TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY (7-7, 0-2) at LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY (4-9, 0-2)
Thursday, January 4 - 8:00 PM
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
All-Time Series: LCU leads 5-3
TV: Fox 34 News Now
Radio: 100.7 The Score



 
NEW YEAR RESOLVE
Thursday night will be a big game for Lubbock Christian University, as they return to Heartland Conference play at home against Texas A&M International University. The Chaps are currently on an 0-2 conference, falling to Dallas Baptist and Arkansas Fort Smith earlier this season. LCU has lost two of their last three games and looks to rebound against the Dustdevils, who also seeks their first conference win.

SATURDAY REWIND
After marking a season low 21.7% (5-of-23) from three-point range, Lubbock Christian University fell to Eastern New Mexico University 82-73 in the Chap's final nonconference tilt of the season. Four Chaparral players recorded double-scoring figures, but junior Brennen Fowler led the way for LCU with 19 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double performance of the season.
 
Lubbock Christian got off to a sluggish start scoring 27 points in the opening period of play. The Chaps bounced back and recorded 46 points in the second half to finish the day shooting a 41.9% (26-of-62) from the field. Despite doing a majority of their damage within the paint and outscoring the Greyhounds 36-28 in the key, the Chaparrals were plagued with errors as they committed 19 turnovers for the contest. Because LCU was unable to take care of the ball, Eastern New Mexico converted 17 points off of turnovers.
 
Zach Parker and Jamani Pierce led the way for the Greyhounds tying for game-high scoring performances and dropping 20 points each. Parker and Pierce pushed the ENMU squad to a 27-of-63 (42.9%) mark from the field and 44.4% (8-of-18) average from downtown. Lamarquis Thompson picked up 10 of Eastern New Mexico's 40 boards, but his efforts were not enough to push the Greyhounds past the Chaps on the glass as LCU won the rebounding battle by a 42-40 margin.
 
In total, there were six lead changes between the squads throughout the game. Lubbock Christian regained the lead twice in the final period, but were never able to pull further than a four-point margin over ENMU. All five of the Chap's three-pointers came in the second half where Isaac Asrat shot 2-of-4 from beyond the arc and 4-of-8 from the field.
 
Asrat finished the afternoon with 15 points of his own while Marcos Schuster (13 points) and Jay Workman (10 points) marked double-scoring numbers.
 
Lubbock Christian falls to a 4-9 record on the season following the loss, while Eastern New Mexico improves to 5-8. The contest closes out the first half of the season for the Chaps and also concludes their nonconference schedule. The Chaps will now look to pull themselves out of a two-game slide.

THE TABLE
Lubbock Christian's 0-2 record in conference games leaves them in a tough position as they resume their Heartland schedule. Of the nine teams in the conference, the Chaparrals currently sit in last place. LCU's remaining 14 games will come against conference foes and allows them the opportunity to move their way up the standings.
 
BLOCK PARTY
The Chaparrals are tops in the Heartland Conference in blocked shots, averaging 3.8 blocks per game and 50 in total on the season. Junior Brennen Fowler leads the Lubbock Christian squad with 27 of the team's 50 blocks. Fowler has marked 2.1 swats per game, ranking him second in the Heartland and 20^th in the nation.
 
HERE IS THE POINT
Isaac Asrat (19.5 ppg), Brennen Fowler (15.5 ppg) and Marcos Schuster (10.7 ppg) lead the Lubbock Christian attack averaging double figures in scoring. Asrat ranks second in the conference for points averaged per game and Fowler ranks fifth.
 
AT THE RIP
Though they have opened up the year 3-3 inside Rip Griffin Center, LCU has employed some offensive bursts at home this season. The Chaps have registered a 46.3% field goal average, in addition to a 34.4% mark from beyond the arc at the Rip. In their six home games, Asrat leads the Lubbock Christian squad with 21 points per contest. Fowler has provided the consistency with a 54.2% (32-of-59) field goal average.
 
