LUBBOCK, Texas — In their first regular season road game of 2023, Southern Nazarene Men's Basketball fell to Lubbock Christian by a final score of 84-69. 

The Storm (2-1, 0-0 GAC) held a two-game win streak heading into their matchup with the Chaps (3-2, 0-0 GAC), who's victory over SNU made that a two game-win streak of their own. Historically, Southern Nazarene has snatched a large majority of the wins over Lubbock, dating all the way back to their first meeting in 1970. The Chaps had four members reach double digit scoring and they hit 11 of their 13 free throws which was enough to outlast the Crimson Storm. 

Southern Nazarene displayed an exceptional first half,  battling back and forth with the Chaps all the way until the halftime buzzer. Benno Zecic got SNU's offense started with a there pointer 50 seconds in an Jonas Visser followed the scoring in the next couple of possessions, exploding for eight points to put SNU ahead by five. LCU fought back but a Cam Slaymaker three gave the Storm a six point lead at 16-10, which was their largest lead of the entire game. 

The Chaps ended up tying the ballgame at 17-all, just before the 10 minute mark and the two teams fought for the lead from then on. When SNU scored, the Chaps answered and that was the theme of the game until about the six minutes left in the half when the Storm caught burst on offense. 

Zecic, Visser, Cam Slaymaker, and Jaxon Edelmayer all put in a bucket over two minutes time and the Storm were quickly back up to a six-point lead with four minutes remaining in the first half. Back-to-back Chap threes erased Southern Nazarene's advantage and the two squads battled until the halftime buzzer until LCU controlled a 42-41 lead heading into the break. 

Lubbock Christian's Aaron Gonzalez started the Chaps off on the right foot in the second half with a quick five points and SNU was left to play catch up from then on. SNU did a great job getting to the free throw line to make the Chaps pay on the defensive end, staying within a six-point gap early in the second half. 

Lubbock Christian's offense was becoming too much to handle for the Storm and an 8-0 run had them up by 14 points eight minutes in. 

Zecic lessened the blow with a dagger from behind the arc but another Chaps scoring run extended their lead to now 17 points with just under 10 minute remaining in the game. Edelmayer and Zecic teamed up for five points to help cut the deficit back to 12, but LCU warded off any chance of that gap growing closer. SNU could not seem to get back in rhythm with the seven minutes remaining in the game, committing foul after foul to allow the Chaps to reach a 19-point lead. 

Patrick Twigg and Sean Barthelemy shoveled in the last buckets for the Storm, but Lubbock Christian's lead was just too great and the Chaps went on to claim the final 84-69 victory. 

Zecic led the Storm in scoring with 21 points and in assists with five. Visser followed 14 points and five boards. 

Up Next 

Southern Nazarene will be back in the Sawyer Center next Saturday at 3 p.m. to host Arkansas Fort Smith for their last non-conference game this year.