LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (9-7, 3-3 Heartland) at ST. EDWARD'S UNIVERSITY (13-7, 5-2 Heartland)
Thursday, January 19, 2017 – 7:30 PM
Recreation and Convocation Center (Austin, Texas)
Radio: KJTV AM950/100.7FM
All-Time Series: LCU leads 12-7
Tweet #LCUvsSEU | Tweet #HeartlandMB
 
HISTORY BETWEEN THE SQUADS
The rivalry between Lubbock Christian and St. Edward's dates all the way back to the 1985 season. The Chaps kicked off the series with a 7-6 advantage from the 1985 season to the 1997 season. After a 16-year break, the series rekindled in the 2013-14 season with LCU winning two meetings that season. Since then, the Chaps have opened up their record against the Hilltoppers to 12-7 all-time and 5-1 since joining the Heartland Conference.
 
LAST GAME RECAP
GOODWELL, Okla. (January 12, 2017) - Lubbock Christian University jumped back on track by defeating Oklahoma Panhandle State 86-70 Thursday evening in Heartland Conference action inside Oscar Williams Field House. Five different Chaparrals tallied double figures in scoring and 40 of LCU's 86 points came from their bench. LCU nailed 10 three-pointers in the game, with four coming from Ridrell Hollman.
 
Tyler Rogers kicked things off for LCU by splitting a pair of free throw just 20 seconds into the game. OPSU quickly answered with back-to-back three pointers from Sita Sesay and Jake Regier to give the Aggies an early 6-1 lead. A monstrous dunk and a mid-range jumper by LCU's Rogers evened the score up at 8-8 at the 15:32 mark of the opening period. Regier immediately knocked down another trey and gave Panhandle State an 11-8 lead before two quick buckets by Brennen Fowler helped regain the lead for the Chaps. Roddy Pierre converted an old fashioned three-point play to return the lead to the Aggies at 14-12. Fowler then knocked down two free throws at the 10:08 mark to give Lubbock Christian their final lead change of the game at 18-16. LCU held the Aggies to just 14 more points in the half, while opening up their lead to 41-30 at the break.
 
Holman streaked out to 11 points for the Chaparrals on 66% (4-of-6) shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from behind the three-point line. As a squad, the Chaps posted a 53.3% (16-of-30) shooting percentage for the first period, their highest since beginning Heartland play. Although LCU held an 11-point lead at halftime, OPSU shot the ball effectively with a 50% (12-of-24) field goal mark. Regier single-handedly knocked down all four of Panhandle State's three-pointers to finish the period with 12 points.
 
A three-pointer by OPSU's Sesay cut the LCU lead to eight points just two minutes into the second half. It would turn out to be the closest the Aggies would get to the Chaps for the rest of the evening. Marcos Schuster knocked down a three-pointer to close out a 17-4 run with 11:04 left to play, giving Lubbock Christian a 63-42 lead. With 2:37 left in the game, Chuck Kendley threw down a dunk to give the Chaparrals their largest lead of the game at 26-points. Although OPSU scored the final 10 points of the contest, LCU's lead proved to be too lofty and the Chaps ultimately finished the night with an 86-70 win.
 
Lubbock Christian was sent to the charity stripe 16 times in the second half and converted on 15 of them for a 93.8% free throw percentage. Schuster continued LCU's stellar three-point play by knocking down 3-of-4 triples and finished with 13 points. The Chap squad shot an impressive 60% (6-of-10) from downtown in the second period. In total, Coach Duncan's men finished the game shooting 50.9% (28-of-55) from the floor and 87% (20-of-23) from the free throw line. Chuck Kendley, 12 points, Brennen Fowler, 12 points, and Jay Workman, 11 points, combined for 35 of Lubbock Christian's 40 bench points. LCU forced the Aggies into 16 turnovers while only committing eight of their own. Of OPSU's 16 turnovers, the Chaparrals converted 21 points. Holman, a senior, netted 12 of his 14 points from downtown while shooting an impressive 55.5% (5-of-9) from the field.
 
Panhandle State's Sita Sesay had a game-high 17 points on 50% (7-of-14) shooting. Sesay put in most of his work from three-point land as he racked up nine points from behind the arc. Jace Kerr added 15 points, while Jake Regier had 12 of his own.
 
HOLMAN HEIGHTS
Ridrell Holman has played on another level as of late. The redshirt senior has been a key component in the starting rotation, in addition to being a threat from long-range. Holman has led the Chaps in scoring in three of the last four games, beginning with LCU's contest at Texas A&M International. He had a career-night against Arkansas Fort Smith, scoring 25 points (12 points from downtown). Holman leads the Chaparrals with a total of 33 three-pointers on 41.3% shooting from beyond the arc.
 
