TULSA, Okla. (March 4, 2016) – The first ever NCAA postseason appearance for Lubbock Christian University men's basketball ended prematurely as the second-seeded Chaparrals fell 81-79 to seventh-seeded Newman Friday afternoon to end LCU's bid for an automatic berth into the South Central Regional Tournament beginning March 12.
 
The Chaps (20-9, 14-7 Heartland) must now wait and see if their season will continue with the hopes of an at-large bid for the regional tournament being held March 12-15. The winner of the Heartland Tournament will receive an automatic qualifier, as will the champions of the Lone Star and Rocky Mountain conference tournaments. LCU, along with five other teams, will receive word Sunday night during the selection show on whether or not they are chosen to continue their respective seasons.  
 
Much like in LCU's 84-76 loss to Newman in Wichita on February 6, the Jets made a killing on three-pointers by connecting on 15-of-28 to tie a season high only matched by Dallas Baptist on January 4. Of Newman's (17-12, 10-11 Heartland) 24 field goals, only nine of them came from inside the arc. Four Jets hit three or more from deep with a game-high five coming from Daniel Nwosu.
 
Tyler Rogers scored a team-high 18 points for LCU and grabbed eight rebounds. Marcos Schuster registered 13 points, A.J. Luckey had 12 and Isaac Cardona added 10 and a game-high nine boards.
 
Midway through the first half the Chaps accumulated a 22-10 advantage on back-to-back three-pointers by Schuster, and a jumper by Matthew Alford upped the margin to 27-14 at the 8:40 mark of the first half. A layup by Brennen Fowler handed LCU its largest lead at 35-21, but consecutive treys by NU quickly whittled the gap to 35-27. Four free throws by the Jets cut the lead to six with 1:16 to go before the break, but on the final play of the half Schuster drilled a shot from the top of the key as time expired to give the Chaps a 43-34 lead.
 
A three-pointer by Marcus Arrington to open the half was a good sign for LCU, but eight straight points by the Jets swung the momentum in their favor. A three by NU's Taylor Schieber tied the game at 51-all five minutes into the half before Rogers regained the lead for LCU and Schuster added another pair on free throws. Schieber scored eight straight to put his team up 59-58, but Rogers countered with two foul shots along with a bucket and foul in the lane from an assist by a double-teamed Ridrell Holman to lift LCU to a 63-61 edge with 9:45 to go.
 
A 10-2 run by Newman over the next three minutes prompted a 71-65 lead that LCU worked to tie the score at 2:28 on two free throws by Michael Grant. A step-back three by NU's Jalen Rose put a dagger in the Chaps twenty seconds later as LCU was unable to find their offensive power until Cardona scored while cutting through the lane to pull LCU within 79-77 with 45 seconds to play. Newman was unable to increase their advantage on the next opportunity, but the same fate awaited the Chaps as a shot by Rogers from inside was a bit too strong with 11 seconds on the clock, forcing LCU to foul leading to two free throws by Nwosu. A breakaway layup by Cardona cut the lead to two with one second remaining, but the Jets ran out the clock for the upset victory.