HOBBS, N.M. – The Louisiana Christian University men's basketball team needed every one of Justice Kelly's season high 34 points as LCU used a 19-4 run over the game's final 5:30 to turn a two-point deficit into an 87-74 win over the University of the Southwest Mustangs Thursday night at the Jack & Mabel Student Life Center.
 
The 34 points by Kelly was the most in a single game by a Wildcat since Kae'ron Baker scored 36 against LSU Alexandria on Feb. 5, 2022.
 
Louisiana Christian (7-20, 5-16 RRAC) had to rally from a slow start as Southwest (5-22, 2-19 RRAC) jumped out to a quick nine-point edge at 13-4 just five minutes into the contest.
 
A jumper by Jalani Bell got the offense flowing for the Wildcats as LCU rattled off eight-straight points to get that deficit down to one point as Drew Tebbe got to the rim for a lay-up to make it 13-12 Mustangs with 13 minutes left in the first half.
 
From that point on, the largest lead by either team in the remainder of the half was five points. LCU took its first lead of the game with 9:04 on the clock in the first half as Tebbe scored while being fouled and converted the free throw to make it 21-19 Wildcats.
 
USW took the final five-point lead of the first half with 5:15 to go at 32-27, only to see a jumper by Bell and a three-pointer by Kelly tying the score at 32-32 with 4:15 left. Both teams hit one more bucket before half and when the buzzer sounded, the score was tied, 34-34.
 
The Mustangs again looked to open a gap in the score, using a 7-0 run to take a seven-point lead at 55-48 with 12:30 to go in the second half. But the Wildcats had another answer, going on a 16-7 run to reclaim the lead as a pair of free throws by Tebbe put LCU up 64-62.
 
Over the next few minutes, the lead changed hands several times until USW hit a three-pointer to go up 70-68 with 5:45 remaining.
 
When Kelly got to the rim for a lay-up on LCU's ensuing possession, the game-deciding run began. The 19-2 run culminated with Bryce Weinmunson hitting a three-pointer with just seconds remaining which made it 87-72 before USW scored on a dunk at the buzzer for the game's final score.
 
Kelly's 34 points came on 14-of-21 shooting throughout the contest. He was also 2-of-5 from deep and 4-of-8 from the free throw line. Kelly also grabbed seven rebounds and came up with a steal.
 
Tebbe also had one of his best scoring days of the season, putting in 22 points which was just one off his season high. He was 8-of-14 from the field, 1-of-3 from three, and made all five of his free throws. He also secured seven boards, dished out a trio of assists, and came up with a steal.
 
Weinmunson ended the night with 12 points while leading the team in rebounds, 9, assists, 4, and steals, 4, for the evening.
 
LCU hit 47.9 percent of its shot attempts throughout the evening while connecting on 30.8 percent from three-point range. USW scored on 47.7 percent of its shot attempts and 28.6 percent of three-point attempts.
 
The Wildcats wrap up the 2025-26 season on Saturday as they head to Cedar Hill, Texas to take on North Texas-Dallas. Tip-off of Saturday's season finale against the Trailblazers (10-15, 9-12 RRAC) is set for 3 p.m. at the Trinity Leadership Public School Gymnasium.