LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (5-4, 0-0 Heartland) at EASTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY (4-7, 0-4 Lone Star)
Tuesday, December 13 - 8:30 PM (Central)                                         
Greyhound Arena (Portales, N.M.)
Radio: KJTV AM950/100.7FM
All-Time Series: Eastern New Mexico leads 33-28
Tweet #LCUvsENMU
 
HISTORY BETWEEN THE SQUADS
The series between the Chaparrals and the Greyhounds stretches back 45 years with Eastern New Mexico owning a 33-28 edge over LCU. The squads have split the last two meetings with the Chaps winning the most recent one in 2013. Although the last meeting between Eastern and Lubbock Christian was technically a home game for the Greyhounds, it was played on Clovis High School's court (Chaps won 72-69 on a three-point buzzer beater by Jeremy Ford on Nov. 26, 2013). LCU's last win on Eastern New Mexico's actual home floor was in December of 2006.
 
HEALING FOR THE HEARTLAND
Lubbock Christian University is reeling after back-to-back losses for the second time this season. A win over Eastern New Mexico would not only be important for regional rankings, it would also give the Chaps some momentum as they head into their Heartland Conference season on Saturday. LCU lost two consecutive games at the beginning of this season but then went on to win five straight.
 
LAST GAME RECAP
Lubbock Christian University was sent home in shocking fashion, as a half court buzzer beater by Cameron's Tyler Williams gave the Aggies a 79-76 victory over the Chaparrals Saturday inside Aggie Gym. Williams' shot capped a 14-2 Aggies run, as LCU was up 74-65 with 1:17 remaining.
 
A layup by LCU's Michael Grant widened the Chaparral lead to 10 points, 68-58, with 2:38 left in the contest. The last 2:30 is where Cameron picked up the pace and rattled off a 19-6 run on the Chaps. Chuck Kendley tallied LCU's final field goal, putting the Chaps up 74-65 with 1:26 to go. Part of the 19-6 run to end the game was a 14-2 run in the final 1:16, beginning with a Trey Hall three-pointer with 1:16 left. Cameron took advantage of a pair of LCU turnovers with three straight points from the free-throw line, and then received a team rebound off a free-throw miss to setup a JV Long field goal to cut LCU's lead to 74-73 with 46 seconds left. Marcos Schuster extended the lead back to three (76-73) with a pair of made free throws with 45 seconds remaining. Hall tied the game at 76-76 by nailing a second three-pointer in the 14-2 run, with enough time to produce a two-second differential between the game clock and shot clock on the ensuing LCU inbound. Schuster put up an unsuccessful runner with under three seconds remaining and Williams took the rebound, transitioned and not only got the shot off at the horn, but avoided a charge as he crashed into LCU's Isaac Cardona during the shot.
 
The game opened with Brennen Fowler winning the tip and scoring the first bucket for LCU on a layup. The Chaps opened the game on a 7-0 run before the Aggies JV Long drained a pair of free throws to cut the score to 7-2 at the 17:26 mark of the first half. Long's bucket woke up an Aggies offense that went on a 15-7 run for a 17-14 lead. The three-point lead would be Cameron's largest lead of the half. Freshman Chuck Kendley provided a spark for LCU, as he closed out the half matching a season-high 10 points. Ridrell Holman netted a three-pointer to guide the Chaps to the halftime break with a 37-31 lead.
 
Lubbock Christian closed out the first half shooting 48% (12-25) from the field. Marcos Schuster and Kendley each grabbed five boards to lead LCU, as the Chaps outrebounded the Aggies 22-15 in the half. Kendley also led the Chaparrals with a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line. As a squad, Lubbock Christian shot 11-15 (73.3%) from the charity stripe in the half. Cameron was blanked from three-point range in the first half with 0-of-8 shooting. Delvonte Pierre led the Aggies with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field.
 
To start the second half, LCU opened up their halftime lead to nine points on a three-pointer from Jay Workman just two minutes in the second period. However, Cameron remained persistent and eventually took their first lead of the half, 53-52, after a three pointer by Williams. Kendley continued his success and quickly gave the Chaps their lead back with a layup and a free throw with 8:38 left to play. A layup by LCU's Michael Grant widened the Chaparral lead to 10 points, 68-58, with 2:38 left in the contest. The last 2:30 is where Cameron picked up the pace and rattled off a 19-6 run on the Chaps, ultimately hitting a half court heave to give the Aggies a 79-76 win.
 
