LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (5-3, 0-0 Heartland) at CAMERON UNIVERSITY (7-3, 1-1 Lone Star)
Saturday, December 10 - 7:00 PM
Aggie Gym (Lawton, Okla.)
Radio: KJTV AM950/100.7FM
All-Time Series: Cameron leads 9-2
Tweet #LCUvsCU
 
FIRST TRUE ROAD GAME
Saturday's game against Cameron University will mark the first true road game of the Chaps 2016-17 season (LCU's only games away from Rip Griffin Center have been neutral site games). Lubbock Christian finished their 2015-16 campaign with a 5-7 away record with their final road win coming against Midwestern State University in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament. LCU toppled the No.1 seeded Mustangs 79-73 in an overtime slugfest that allowed the Chaparrals to move on to the second round of the regional tournament in their first year of NCAA postseason eligibility. The Chaps Saturday night tilt with Cameron University will be their third contest of a seven-game road trip, which began in Puerto Rico. Cameron University heads into the matchup holding a 7-3 record following a 73-71 loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Wednesday night.
 
LAST GAME RECAP
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (November 26, 2016) – Lubbock Christian University wrapped up their regular season tournament play in a battle against No. 17 Washburn University Saturday morning. LCU's Isaac Cardona and Brennen Fowler tossed up some late game heroics, as LCU was rallying from a 10-point deficit with 2:03 remaining, but the Ichabods of Washburn University held off the Chaps 65-63 in the Puerto Rico Clasico.
 
Isaac Cardona had a field day as he led LCU with 13-points, nine rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block. Freshman Jay Workman came off of the bench to add 12 points of his own for the Chaps, while Brennen Fowler picked up his fifth double-double of the year with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
 
Washburn's offense was firing on all cylinders as five different players scored to give the Ichabods a 13-2 lead early in the first half. Freshman Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath nailed a three-pointer to disrupt the Washburn lead and kick off a 9-0 streak for the Chaparrals. Washburn's Cameron Wiggins drained back-to-back three-pointers to help Washburn bounce back to 29-19 lead with 4:55 left in the half. Once again, Lubbock Christian pounded away and ultimately took the lead 32-29 at the break.
 
Workman was LCU's key in the first half, as he came off of the bench and knocked down all three of his shot attempts from the field. Gilbreath also added seven points off of the bench on 2-of-4 shooting and 2-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe. Fowler and Cardona combined for 11 boards to give the Chaps a 24-16 edge over the Ichabods at the half.
 
LCU's offense remained diligent and opened up their lead to an eight-point advantage, 39-31, thanks to a Workman three-pointer just two minutes into the second half. Lubbock Christian kept things tight with Washburn as the lead was traded two more times. However, with just under 12:00 minutes left, Brady Skeens knocked down a mid-range jumper to give the Ichabods their final lead of the contest. Washburn proceeded to go on a 13-0 tear to widen their advantage to 56-46, their largest lead of the half.  With 59 seconds left to play, the Chaps began attacking the lane and scored 8-of-11 points in the paint to pull within five, 62-57. Cardona and Fowler each drained a three-pointer to cut the Ichabod lead to 64-63 with five seconds to play. LCU was forced to foul and Washburn's Javion Blake hit a go-ahead free throw to hand the Ichabods a 65-63 victory.
 
The loss brings the Chaps record against ranked opponents to 1-2 for the season. Despite shooting 45% (5-11) from behind the arc, LCU was unable to capitalize at the stripe, as the Chaparrals went 0-1 from the free throw line in the second half. Washburn's second half attack was very well balanced as they shot 14-29 (48%) from the field, 3-7 (45%) from downtown and 5-9 (55%) from the free throw line. Lubbock Christian finished the game outscoring the Ichabods 20-9 in second chance points. The Chap bench came up huge as they outscored Washburn's bench 34-10.
 
CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS
Lubbock Christian has dismantled their opponents on the boards this year. In fact, they have outrebounded their opponents by a 7.4 margin so far and have only been beaten on the boards once this season (76-75 victory over Northwood University on Nov. 25). Sophomore Brennen Fowler ranks fifth in the nation with 8.5 defensive rebounds per game and 15th in the nation in total rebounds per game (11.4). Fowler also ranks 11th in the country with 20 blocks and 91 rebounds for the year. The Smyer, Texas native has also notched five double-doubles in eight contests.
 
As a team, the Chaps have scored 82.5 points per game while holding opponents to 73.5. Of their 82.5 points per game, LCU is averaging 6.9 three-pointers each game (20.7 ppg), 22.5 two-point field goals (45 ppg) and have converted 16.9 free throws per game.
 
Just over 20 percent of Lubbock Christian's 660 points this season have come from the free throw line. Leading the way for the Chaps is freshman Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath who has netted 24-25 (96%) from the charity stripe. Gilbreath's impressive free throw percentage puts him at fifth in the nation in the category.
 
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Lubbock Christian University's schedule has been one to remember. In fact, according to NCAA.com, LCU has played the third toughest Division II schedule in the country. Only Ohio Valley and Southwestern Oklahoma State have had a more challenging docket up to this point in the season.
 
LCU's three losses have come at the hands of Regis, Colorado School of Mines and Washburn University, all of which are ranked or have been ranked at one point this season. Those three schools hold a combined 21-3 record on the season. No. 15 Washburn University is off to a perfect 8-0 start, while No. 23 Colorado School of Mines is sitting at the top of the RMAC's standings. In looking ahead at the Chaps remaining schedule, LCU's opponents have a .412 winning percentage.
 
CROSS CONFERENCE RIVALRY
The Chaparrals finished the 2015-16 season with a 3-2 record against Lone Star Conference opponents. In those five games, LCU's two losses came in an overtime game against a No. 5 Angelo State squad (12/10/15) and Tarleton State (3/13/16) in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament. Tarleton State went on to make an Elite Eight appearance.
 
Lubbock Christian has three Lone Star Conference opponents on their schedule this season in West Texas A&M University, Cameron University and Eastern New Mexico University. The Chaps have already handed No. 12 West Texas A&M their first and only loss of the season, 95-86, on Nov. 17. LCU looks to add a blemish to Cameron's perfect 5-0 record against Heartland Conference programs this year.
 
CAMERON FACTS
- Cameron was preseason picked to finish seventh in the Lone Star Conference. The Aggies finished the 2015-16 season with a 16-12 overall record and 8-6 conference record. Cameron defeated West Texas A&M University in the first round of the 2016 LSC Tournament before falling to Midwestern State 88-72 in the second round of tournament play.
- While the Aggies have already kicked off their Lone Star Conference schedule, they have squared off against five different Heartland Conference opponents. Cameron has won all five of those meetings, with their most recent cross-conference meeting resulting in a 76-70 win over Dallas Baptist (Nov. 26).
- Cameron has done a great job of taking care of the ball so far this year. They rank 24th in the nation, first in the Lone Star Conference, with 11.2 turnovers per game. The Aggies have also forced their opposition into committing 15.4 turnovers per game.
- The Aggies return two players that started in at least 20 games in the 2015-16 season, Stacey Lambert and J.V. Long. Long was named the 2015-16 Freshman of the Year for the Lone Star Conference. He has averaged 10.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this year.
- In his first season at the forefront of the Cameron men's basketball program, head coach Andrew Brown has led the Aggies to a 7-3 overall record and 1-1 Lone Star Conference record. Brown's Aggies are still relatively young, as their starting five are comprised of three sophomores and two seniors.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST CAMERON
The continuation of this series has been a long time coming. This series stretches back to January 1973 where the Aggies defeated the Chaps 78-61. Cameron then went on to win the next eight meetings until Jan. 23, 1995, where LCU finally defeated the Aggies 68-65. Lubbock Christian stole the last two meetings with Cameron to cut the Aggies series lead to 9-2 overall. There have been no meetings between the schools since Feb. 1995, where the Chaps lit up the scoreboard and defeated the Aggies 101-94.