LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (7-5, 1-1 Heartland) at TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY (8-5, 2-1 Heartland)
Monday, Jan. 2, 2017 - 7:30 PM
TAMIU Kinesiology & Convocation Building (Laredo, Texas)
Radio: KJTV AM950/100.7FM
All-Time Series: LCU leads 4-2

 
HISTORY BETWEEN THE SQUADS
The series between Lubbock Christian and Texas A&M International reaches back to the 2013-14 season, as the Chaps split a pair of games with the Dustdevils. Since then, LCU has grown their series lead over TAMIU to 4-2, with their latest win coming last season (Feb. 27, 2016) in a 90-79 overtime thriller inside Rip Griffin Center.
 
BOUNCE BACK
The Chaps are looking to bounce back after a tough 70-55 loss against St. Mary's University on Saturday. The Chaps 55-point performance was the first time they were held under 60 points since a 61-49 defeat at Texas A&M International last season (Dec. 17, 2015).
 
Lubbock Christian is looking to snap a pattern this season, as each of their losses, so far, have come back-to-back of one another. A win over TAMIU would allow the Chaparrals to close out a seven-game road trip on a positive note.
 
LAST GAME RECAP
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (December 31, 2016) - Lubbock Christian University squared off with St. Mary's University in a Heartland Conference bout that featured the Chaparrals lowest scoring performance of the season. The Chaps shot 30.8% (16/52) in a 70-55 loss to the Rattlers.
 
Junior Marcos Schuster led LCU with 13 points, scoring 12 of the points in the final 3:58 of the game. Brennen Fowler added 10 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. The Chaparrals also shot a mere 25% from behind the arc to match a season low with four total three-pointers in the contest.
 
LCU went the opening 12 minutes of the game with just nine points, and hit an offensive pulse with Brennen Fowler connecting on a jumper with 7:37 left in the first period. Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath drained LCU's lone three-pointer of the half and cut the St. Mary's lead to 24-15. The Rattlers responded quickly, with Freddie Williams answering with a trey to restore a 12-point lead for St. Mary's. The Rattlers never really let LCU gain any ground before the break and a pair of free throws by Robbie Benavides gave StMU a 29-17 lead over the Chaparrals at halftime.
 
Lubbock Christian's 17 first half points marks their lowest first period scoring performance since joining the NCAA. St. Mary's did not experience the same first half woes as they shot 42.3% (11/26) from the field. The comparisons between the teams was spread fairly even, as each squad committed nine first half turnovers. LCU outrebounded the Rattlers in the first period, but only by a small margin of 20-19. It all came down to the Chaps not being able to put the ball in the bucket as they shot 20% (5/25) from the field and 1-of-8 (12.5%) from three-point land.
 
St. Mary's came back from halftime and continued to shoot well. A three-pointer by Cameron Horning opened up the Rattler's lead to 14 points at 38-24 with 16:44 left in the contest. Isaac Cardona helped kick off an 11-0 run to close StMU's lead to 38-35 with 13:10 left in the contest. A Yanni Wetzell tip-in helped St. Mary's open their lead back up to 55-41 with five minutes left to play. From that point on, the damage was done and the Rattlers maintained a comfortable lead until a final layup by Will Ferguson gave StMU the 70-55 victory and their first win in Heartland play.
 
The Chaps shot much better in the second half as they recorded 40.7% (11-27) from the field and 37.5% (3/8) from the three-point line. LCU also tacked on 13 second half free throws on 16 attempts for an 81.3% free throw percentage. Marcos Schuster exploded at the end of the game and picked up all three of LCU's second half treys. Schuster's 12 points in the final four minutes gave the Chaps some life, but St. Mary's lead proved to be too much.
 
The Rattlers improved upon their first half performance by shooting 56.5% (13/23) and 68.8% (11/16) from the charity stripe. St. Mary's outscored the Chaps 18-16 in second half paint points.
 
LCU's loss to St. Mary's is the first since the 2014-15 season when the Chaps were defeated 66-63 (2/26/15) in San Antonio. The loss also marks the fifth time this season that Lubbock Christian has been able to outrebound an opponent and still suffer defeat. Heading into the matchup, St. Mary's allowed an average of 75.3 points per game. With the win, StMU now owns a 5-4 all-time series advantage over LCU.
 
INSIDE THE ARC
Lubbock Christian has consistently done their damage within the three-point line this season as they rank 10^th in the conference in three-pointers attempted (205) and ninth in the conference for made three-pointers (75). A majority of LCU's points have come from inside the perimeter as they have posted a 46.4% shooting percentage and 27.2 made field goals per game.
 
The Chaps have also done their diligence defending from inside the arc. LCU ranks third in the conference with a scoring defense that is allowing 72 points per game. While they rank seventh in the Heartland in the steals category (6.5 steals per game), they are ranked first in the conference, 22^nd nationally, in defensive rebounds per game (29.36).
 
