TYLER, Texas (January 22, 2026) — Lubbock Christian edged UT Tyler 70-66 in a closely contested game at the Herrington Patriot Center.
The Chaps trailed by as many as six in the second half, but were able to hold the Patriots scoreless over the final 2:07 as they came back to win. Lubbock Christian capitalized on miscues by the home team, scoring 17 points off UT Tyler's 12 turnovers to secure the victory.
Lubbock Christian stands at 17-3 overall and 8-2 in Lone Star play after their victory. UT Tyler now holds a 9-7 record, including a 3-7 mark in Lone Star competition.
Lubbock Christian jumped out to a 4–0 lead with
Amondo Miller Jr. scoring on a layup and two free throws within the first minute, and LCU kept control early. The visitors maintained their momentum with a three-pointer from
Lucas Mercandino at the 17:01 mark to extend their advantage to 12–5.
UTT finally found some rhythm and clawed their way back, taking a one-point lead with just over 12 minutes to play. Neither team led by more than four for the rest of the half, with each squad presenting balanced scoring attacks. The Patriots had three players with at least seven points in the half, and LCU had three with at least nine.
The Chaparrals were ahead by four with exactly a minute to go, but UT Tyler was able to tie it back up, thanks to a buzzer-beating layup, as the teams headed to the break.
Lubbock Christian continued to lead early in the second half until UT Tyler went ahead with back-to-back buckets by Sean Emfinger at the 14:11 mark. Those two baskets were part of a 9-0 Patriot run that had them up by six - their largest lead of the game - with 13:47 left in the game.
Immediately, the Chaps responded with a 9-0 run of their own, and when the under-eight media timeout was called, the teams were knotted up at 55.
The teams were still tied with 3:40 left in the game. UT Tyler took its last lead at the 2:07 mark with a three-pointer, but
Leo Nordberg hit from behind the arc on LCU's ensuing trip down the floor to put the Chaps ahead for good. The Patriots had a couple more chances to tie or take the lead, but LCU got defensive stops, and
Kendall Dow nailed two free throws late to secure the win.
Amondo Miller Jr. led the team with 18 points, recorded 12 rebounds, and added five assists. Mercandino contributed 17 points, including four 3-pointers, and collected three rebounds. Pusateri posted 11 points, secured 11 rebounds, and recorded two blocks. Dow added 14 points and provided three assists.
GAME NOTES:
- The Chaps reached at least 70 total points for the fourth consecutive game and the 17th time this season. They are 14-3 in those games.
- Pusateri notched his 12th double-double of the season, which leads the Lone Star Conference and ranks second in the nation.
- The Chaparrals improve to 8-0 all-time against UTT, with seven of those wins coming inside the Louise Herrington Patriot Center.
- Miller Jr. also had a double-double—his fifth of the season—and led the team in scoring for the 11th time.
- The Chaps attempted just 52 field goals in the contest, which was their second-fewest in a game this season.
NEXT UP:
LCU's Saturday contest with DBU has been postponed to a date yet to be determined, so their next scheduled contest is at 3 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Rip Griffin Center against Cameron.
