LUBBOCK, Texas – Ryan Quaid recorded his second consecutive double-double but it was not enough as #7 West Texas A&M lost 68-65 to Lubbock Christian on Thursday evening at the Rip Griffin Center in a game that featured 23 lead changes. Quaid finished with 16 points and 10 boards with Gach Gach scoring a game-high 18 points for the Buffs.

THE BASICS
The Matchup: Lubbock Christian 68, #7 West Texas A&M 65
Records:  Lubbock Christian (7-3), #7 West Texas A&M (10-2)
Venue: Rip Griffin Center
Location: Lubbock, Texas

Neither team led by more than six points in the first half until WT went on an 8-0 run to make it 38-30 with a little more than two minutes remaining before halftime. Sterling White hit a pair of free throws out of the media timeout followed by a jumper outside the paint Brandon Hall. The senior would get another two points following a Brennan Fowler turnover. Gach would score the final points of the run with a layup of his own following another LCU turnover. The Chaps would respond with a 7-1 run of their own to finish the first half as WT lead 39-37 after 20 minutes of action.

WT came out cold in the second half as the Chaps scored nine of the first 15 points to take a four-point lead, 48-44 with more than six minutes gone. The Buffs retaliated with a 6-0 run of their own to regain the lead, 50-48, on three from Joel Murray. The lead was no more than two for either team over the next 10 minutes as WT lead 63-62 heading into the final media timeout of the contest. Following three straight LCU points, Ryan Quaid scored in the paint to tie the game at 65-65 with the Chaps retaking the lead on the next possession on a layup.

Neither team made a basket in the final two minutes of regulation as the only points came from the free throw line. WT had a chance to tie the game from the charity stripe in the final 30 seconds but were unable to connect but fortunately, LCU went 1-of-2 from the free throw line on the following possession to make it 68-65 with 13 seconds left. The Buffs would have two chances to send the game into overtime in the final seconds but could not get a shot to fall as LCU handed the WT their third straight loss in Lubbock.

WT finished the game shooting 22-of-58 (38.0%) from the floor, 7-of-28 (25.0%) from beyond the arc and 14-of-26 (53.8%) from the charity stripe with 36 rebounds, eight steals, six assists and three blocks. Gach lead the team in scoring for the fourth time this season with 18 points going 6-of-16 from the floor while Quaid recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Murray also reached double figures for the seventh time in his career and first time in four games with 13 points to go along with his three steals.

UP NEXT
West Texas A&M heads to Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Hoopla on Dec. 17-18 where they will play against Washburn and Pittsburg State. Following the trip to Sin City, the Buffs will host Central Baptist on Dec. 29 at the First United Bank Center.