Top Ranked Chaps Pull Away From Tars Late

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (December 17, 2021) – The Tars could not keep up late, as the No. 1 Lubbock Christian Chaps pulled away, handing Rollins a 77-60 defeat in the Tars' first game in Sin City.  Rollins falls to 6-5 overall.  Top ranked Lubbock Christian remains unbeaten, improving to 11-0.
 
Four Tars scored in double digits, led by Brooks Cluxton, who poured in 16 points, on 8-11 shooting, while collecting a team high eight rebounds.  Hutton Yenor scored 13 points, including going a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe.  Kyle Marion and Sergey Grishaev each tallied 11 points, with Marion dishing out a team high four assists.
 
Parker Hicks registered a game high 20 points, and recorded a double-double, grabbing 10 rebounds.  Lloyd Daniels put in 19 points, going 7-12 from the field, 3-6 from deep, and leading his squad with six assists.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Half

• The Tars jumped out to an 11-7 advantage at the first media timeout.  Dayton Gumm got a steal and slammed home a break away dunk, to go with five quick points by freshman Sergey Grishaev, helping Rollins to the fast start.
• Brooks Cluxton went on a run over the next five minutes, scoring six of the Tars' next eight points, as Rollins extended their lead to 19-15.
• The Chaps cut into Rollins advantage, and despite a Kyle Marion three pointer, they took the lead, 23-22, at the 7:23 mark.
• A Gumm driving layup, with five minutes left, cut the Chaps lead back to one, at 27-26. But, Lubbock Christian closed the half on an 8-0 run, as the two teams went into the locker room with the scoreboard showing 35-26.

Second Half

• The Tars scored the first four points of the half, coming on a Cluxton layup and a pair of Grishaev free throws.  The Chaps would sink back-to-back buckets to reclaim their nine point lead, but the Tars responded with a three pointer from Hutton Yenor and a fast break layup from Kyle Marion to shrink the deficit to four, at 39-35 with 15:32 on the clock.
• The two teams would trade baskets until the under 12 minute media timeout.  The Chaps would grow their lead to as much as nine, but the Tars would not let the game get away, with a pair of Yenor free throw bringing the deficit back to four.  A Chaps three make the tally 50-43 with 11:33 remaining.
• A Cluxton hook shot, with seven minutes showing on the clock, cut the Chaps lead down to six, but that was as close as the Tars could get down the stretch.
• Lubbock Christian caught fire late a ballooned their advantage up to 19, too much for the Tars to pull back.
• Cody Potter score five points late as the buzzer sounded with the score at 77-60.

UP NEXT:
Rollins will close their time in the desert by taking on Montana State University-Billings tomorrow, Saturday, December 18.  Tip off is set for 3 p.m. EST, noon in Las Vegas.
 
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