Waxahachie, TX | November 6, 2025 — The No. 17 Nelson University Lions kept their home crowd energized Thursday night, powering past Dallas Christian College 88–66 inside the Sheaffer Center. The Lions set the tone early with a relentless defensive effort and a deep, balanced rotation that overwhelmed the Crusaders down the stretch.
Nelson wasted no time asserting themselves, storming out to a 10–3 lead behind strong finishes from Jesse Iweze and Micah Clark. The Lions' defensive energy forced multiple turnovers that led to quick points in transition. By halftime, Nelson held a 39–29 advantage and looked in full control.
Senior forward Latrel Davis ignited the Sheaffer Center with a series of emphatic dunks and rim runs that swung momentum squarely in Nelson's favor. Davis scored 13 of his 15 points after halftime, finishing 6-for-10 from the floor with eight rebounds. His energy sparked a 10–0 burst that stretched the lead to 20 early in the second half.
Behind Davis, the Lions turned defense into offense, outscoring Dallas Christian 27–11 on fast-break points and 48–28 in the paint.
Coach Delton Deal's squad showed its trademark depth, getting 48 bench points on the night.
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Noah Jonker provided a steady 12 points and six rebounds.
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Brionne Williams was nearly perfect from the floor, adding 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
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Steven Samuels continued his all-around play with 11 points and five boards.
Freshman guard Preston Lawrence connected on three triples, finishing with nine points and keying several scoring spurts.
Nelson dominated the glass 50–41 and limited Dallas Christian to 35.9 percent shooting overall. The Lions' pressure also forced 24 turnovers, converting them into 19 points.
Team Stats Snapshot
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Category
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Nelson
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Dallas Christian
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Field Goals
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31-of-85 (36.5%)
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23-of-64 (35.9%)
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3-Point FG
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7-of-39 (17.9%)
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8-of-23 (34.8%)
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Free Throws
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19-of-23 (82.6%)
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12-of-17 (70.6%)
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Rebounds
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50
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41
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Turnovers
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16
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24
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Bench Points
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48
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25
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Up Next
The Lions (4-1) will stay home for another non-conference showdown as they host Louisiana State University Shreveport on Monday, November 10, at 6:00 PM inside the Sheaffer Center.
Nelson University (formerly SAGU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
