AUSTIN, Texas – In a rematch of the 2023 Lone Star Conference Tournament's first round, the St. Edward's men's basketball team exacted a small amount of redemption with a 91-84 victory over the Lubbock Christian Chapparals. 
 
BLAKE NIELSEN matched last year's tournament game-high of 20 points, continuing to find favorable matchups inside with his combination of footwork and soft touch from short range. 
 
The junior forward set the tone in the first half with three quick assists, finding GAVINO RAMOS for one 3-pointer, CONOR MCMANUS for another, and SEAN ELKINTON down the stretch of the first half for a layup. Between his pivots, spins, and half spins, Nielsen kept the defense off-balance for eight first-half points, getting to the free-throw line for four attempts to match Elkinton with eight points at the break. 
 
Najeeb Muhammad led Lubbock Christian with nine first-half points, shooting 4-for-6 from the field, and the LCU bench outscored its St. Edward's counterparts 11-3. JAYDEN JOHNSTON led St. Edward's with nine points at the break, hitting all three shots from the field and two of his three free throws to lead 39-34. 
 
St. Edward's opened the second half on fire, hitting its first four shots, led by Nielsen, who hit a floater, then a 3-pointer, and capped off the run by finding BENNETT MOHN for a 3-pointer to extend the Hilltopper lead to 48-34 three minutes into the half. 
 
It was a similar position to what the Hilltoppers faced a year ago when a first-half lead gave way to a tremendous Lubbock Christian second-half. 
 
And just like then, Lubbock Christian made a considerable run, closing the gap on a 13-0 run in two minutes of play. The Chaps hit a pair of 3-pointers, a layup, a jumper, and three free throws to pull within one at 48-47 with 14:50 remaining. Tiras Morton led the charge with six points, starting the run with a jumper and foul, then a 3-pointer. 
 
The difference in this game was the continued emergence of GAVINO RAMOS. The junior point guard is averaging career-highs in points and assists and has steadied the Hilltoppers time and again this season. 
 
After a relatively quiet first half, in which he closed the final seconds with a drive through a thicket of arms, sending defenders flying off him for a buzzer-beating layup, Ramos erupted for 11 in the second. 
 
Ramos stopped the run with a 3-pointer off a feed from ALEU ALEU, then answered a Lubbock Christian putback with another 3-pointer, curling off a pin-down to put St. Edward's back up five. 
 
The Hilltoppers rode the momentum with a stellar block from Aleu, leading to a JAMISON KAY 3-pointer from the top of the key for the 57-49 lead. A few plays later, Ramos hit a jab step 3-pointer and capped off a 14-8 run with a driving layup, scoring 11 points in four minutes to give St. Edward's a 62-55 lead with 10:22 remaining. 
 
St. Edward's got some quality defensive minutes from Kay and Aleu over the stretch, with Aleu blocking a pair of shots and Kay contesting drives with verticality and sending one back himself. The duo also combined for 10 points over the run, capped off by an Aleu 3-pointer, giving the starters a 74-64 lead over the final five minutes. 
 
Morton hit a pair of 3-pointers over the next minute to keep Lubbock Christian within striking range, while BLAKE NIELSEN hit a big 3-pointer, and Elkinton found Johnston cutting for a layup after pulling down an offensive rebound. 
 
Aaron Gonzales sparked a Lubbock Christian 5-0 run, driving in for a layup, then blocking a Ramos layup, leading to a Najeeb Muhammed layup and foul for the 3-point play. 
 
Nielsen found Elkinton for a layup, but Gonzales hit Morton for a 3-pointer to pull within two at 81-79 with two minutes remaining. Nielsen followed by drawing a foul in the paint, sinking both free throws. 
 
Ramos blocked a 3-point attempt on the Chaps' following possession, and Mohn sunk all six free-throw attempts down the stretch. 
 
Nielsen added six rebounds and five assists to his team-high 20 points. Ramos finished with 16 points, hitting 4-for-6 from deep. Mohn was clutch with 14 points, Johnston scored 13 on six shots, and Elkinton finished with 12 points and five rebounds. 
 
Morton and Muhammad led Lubbock Christian with 21 and 20 points, respectively. Gonzales added 13, and Ty Caswell scored 11. 
 
St. Edward's improves to 19-9 with a 12-7 conference record. The Hilltoppers will host No. 1-ranked West Texas A&M on Saturday.