TAMIU FACTS
- Texas A&M International is unafraid to show their range as they have managed to put up 326 three-point attempts on the year.
- The Dustdevil's scoring defense stands first in the Heartland, 12^th nationally, holding opponents to 63.8 points per contest.
- Bryan Weakley's Dustdevil squad has ripped 105 steals this season for a 7.5 average. Jeremy Wright leads TAMIU with 39 steals on his own ranking him fifth nationally and first in the Heartland.
- Like the Chaps, Texas A&M International has opened up their Heartland schedule with an 0-2 mark.
- The Dustdevils have lost three of their past four games, including a 71-48 defeat to Texas A&M – Commerce (Dec. 19, 2017).

RIVALRY AGAINST TAMIU
The Thursday night tilt marks the ninth ever meeting between the squads. Lubbock Christian holds the advantage over the Dustdevils with a 5-3 edge in the series. In the rivalry's most recent bout, Lubbock Christian handed Texas A&M International an 84-55 defeat inside Rip Griffin Center (Feb. 2, 2017).

PRIOR MEETING WITH TAMIU
LUBBOCK, Texas (February 2, 2017) – Lubbock Christian hopped back to their winning ways Thursday night in an 84-55 victory over Texas A&M International inside Rip Griffin Center. Senior Ridrell Holman exploded for a career-high 29 points while Tyler Rogers added a season-high 23 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. The Heartland Conference contest was part of the NCAA Division II's Basketball Showcase, with the game televised nationally on American Sports Network.
 
LCU jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after Ridrell Holman knocked down his first three-pointer of the evening. TAMIU came racing back and eventually took an 18-13 lead on a trey by Kenny Hatch with 10:30 left in the half. Marcus Arrington responded for LCU by kicking off a 24-4 scoring run for the Chaps. The scoring flurry was highlighted by 12 points from Holman and a strong Chaparral defense, which put the Dustdevils in a four-minute scoring drought. TAMIU's final basket of the half came at the 3:05 mark. Brennen Fowler knocked down a pair of free throws with one-minute left to push the Chap to a 37-24 lead at the break.
 
Lubbock Christian's defense was air-tight in the opening period. They forced the Dustdevils into 36% (9-of-25) shooting from the floor and just two free throw attempts. Holman's hot-hand propelled LCU to 57.1% (4-of-7) from three-point land and 45% (9-of-20) from the field. The Chaps got to the free throw line a total of 18 times in the half and converted on 15 for an 83.3% mark. Holman was a perfect 4-for-4 from behind the arc and 71.4% (5-of-7) from the floor for 17 first half points.
 
Kenny Hatch kept the Dustdevils in the contest by throwing up 12 of TAMIU's 24 first half points. Hatch had the Dustdevils only two free throws in the half. TAMIU fouled the Chaps a total of 13 times in the first period.
 
While LCU held a 13-point lead at halftime, the Chaparrals were just getting started. Tyler Rogers scored the Chap's first bucket of the second period to spark an 11-2 LCU run. Holman scored nine of Lubbock Christian's next 15 points to give the team a 54-33 lead over with 13:37 left in the contest. The Chaps continued to put a cushion on their lead and took a 28-point advantage on a thunderous put-back dunk by Rogers with just over four minutes remaining. Finally, it was Chuck Kendley who put his stamp on the game with his first ever three-pointer to give LCU the 84-55 victory over the Dustdevils.
 
Rogers and Holman were the only Chaps to get in double scoring figures for the second half. LCU improved upon their opening period of play with a 61.5% (16-of-26) second half performance. Rogers crashed the boards picked up seven of his 10 rebounds in the second period alone. The Chaps continued to flourish from the charity stripe with a 91.7% (11-for-12) average. Redshirt freshman Chuck Kendley jumped into the box score late in the game with his first career three-pointer.
 
TAMIU's 55-point performance marks their lowest scoring loss of the season. Denzel Bellot notched 10 points in the half and was the only Dustdevil to post double-scoring figures in the final period. TAMIU (14-8, 8-4) could not get things working and finished the evening shooting 37.3% (19-of-51) from the field and 26.1% (6-for-23) behind the arc. Head coach Bryan Weakley was handed a technical foul at the 13:37 mark of the second half.
 
Lubbock Christian finished the night shooting 54.3% (25-for-46) from the floor and 47.1% (8-for-17) from downtown. Holman pitched in a career high six three-pointers and 29 points on 60% (9-of-15) shooting. Rogers was one rebound shy of tying a career-high, but still managed to finish the night with 23 points and 10 boards.