GOLDEN, Colo. – The 2019-20 Regis University men's basketball season has officially begun and the team (1-0) captured a win over the Lubbock Christian University Chaparrals (0-1) on Friday evening, 64-60.
 
How It Happened: Junior Tomas Auruskevicius had a team-high 15 points on a very efficient night which paced the team throughout the game. It was senior Roberto Vercellino who got things going for Regis in the first-half with six points at halftime. Though the Chaps held the lead for a lengthy time in the opening half, a strong end to the period with three-pointers from freshman Oscar Robertson and redshirt-sophomore Michael Bens gave the Rangers a 33-29 lead with Bens hitting his three-point attempt as time expired.
 
The second was all Auruskevicius who went a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Freshman Will Cranston-Lown helped guide the offense as the point-man, dishing out four assists in the half. Midway through the second half, Bens put RU ahead by seven, 46-39, with a layup. Things would start to shift into the hands of LCU as a dunk gave them the lead, 53-52, with just less than four minutes on the clock. However, Regis showed their toughness down the stretch and two clutch buckets capped off with a  three-point dagger from sophomore Toni Rocak put the Rangers back ahead by five points, 62-57, with only 34 seconds to go. Redshirt-senior Taffy Tela closed out the game with two free throws with five seconds left, sealing the deal, and giving RU an opening night win.
 
Game Notes: Auruskevicius (15 PTS, 3-4 3-PT, 3 REB),  had a team-high 15 with Vercellino (4-7 FG, 10 REB, 2 AST, 3 STL) and Rocak (4 REB, 5-10 FG) each adding 11 points. With his 10 rebounds, Vercellino nabbed a double-double to begin the season. Tela was the last Regis player in double-figures with 10 points, and he also added seven rebounds. Cranston-Lown dished out a game-high seven assists in the win, with one block and four rebounds and three points to his name.


Up Next for the Rangers: The men's basketball team will be back in action tomorrow at 5 p.m. when they take on the St. Mary's College Rattlers at Lockridge Arena in Golden, Colorado on the campus of the Colorado School of Mines.