Cameron came out in a rhythm in the second half, as four different Aggies scored 15 points. Hall picked up all 15 of his points after halftime. LCU outrebounded the Aggies 43-30, but Cameron's three-point game provided the boost for their comeback victory. Hall's four three-pointers pushed the Aggies to 6-of-21 from behind the arc. Holman and Workman each knocked down a pair of three-pointers and accounted for all of LCU's points from downtown. Lubbock Christian was haunted with turnovers, as they committed 18 for the game. As a team, LCU finished the night shooting 26-56 (46.4%) from the field and 20-27 (74.1%) from the free throw line. The Cameron victory was their sixth of the season over a Heartland Conference opponent.
 
LCU's Chuck Kendley led all scorers for a career-high 19 points on 6-7 shooting and 7-7 from the free throw line. Kendley also grabbed 10 rebounds to pick up his first career double-double. He was one of five Chaps in double figures, as he was joined by Workman (12 points), Schuster (10 points), Holman (10 points) and Tyler Rogers (10 points). The ending marked the second time in the past three games in which the opposition hit a shot beyond half court at the end of regulation. In Puerto Rico, Northwood (Mich.) forced overtime with a desperation attempt, but LCU was able to recover with the overtime victory.
 
BIG MEN, BIG NUMBERS
In the four contests that LCU has lost this season, the Chaps have posted 38.7 first half points while holding the opposition to 33.1. The second half has been where the trouble comes into play, as LCU has allowed opponents to average 39.6 in the second half. Although the Chaps are currently riding a two game slide, each of their losses has been very close in margin. The Chaparrals have not lost by more than four points, two of which were against ranked opponents.
 
LCU has continuously cranked out numbers on the boards as they have only been out-rebounded once in a victory over Northwood University (Nov.25, 2016). The Chaps rank 19th in the country with 30.22 defensive rebounds per game on the season and 23rd in the nation in rebounding margin (8). Sophomore Brennen Fowler has played a large role in LCU's defensive rebounding success as he has grabbed 8.77 defensive rebounds per game, which is listed as seventh in the nation.
 
Fowler's presence has not just been limited to the glass for the Chaparrals. He has also averaged 2.33 blocks per game (20th nationally) while racking up 21 total blocks (18th nationally).
 
Chuck Kendley is coming off of an explosive performance against Cameron University on Saturday night. Kendley unloaded on the Aggies with a season-high 19 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Fowler and Kendley are now the only Chaps to post a double-double performance this year.
 
REGIONAL VICTORIES
Although this contest against the Greyhounds may simply look like a final game before conference for the Chaps, these cross-conference tilts could not be more crucial. As was proven last year, successful performances against regional rivals allow teams the opportunity to receive an at large bid for post-season play in the NCAA tournament. Every win is paramount for LCU as they are now 1-2 against South Central Region opponents. Eastern New Mexico will be Lubbock Christian's last opportunity to at least break even with a 2-2 record against regional opponents.
 
EASTERN NEW MEXICO ESSENTIALS
·    While LCU ranks 19th in the country in defensive rebounds, the Greyhounds rank fourth in the nation averaging 15.91 offensive rebounds per game. Chris Lewis plays a large role on the boards as he leads the way for Eastern with 81 total rebounds, 39 of which have been on the offensive end of the floor.
·    Although ENMU is currently 4-7 on the year, their woes have not been because of a passive defense. The Greyhounds are sitting ninth in the country with 19.45 forced turnovers per game. Eastern holds a 92-45 edge in the steals category over the Chaps. CoRnell Neal leads the way with 16 steals for the Greyhounds. Behind Neal, Joe Clarke (14), Marquise Harris (14), Chris Wyms (11) and Andre Hughes (10) have all tallied double-figures in the steals category.
·    The Greyhounds are also very successful at getting to the free throw line. They rank 18th in the country with 187 made free throws, but they rank fourth in the country with 303 free throw attempts. Their 187 free throws and 303 attempts each rank third in the Lone Star Conference.
·    CoRnell Neal has been on fire since beginning his 2016-17 season. Although the Greyhounds have played 11 total games, Neal has only played and started in nine. In those nine games, Neal has already become the leader in four different categories. His 37 made free throws, 39 assists, 16 steals and 16.6 points per game all rank at the top of the ENMU squad.
·    Head coach Tres Segler is in his first season at Eastern New Mexico. Segler has taken over a Greyhound unit that went 6-21 overall and 2-12 in Lone Star play in the 2015-16 season. Coach Segler was the first assistant at Midwestern State since the beginning of the 2012 season and is now the 13th ever head coach for the Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball program.
 
