brattain to start the second half and were in control from there on out. It took more than seven minutes of play before the Hilltoppers made a second half field goal, and the layup only cut the deficit to 14 points.
 
LCU was just dominant in the final 20 minutes of play. They shot an incredible 69.2 percent from the field, including 3-6 on three-pointers. Both Aamer Muhammad and Lloyd Daniels had double-figures in just the second half, and Brattain scored all eight of his points in the second period. Meanwhile, St. Edward's shot 21.2 percent from the field, including 3-19 from behind the arc. Pluymen, who had been key to their first half success, scored one point in the second half.
 
Muhmmad's step-back three with just over six minutes to play put the Chaps up by 21. A pair of free throws from Hicks got it to its widest margin of 29 points with 2:27 left, and LCU pulled all the starters. Time was still on the clock, but the game was over.
 
Muhammad led all scorers with 26 points, scoring 11 in the first half and 15 in the second. He was joined in double-figures by Daniels, who scored 21, and Hicks, who scored 16. For the second straight game, Brattain was LCU's leading rebounder with eight total boards.
 
TURNING POINT
Brattain's dunk and a three-pointer from Hicks started the second half for the Chaps, forcing an early timeout from Hilltopper head coach Andre Cook. It didn't help, as LCU scored another 10 points and led by 15 at the first media timeout.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
10 | The Chaps grabbed 10 steals in the win, marking their most in a single game since Nov. 23, 2019, when they had 11 steals in a game at Angelo State
5 | Oddly enough, all 10 of the steals came from two players, with Hicks and Muhammad each nabbing five. It was a career high for each player and the most by a Chap in a single game this season
55.2 | LCU shot 55.2 percent from the field, marking the 12^th time this season they have hit at least half of their shots in a game
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian was scheduled to host St. Mary's on Saturday, but that game has been postponed due to COVID-19. The Chaps will be on the court next in a week, when they travel to San Angelo to take on Angelo State.