LUBBOCK, Texas — Midwestern St. (7-12, 5-7 Lone Star) fell to No.7 Lubbock Christian (19-3, 10-2 Lone Star) 77-57 on Tuesday night at the Rip Griffin Center. The Mustangs matched LCU in points in the paint with 38, but were unable to overcome a 22-point halftime deficit.
The game opened with Lubbock Christian's Antonio Pusateri scoring a fastbreak layup at 19:13, setting the tone for the half. Midwestern State briefly took the lead at 17:29 with
Tehshaundre Cole's layup, but LCU quickly regained it and never looked back. Kendall Dow's three-pointer at 14:32 initiated a significant scoring run for the #7 Chaps, who extended their lead to double digits. LCU took advantage of a 34-8 run over a 12 minute span, going from a 9-8 deficit to a 40-17 lead. By the end of the first half, LCU led 45-23, highlighted by Lucas Mercandino's three-pointer with 37 seconds remaining.
Terrance Ramirez led the Maroon & Gold's effort in the second half, scoring a layup at 19:43 and later adding a three-pointer at 15:33. Ramirez's 21-point performance was a standout, as he surpassed his season average of 9.16 points per game. Despite his contributions, LCU maintained control with Amondo Miller Jr.'s layup at 19:17 and a strong performance by Pusateri, who scored multiple times in the paint. MSU managed to outscore the #7 Chaps 34-32 in the half, but the home team held a decisive advantage with effective free-throw shooting and defensive rebounds. The final stretch saw the Mustangs'
Davyon Butler complete a fast-break dunk with 3:42 remaining, but LCU maintained its lead to secure the victory.
Ramirez led MSU with 21 points, including two 3-pointers, while adding four rebounds and two assists.
Tehshaundre Cole recorded a double-double, scoring 13 points and collecting 10 rebounds, surpassing his season average of 4.56, on 6-of-7 shooting. Butler contributed defensively with two steals and matched his efforts on the boards with five rebounds.
Jordan Reed added seven points, including one 3-pointer, and secured one rebound.
Pusateri led with 23 points, converting 11 of 20 field goal attempts, and secured 15 rebounds. Miller Jr. contributed 15 points and a team-high 12 rebounds, while Reagan Fiedler added 11 points, hitting all three of his 3-point attempts. Mercandino scored 14 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. Leo Nordberg facilitated the offense with four assists and recorded two steals.
Looking ahead, the Mustangs will face UT Dallas on Saturday, Feb. 7. The game is set for 3 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center in Richardson, Texas.
