LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (2-0, 0-0)
AT NO.4 / 7 WEST TEXAS A&M (4-1, 0-0)
Thursday, November 14 - 7:00 PM                                             
First United Bank Center (Canyon, Texas)
Radio: 100.7 FM "The Score"
All-Time Series: WTAMU leads 17-5
 
CLASH IN CANYON
Lubbock Christian University closes out a three-game road trip Thursday facing No.4 / 7 West Texas A&M with a 7 P.M. tip inside First United Bank Center. LCU looks to continue their hottest start since 2010-2011 in which they opened the season 5-0. LCU and WTAMU are in for a home-and-home this season, as the second leg is scheduled for Dec. 6 at Rip Griffin Center.   
 
HEAVYWEIGHT SCHEDULING
LCU is playing their third consecutive game against an opponent that qualified for the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament last season. LCU was in San Antonio over the weekend and collected wins over (RV) Colorado School of Mines (70-62) and No.18 Regis (Colo.) (63-58). Each Mines and Regis had their season come to end last season by suffering a loss to West Texas A&M, as the Buffs won the regional tournament.
 
CANYON CAMPGROUNDS
The Chaparrals should get comfortable playing games inside First United Bank Center, as they play three of their next three games there.  Following Thursday night's tilt, LCU will return to Canyon Thanksgiving Week for neutral site contests against (RV) Central Oklahoma (Nov. 23) and Colorado State – Pueblo (Nov. 24).
 
THE MAGIC NUMBER
The Chaps, who connected from three-point range at a rate of .377 last season, are hitting at a clip of .442 through two games this season. LCU ranks 28^th nationally, connecting on 12 of 27 attempts. Silas Crisler is helping the percentage, shooting .700 fomr long range on 7-of-10 shooting, which has him ranked 21^st nationally. Crisler is averaging 12.0 points per game coming off the bench.  On the defensive end, LCU is holding their opponents to a .286 shooting mark from downtown (14/49), which ranks 56^th nationally.
 
SLOW STARTS
LCU's first two games of the season have been low scoring in the first half of play. LCU is averaging 26.0 points in the first half compared to 40.5 in the second half. Their opponents are averaging 25.5 points in the first half and 34.5 points in the second half. Overall, LCU is holding their opponents to an average of 60.0 points per game, which 12^th nationally.
 
FAST STARTS
Lubbock Christian senior forward Brennen Fowler claimed his sixth career Heartland Conference Player of the Week honor and the first one handed out this season. The award was given for games played from Nov. 5 - Nov. 11. Fowler averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in the wins off a 13-of-26 shooting from the field and an 80 percent (4-of-5) shooting mark from three-point range. He provided the Chaparrals 14 points and nine rebounds against CSM and followed with 23 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double against Regis. Against Regis, Fowler had 17 points in the second half, including seven points during a 17-3 LCU run, which helped them overcome an 11-point second half deficit.
 
GIVE ME A HOME WHERE THE BUFFALO ROAM
It may be a home opener for West Texas A&M, but it is a homecoming for a pair of Chaps, as Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath (Amarillo, Texas) and Cameron Copley (Canadian, Texas) each have area ties.
 
FIVE FACTS ABOUT WTAMU
- WTAMU is 4-1, with already five games under their belt. They opened the season with three-games-in-three-days at the D2CCA Tip-off Classic in Orange, Calif., winning all three games (two of the games were 9 a.m. tips). Their lone loss came Friday at Western State, who was heading into the game following an exhibition win over Air Force.
- The Buffs went 32-4 last season, with a 15-3 mark in Lone Star Conference play. Their season came to a close with an Elite Eight Tournament semifinal loss to Ferris State.
- West Texas A&M is preseason picked second in the LSC Preseason Poll. They received 11 of the 28 first-place votes.
- Thursday's contest for the Buffs is their home-opener. They went 17-1 at home last season and enter the season on a nine-game home win streak.
- Ryan Quaid ranks 16^th nationally in rebounds per game with a mark of 11.0 this season. His season-high mark is 18 from their season opener on Nov. 2 vs. Drury.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST WTAMU
RIVALRY AGAINST WTAMU
West Texas A&M holds a 17-5 edge over the Chaparrals dating back to 1978, where the Buffs took a 97-83 win over LCU. Fast forward, the Chaps have won three of the past four meeting in the series (two inside Rip Griffin Center). WTAMU's 17-5 record stands while both school are listed as four-year universities. When including Lubbock Christian's junior college days, the Buffs series advantage jumps to 22-10 over Lubbock Christian. Since Tod Duncan became head coach of the Chaparral program in the 2011-2012 season, the Chaps have gone 4-2 against the Buffs. Last season, WTAMU defeated LCU 82-72 in Canyon despite double-double performances from Brennen Fowler (30 pts., 11 reb) and Stephen Lennox (19 pts., 12 reb.).