DISTURBING THE RHYTHM
LCU is coming off of a seven-day hiatus due to some untimely weather conditions that forced the Chaps to postpone their game against Newman University. Although the Chaps are coming off of a win at Oklahoma Panhandle State, they have not had the best of luck when returning from a long break. There have only been two instances this season where Lubbock Christian has had a break of seven days or longer, and LCU has lost each of their first games back.
 
CONTAINMENT
The Chaps have done a great job in containing their opponents on the defensive end of the floor so far. LCU stands third in the Heartland Conference for their scoring defense, holding opponents to an average of 70.1 points per game. The Chaparrals also rank first in the Heartland in field goal percentage defense, holding the opposition to 42.1% shooting.
 
TURNOVERS
Lubbock Christian is coming off of a season-low seven turnovers in their contest against Oklahoma Panhandle State. The Chaps are averaging 13.5 turnovers per game while forcing opponents into 13.7. Of their opponent's 13.7 turnovers, LCU has been able to convert an average of 13.9 points per game off of turnovers.
 
RISING ABOVE .500
Heading into the game against the Hilltoppers, Lubbock Christian is aiming to break above a .500 conference record. The Chaparrals are 3-3 in Heartland play and a win would allow them to move up the conference standings. On top of their Heartland record, LCU is also 4-4 while playing on the road this season.
 
FIVE FACTS ABOUT THE HILLTOPPERS
- The Hilltoppers are ranked at the top of the conference, 10^th nationally, by limiting their offense to 10.3 turnovers per game. In addition, their turnover margin (6) is listed at sixth in the country.
- Senior guard Ramir Burton ranks at the top of the Heartland in total minutes (628:00), total field goals made (105) and total points (320).
- Sean Watkins has done his diligence on the defensive end of the court. In total, Watkins has forced a conference-leading 34 steals.
- The St. Edward's squad ranks 12^th nationally in free throw attempts (459) and sixth nationally in free throws made (340). Ramir Burton leads the Hilltoppers with 99 made free throws on 139 attempts.
- SEU's offense has already tallied a total of 300 assists on the season, which ranks first in the Heartland and 17^th in the nation. Of their 300 assists, Sean Watkins has dished out 71 on his own. Watkins has garnered a 2.84 assist turnover ratio, which ranks 27^th in the nation.
 
PRIOR MEETING WITH ST. EDWARD'S
AUSTIN, Texas (February 18, 2016) – A.J. Luckey led five Lubbock Christian University players in double figures with his game-high 18 points in an 81-73 win over St. Edward's Thursday night inside the Recreation and Convocation Center to keep their Chaparrals in a three-way tie for second place within the Heartland Conference.
 
Luckey, who scored 16 of his points after halftime, was complemented by Ridrell Holman's 14 first half points. Brennen Fowler recorded his third double-double is as many games with his 11 points and 12 rebounds while Isaac Cardona was one rebound shy of his own with 15 points, and Marcus Arrington chipped in 10 points.
 
Rogers State and Arkansas-Fort Smith also registered wins on Thursday night to put the trio of teams each at 12-5 within conference play, only trailing Dallas Baptist's 13-3 mark. LCU, RSU and UAFS each have three games remaining during the regular season as DBU has four to play before the conference tournament scheduled for March 4-6 in Tulsa, Okla.
 
The Chaps (18-7, 12-5 Heartland) were in control with a 42-24 lead following a dominant first half, but St. Edward's (16-9, 9-8 Heartland) opened up after the break on a 13-5 run that began with three free throws by Sean Watkins on the opening play. A three-pointer by Quinton Lilley cut the deficit to 47-37 less than four minutes in before buckets by Marcos Schuster and Arrington pushed the margin to 51-37.
 
Luckey put the Chaps up by a dozen on a jumper with seven minutes remaining before SEU's John Gramlich countered with a score in the paint, and Hilltopper Trey Lindsey connected on a layup and three-pointer to whittle the gap to 64-60 with 5:09 on the clock. Another jumper by Luckey and consecutive layups by Arrington put the Chaps up 70-62.
 
SEU again sliced the lead to four on a three-pointer with one-minute left before three Luckey free throws extended the Chap lead to 77-71. Two more free throws by Arrington with 23 seconds to play put LCU in front at 79-71, and Luckey sealed the contest on two final freebies.
 
Holman was the catalyst of the first half offensive output for the Chaps by hitting four shots from beyond the arc, all from the left side, to tally 12 points within a four-and-a half minute span to put the Chaps up 38-21. Another Holman field goal gave LCU its largest lead of the game at 42-23 with less than a minute until intermission.