PRIOR MEETING WITH EASTERN NEW MEXICO
A three-pointer by Jeremy Ford as time expired propelled Lubbock Christian to a 72-69 win over Eastern New Mexico Tuesday night at Clovis High School. With six seconds left on the clock, Ford took an inbounds pass on the opposite end of the court from Ridrell Holman, dribbled his way up the left side of the court and launched a step-back three-pointer from the left baseline that cleanly found the bottom of the net for the three-point victory.
 
Isaac Cardona scored a game-high 16 points, a dozen of which came in the first half to keep the Chaps (3-1, 0-0 Heartland) in the contest early. Eli Baker recorded 15 points and eight rebounds while AJ Luckey contributed 13.
 
With the game tied at 65-65 and 1:31 left to play, Baker hit a jumper to give the Chaps a two-point edge and came through again with 41 seconds left by hitting a shot in the paint for a 67-65 LCU lead. Ford then began his late game heroics with 28 seconds on the clock by hitting two free throws to extend the Chaps' lead to four at 69-65. ENMU's Devone Davis hit a free throw and sent his second shot up short, but the Greyhounds (2-2, 0-0 Lone Star) scurried for the offensive board. The ball swung around to Kyle Lantz at the top of the arc for a fadeaway, quick-release three that tied the game at 69-69, leading up to Ford's game-winning shot.
 
In the first half, Cardona scored three straight buckets for the Chaps, one off of a spin move into a baby hook, the next coming from a Holman pass under a wide-open hoop on an out-of-bounds play and the third on a long two from the baseline. Cardona's next jumper rimmed out, but Baker was there to corral the offensive rebound and lay the ball in for a 15-9 Chap lead.
 
In a span of just over a minute, Greyhound Rodney Blackmon drilled three straight shots from deep for a 20-15 ENMU lead. Two free throws by ENMU's Jordan Romero put the Greyhounds up 30-22 with 3:37 remaining until Baker converted an and-one to slice the lead to 30-25. Luckey stepped up for a big defensive play, taking a charge on Rafael Love to return the ball to the Chaps, but LCU was unable to capitalize, trailing 33-27 heading into the break.
 
Head Coach Todd Duncan switched things up in the second half, inserting scorers Cardona and Luckey into the first five. His decision proved fruitful, as both players knocked in a pair a free throws within the first minute-and-a-half to cut the Greyhound lead to 35-33. Cardona also stepped up defensively, drawing a charge under ENMU's hoop, which led to a Luckey baseline drive for two points to tie the game at 39-39.
 
Cardona banked in a jumper for a two-point lead with 15:05 left to play, and Luckey boosted LCU up another pair on a jumper. Quay Johnson was quiet throughout the first 30 minutes of the contest after leading the Chaps with 23 points a week ago in a loss versus ENMU. He provided a crucial three-pointer to put the Chaps up 49-43, and the teams traded baskets until Baker and Tyler Rogers scored consecutive baskets for a 58-50 lead.
 
Beau Durham's jumper with 6:54 remaining in the game gave LCU their biggest lead of the game at 60-51, until ENMU's Devone Davis went off to score seven straight points to put the Greyhounds back into contention at 60-58. With just over three minutes in the contest, Ford hit the front end of a pair of free throws to give LCU a one-point advantage, leading to his fanatic finish.
 
Blackmon and Cornelius Cammock each scored 13 points for the Greyhounds.