Lubbock Christian University Athletics

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (October 30, 2026) — Lubbock Christian opened up the 2026 season with a win, holding off a late comeback attempt from Montana State Billings for a 78-73 victory on Friday at Nicholson Arena. The Chaparrals led by as many as 15, but needed late free throws when the Yellowjackets had cut the lead to one to close out the game. 

The Chaps turned defense and free throws into a 43-38 halftime lead, forcing 10 Mont. St. Billings turnovers and scoring 12 points off them while going 13 of 16 at the line. LCU started slow, scoing just one point in the first three minutes of the game, and the first half stayed tight through a mid-half three-point exchange, but Devin Whitten's three-pointer gave the Chaparrals a 23-20 lead with 9:32 left. 

After Montana State Billings tied it at 28, Hayden Abdullah's three free throws put the Chaps back in front, and they remained ahead at the break. Brendan Ballar scored four straight points with just over four minutes to go as part of a 7-0 run, and LCU led by eight at the break. 

MSUB cut the lead to three early in the second half. A Leo Nordberg layup at the 17:29 mark sparked an 8-0 Chaparral run that put them up by double-digits for the first time. A fastbreak dunk by Hayden Abdullah with 11:34 left put them up by 15, which was their largest lead of the game.

The Yellowjackets would not go down without a fight though. Back-to-back three-pointers with just over five minutes left sparked run that had MSUB down just two at the 3:51 mark. Nordberg stopped the run, and the Chaparrals held off the Yellowjackets in the closing seconds, with DeAndre Lott making four free throws in the final 18 seconds after Braydon Olson's 3-pointer cut the score to 74-73. Lott also secured the defensive rebound with three seconds left before his final two free throws, helping the Chaps finish a 78-73 win.

Lott scored 20 points, went 10 of 13 at the free-throw line and added four steals and two blocks. Charlie Onana finished with nine points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Brendan Ballard tallied 11 points, six rebounds and three steals while converting all six of his free throws. Reagan Fiedler added 11 points, six rebounds, two steals and a block.

GAME NOTES: 
- The Chaparrals have won their seventh straight season opener, dating all the way back to the 2020-21 season. They are 10-6 all time in season openers in the Todd Duncan era.
- The Chaps forced MSUB into 18 turnovers, which is the most by a Chap opponent since Jan. 23, 2025, when they forced Oklahoma Christian into 21.
- Freshman guard Lott had 13 free throw attempts, making 10 of them. The last time a Chap had more than 13 free throw attempts in a game was March 8, 2025, when Ethan Duncan had 14 attempts at the line.
- This is the first win in Chaparrals program history against Montana State-Billings in just the second all-time meeting between the two teams.
- The Chaps got 14 points off the bench, mostly coming from Ballard, who finished with 11, including six at the free throw line.

NEXT UP: 
The Chaps face a quick turnaround, as the continue competition at the D2CCAA Tipoff Classic by taking on Western Washington at 7 p.m. PT on Saturday at Nicholson Arena.