CANYON, Texas – Joel Murray scored the ninth-most points in a single game in program history with 37 but it wasn't enough as No. 2 West Texas A&M fell to No. 6 Lubbock Christian 103-85 on Saturday afternoon at the First United Bank Center. The Buffs finish the regular season at 12-2 overall and 10-2 in Lone Star Conference play.
Murray is just the fourth Buff in the past 20 years to score over 36 points as the junior went 15-of-25 from the floor, 2-of-5 from 3-point range and 5-of-6 from the free throw line to finish with a new career-high 37 along with three assists and three steals. Qua Grant recorded his fifth double-double of the season and 14th of his career with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
The Buffs came out of the gate on fire from the floor making their first four shots to take a 10-4 lead in the opening three minutes. They would extend that lead to six points, 22-16, at 11:56 following 3-poinits from Murray and Zach Toussaint. LCU would respond with a 11-2 run over the next four minutes to make it a 27-24 lead for the visitors.
WT scored the next five points, all by Grant, to retake the lead at 29-27 but the Chaps outscored the Buffs 25-12 over the final 7:30 of the first half as the Buffs trailed at halftime for the first time this season, 52-41.
The LCU lead reached as much as 13, 61-48, in the opening four minutes of the second half before WT Toussaint hit a jumper right in front of the home bench at the 16:03 mark. The Buffs would continue to chip away at the LCU lead before making it a five-point game, 68-63, on a 3-pointer from Cameron Bell. Murray with hit a jumper on the next possession to keep the deficit at five, 70-65, but LCU's Parker Hicks hit back-to-back 3-pointers to push the lead back in double figures, 76-65.
Murray and Grant scored the final 20 points for the Buffs but it wasn't enough as they dropped a home game to LCU for the first time since 2015.
The Buffs earned the No. 2 seed for the LSC Men's Basketball Championships and will host UT Permian Basin in Tuesday's quarterfinal. Tip is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
