AUSTIN, Texas — In a matchup befitting its billing as the Lone Star Conference's heavyweight bout, No. 13 St. Edward's and No. 8 Lubbock Christian traded punches early Friday night inside the Recreation and Convocation Center. But a relentless interior attack and transition pressure from the visiting Chaps proved decisive, as Lubbock Christian pulled away for an 88-71 victory over the Hilltoppers in a clash of the league's two highest-ranked teams.
St. Edward's opened with confidence and energy, briefly holding the lead in the opening minutes behind early buckets from
JAMISON KAY and
BLAKE NIELSEN, before Lubbock Christian responded with a decisive first-half run.
The Chaps leaned heavily on Antonio Pusateri in the paint, where the junior forward repeatedly converted second-chance opportunities and rim runs. Pusateri scored 22 of his game-high 32 points in the first half, anchoring a 14–0 LCU run midway through the period that flipped a tight game into a double-digit deficit. Lubbock Christian closed the half shooting 50 percent from the floor and took a 45–37 advantage into the break.
St. Edward's stayed within striking distance early in the second half.
RYDER BRADLEY attacked the rim and hit timely shots from deep, while
ROBERT CONRAD provided a spark with finishes in transition and at the rim. A Bradley three at the 10:58 mark trimmed the margin to seven, 63–56, briefly reigniting the crowd.
But every push was met with an answer. Kendall Dow's perimeter shooting and Amondo Miller Jr.'s playmaking helped Lubbock Christian maintain tempo, while Pusateri continued to control the interior. A fast-break dunk at the 7:38 mark pushed the lead to 18, LCU's largest of the night, effectively sealing the outcome.
Kay led St. Edward's with 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, adding four rebounds, two steals, and a block. Bradley followed with 17 points, while Nielsen chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds. The Hilltoppers shot an efficient 47.5 percent from the field but were limited to just seven free-throw attempts and committed 12 turnovers, several of which fueled LCU's transition game.
Lubbock Christian finished the night shooting 51.6 percent overall and a blistering 93.3 percent from the free-throw line, scoring 46 points in the paint and 19 on the break. The Chaps held the lead for more than 37 minutes and improved to 13-2 overall and 4-1 in conference play.
St. Edward's fell to 13-2 overall and 2-2 in Lone Star Conference action, with the loss snapping a stretch of momentum as league play intensifies. The Hilltoppers will look to respond quickly against Midwestern State on Sunday as the LSC race tightens and January basketball begins to take shape on the Hilltop.