PRIOR MEETING WITH WTAMU
Dec. 9, 2017 (Canyon, Texas) - LCU: 72 - WTAMU: 82
Lubbock Christian University fell to their fifth nationally ranked opponent with an 82-72 loss in Canyon, Texas to No. 8/9 West Texas A&M University. Brennen Fowler had a monster performance to lead the Chaps with 30 points and 11 rebounds. Stephen Lennox also threw down a double-double going for 19 points and 12 rebounds of his own.
 
LCU jumped out to a hot start scoring 11 unanswered points to open up the first period. Despite falling back early, West Texas A&M responded with a 12-4 run that tied the ballgame at 15-15. A layup by Lennox returned the lead to Lubbock Christian, but the advantage was short-lived. David Chavlovich knocked down a three-pointer six seconds later to give the Buffs their first lead of the night at 18-17. WTAMU then scored nine straight points to extend their lead to a 10-point margin with 5:51 left to play in the period. Lennox scored five of the Chap's final eight points of the half, but the Buffs closed out the period shooting 13-of-18 from the field on their way to a 36-25 lead at the break.
 
Lennox was a perfect 4-for-4 from the field leading the Chaparrals with nine points in the period. Fowler added in seven points and six boards to push LCU to a 17-13 rebounding advantage over the Buffs. Lubbock Christian knocked down 11-of-25 field goals for a 44% first half shooting, but committed 10 turnovers that allowed West Texas A&M to convert 12 points.
 
Despite opening up the night 0-for-8 from the floor, the Buffs stormed back to finish the half shooting 13-for-26 from the field. Ryan Quaid claimed all five of WTAMU's free throws in the half to lead the Buffaloes with 12 points. The West Texas A&M squad also posted a 50% mark from beyond the arc to open up the evening.
 
Fowler kicked off the second half on a tear, scoring the Chap's first six points. David Chavlovich was able to find his rhythm and proceeded to score 13 of the Buff's next 15 points over a 1:41 stretch to extend WTAMU's lead to 54-45. Lennox responded with back-to-back buckets inside the paint sparking a 12-3 run for LCU. Fowler capped off the Chaparral run with a layup to tie the game at 57-57 with 8:48 remaining. Chavlovich converted a layup of his own to regain the lead for the Buffs. Fowler, not to be outdone, came down the floor and knocked down his second three-pointer of the season giving Lubbock Christian a 60-59 lead. Two minutes later, Gaige Prim knocked down a jumper for West Texas A&M handing the Buffaloes their final lead change of the evening. WTAMU scored 17 of the game's final 26 points to finish off Lubbock Christian 82-72.
 
LCU opened up the second period shooting 12-of-17 from the floor, but closed out the half with a 4-of-10 field goal mark. Fowler logged 23 points in the final period while Lennox and Isaac Asrat added in 10 points each.
 
Chavlovich carried the Buffs in the second half scoring 23 of their 46 points in the period. The WTAMU senior shot 9-of-11 to push the Buffaloes to a 51.5% (17-of-33) second period shooting average.
 
The Chaps finished the contest shooting 51.9% (27-of-52) from the field marking their fourth contest of the season with a field goal average of 50% or higher. Fowler and Lennox each registered season high scoring performances. Asrat was the final Lubbock Christian player in double-scoring figures with 12 points. West Texas A&M entered the contest shooting 36.7% from three-point range, but registered 10 triples against the Chaps for a 52.6% average from beyond the arc. All 72 of LCU's points came from their starting five as the Buff's bench outscored the Chaparral bench 20-0. West Texas A&M registered one steal, but were still able to outscore Lubbock Christian 15-2 in points off of turnovers.