LOS ANGELES – In the final day of the 21st Annual Thanksgiving Classic, the LMU women's basketball team (4-1) defeated the Robert Morris Colonials (1-5) 61-53 in a career-game for sophomore Chelsey Gipson who posted career highs in points (21) and steals (5) in the victory. She shot 4-of-7 from three in the win and also had three assists and three rebounds.

LMU got out to a slow start in the contest as Robert Morris held a 19-10 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. Gipson went off in the second to give the Lions a much-needed spark, racking up 12 points in the frame to help LMU outscore RMU 19-14 and pull within four, 33-29, at the half.

The Lions held RMU to just four third-quarter points while scoring 13 of their own to take back the lead 42-37 at the end of the period. Sophomore Jasmine Jones was nearly unguardable in the fourth quarter, pouring in 10 of her 18 points in the frame to help LMU pull away and secure the victory.

LMU dished out a season-high 20 assists in the win, led by senior Andee Velasco (7) and freshman Naomi Yim (6). The Lions also snagged 13 steals on the day. Along with Gipson's five steals, Andee Velasco had three and Bianca Velasco had two.

Senior Bree Alford pulled down a game-high 10 boards while Raychel Stanley added eight to go along with six points and three assists. 
 
"Great team win today!" LMU head coach Charity Elliott said. "We came out of the locker room at halftime and turned up the pressure. Chelsey and Jasmine were really, really good today."

SMU won the Thanksgiving Classic Championship with wins against Robert Morris and Northern Arizona. The All-Tournament team members were: Amber Bacon (SMU), Nneka Ezeigbo (RMU), Chelsey Gipson (LMU) and Kaleigh Paplow (NAU). Alicia Froling (SMU) was named the Thanksgiving Classic MVP.
 
LMU returns to Gersten on Tuesday for a 12 p.m. matchup vs. UC Davis in the team's Education Day.