JANUARY
January will be a busy time for the Chaps as they will play eight total games with five matches on the road and three inside Rip Griffin Center. LCU has garnered a 24-22 record in the month of January since Todd Duncan has taken over as head coach. After beginning the year with a 93-67 loss to Dallas Baptist University (1/4/16), coach Duncan led Lubbock Christian to a 6-3 record in the month of January in the 2015-16 season.
 
MILESTONES
Senior Isaac Cardona is closing in on the 900-point milestone as he currently has 825 career points.
 
Brennen Fowler has posted 13 double-doubles since making his first career start against Arkansas Fort Smith (2/11/16). The sophomore has racked up 20 total starts since Feb. 11. Only one of his double-doubles has come in a game which he did not start.
 
BRUSHING UP ON THE DUSTDEVILS
- Texas A&M International has proven that they have quick hands, as they rank 14^th in the nation with 114 total steals. Kenny Hatch ranks first in the Heartland, 23^rd nationally, with 26 steals.
- TAMIU's defense has held opponents to 66.5 points per game. The Dustdevil's scoring defense ranks 26^th nationally and first in the conference. In addition to their defensive play, International is also outscoring their opposition by a seven-point margin.
- The Dustdevils are off to a solid start in conference play with a 2-1 Heartland record. Although they knocked off the preseason Heartland favorites Arkansas Fort Smith 82-75 in their conference opener, they are coming off of a 16-point loss to Dallas Baptist University.
- TAMIU has had plenty of opportunities to play in front of their home crowd this season. Nine of their 13 games have taken place on the Dustdevil's campus with seven of their eight wins coming at home. International finished the 2015-16 season with a 13-3 home record.
- The Dustdevils were preseason picked to finish seventh in Heartland play. Currently, they are proving voters wrong, sitting at the top of conference standings. TAMIU's roster is comprised of nine seniors, four of which are starters.
 
PRIOR MEETING WITH TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL
LUBBOCK, Texas (February 27, 2016) – In his final game inside the Rip Griffin Center, A.J. Luckey drilled a three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation to force an overtime period between Lubbock Christian University and Texas A&M International Saturday afternoon as the Chaparrals hung on for a 90-79 victory to notch their sixth 20-win season in program history and complete the year with an unblemished 10-0 conference record at home.
 
Fittingly on Senior Day, Luckey's three to tie the game at 74-74 was his biggest bucket of the contest amongst his game-high 27 points, 23 of which were scored after halftime. Brennen Fowler kept his double-double streak alive at six with his 16 points and game-high 13 rebounds along with five blocked shots while Tyler Rogers and Ridrell Holman provided 13 and 11 points, respectively, off of the bench. As a team, LCU shot and attempted season-highs in free throws with a 37-of-50 performance from the line.
 
Overtime did not seem to be a viable option with less than six minutes to play and the Chaps trailing 67-55, but Holman felt otherwise by tearing off eight straight LCU points on two jumpers and four free throws in less than three minutes to pull the Chaps to within 70-63. A foul shot by Luckey made it a one-possession game at 70-67 with 1:15 remaining before the teams traded shots at the line to give TAMIU (18-9, 13-6 Heartland) a three-point edge with 24 seconds to play. Fowler lessened the margin to a mere point with 15 ticks on the clock, but a foul was called on the Chaps and Dustdevil Jake Eynon converted the double bonus for a 74-71 advantage. On the next trip down the floor, Luckey shook his defender just enough to fire off a three from the right wing that dropped through the net to force an extra five minutes.
 
Halfway through overtime, a layup by Luckey put LCU (20-8, 14-6 Heartland) on top at 80-78, and Rogers doubled the lead with a pair of free throws. An offensive foul was whistled on the Dustdevils, causing head coach Bryan Weakley to warrant two technical fouls and a subsequent ejection with under two minutes to play. Luckey drained the four technical free throws to give the Chaps an 86-78 lead before a score by Rogers and two more from the line by Luckey solidified the win.
 
The Dustdevils began the contest with vigor and jumped to a 13-3 lead within three-and-a-half minutes until the LCU steadily clawed back to within 16-14 on a layup by the other Chap senior, Matthew Alford. Seven consecutive points by TAMIU pushed the lead to nine, but LCU whittled the margin to 32-28 heading into halftime.
 
Following a field goal to open the second half by Dustdevil Arkeem Joseph, the squads stayed within three points of one another for the next 10 minutes. However, TAMIU wound up playing without the assistance of Joseph the remainder of the game after he threw an elbow to the back of the head of an unsuspecting Fowler during a free throw and was tossed.
 
The Dustdevils pulled ahead, 50-49, on two foul shots by Anthony Alston at the 11:31 mark and slowly increased their advantage to six on three occasions and stretched it to 11 and then 12 before Holman pieced together his run to give the Chaps their much needed momentum.