Chaps Ram No.10 Texas Wesleyan

LUBBOCK, Texas (November 26, 2011) - All five Chaparrals starters posted double figures offensively and 21 points by Rashad Sample led Lubbock Christian University to their first win over a ranked team with head coach Todd Duncan at the helm, as the Chaps defeated No.10 Texas Wesleyan University 89-80 Saturday afternoon inside Rip Griffin Center.  The win was the final preconference contest for LCU and its keeps them perfect (3-0) at home on the season.

LCU was on fire in the first half and took it to the Rams roster, which is stacked with six NCAA Div. I transfers. The Rams did not score their first point until 2:39 into the game and by that time, the Chaps had a 9-0 lead.  LCU shot 59.5% in the first half (22/37) and had 22 field goals compared to seven by TWU.  Eric Frederick, a Florida International transfer entering the game ranking third in the NAIA in points per game, received a pair of technical fouls for abusive language and was ejected with 4:48 remaining in the first half.  The technical fouls resulted in the Chaps largest lead at 44-18.  The Chaps eventually took a 52-28 lead into the locker room to close the first half, with 13 points coming from Sample and 12 from Aaron Plunkett.

The Rams stormed back in the second half.  Brian Talley knocked down four of his six three-pointers in the second half and the Rams nailed seven three-pointers in the half.  Talley finished with 18 points off 7-of-10 shooting in the half and the Rams out-scored LCU 52-37 in the half.  LCU was able to hold off the Rams surge with a 14-of-16 (87.5%) shooting performance from the free-throw line in the half.

Sample, who had a game-high 11 assists, joined Anthony Brancato (17 points), Douglas Williams (16 points), Plunkett (13 points) and Jevvon Hunter (12) as Chaps finishing in double figures in points. Plunkett produced a career-high with his 13 points and Hunter matched a career high.  The Chaps shot 53.2% (33/62) from the field.  Talley led the Rams with a career-high 26 points.  Ronnie Moss and Jazz Holman each supplied the Rams with 15 points and Oscar Griffin finished with 12 points.  Moss, a Texas Christian transfer who had 40 points against the Chaps Monday, entered the game leading the NAIA in scoring and averaging 5.7 three-point field goals a game.  He was held to one three-pointer off a 1-of-10 shooting performance beyond the arc in the game.

The Chaps improved to 4-3 overall with the win, while the loss was the Rams first of the season (3-1).  LCU is now 3-0 at home and their three losses on the season have been by four or less points.  The Chaps also split the home-and-home series with TWU.  The Rams edged LCU 73-71 Monday night in Fort Worth.  LCU hits the Sooner Athletic Conference schedule Thursday night with a 8 p.m. conference tip-off in Siloam Springs against John Brown University.