OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (February 17, 2018) – Road woes continue for the Lubbock Christian University Chaparrals who dropped a heartbreaker Saturday afternoon in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Chaps finished the day with 42 points inside the paint while shooting 45.2% from the field. Senior Marcos Schuster led the way for LCU with 23 points and four steals.

Lubbock Christian jumped out early scoring 16 of the game's first 22 points in the opening seven minutes. Oklahoma Christian finally found life and took a 25-24 advantage over the Chaps with 8:58 remaining in the half. Schuster stole the lead right back for LCU with an old-fashioned three-point play. The teams traded leads two more times before OC went on a 5-1 scoring run to end the half with a 35-31 advantage over the Chaparrals.
 
Schuster and Brennen Fowler led the Chap attack in the opening period accounting for eight points each. Fowler showed his efficiency going 4-for-7 from the field while scooping up four rebounds. LCU held the Eagles to 38.7% shooting but were severely outrebounded by a 26-15 margin. All 15 of the Chaparrals boards came on the defensive end of the floor leading to zero second-chance points. The Lubbock Christian squad recorded a 42.3% field goal average of their own but were limited to a pair of three-point buckets. Schuster snagged four of the Chaps five steals in the period pushing the Eagles into nine turnovers.
 
Isaac Asrat got things cooking for LCU at the beginning of the second half with a mid-range jumper. Fowler and Kentton Williams then provided a one-two punch that found the Chaparrals up 41-38 with 16:12 to play. Jay Workman followed up with back-to-back buckets extending Lubbock Christian's lead. However, Oklahoma Christian strung together a 17-3 scoring run to jump in front of LCU for the final time. Try as they might, the Chaps were unable to overcome the deficit and ultimately fell to the Eagles by a final score of 86-81.
 
Schuster piled on 15 more points in the second half to lead the Chap offensive efforts. Williams shot a perfect 4-4 from the field while knocking down both of his free throw attempts on his way to 10 points of his own in the period. Lubbock Christian's defense was simply unable to contain the Eagles who finished the final 20 minutes with a 65.5% field goal average.
 
LCU closed out the day shooting 28-of-62 (45.2%), but were still outscored inside the painted area 44-42 by the Eagle offense. Oklahoma Christian's powerful offensive performance was highlighted by a 51.7% field goal average, a 70.8% clip from the free throw line and a 63.6% performance from three-point range.
 
Williams accounted for 16 points while Fowler (14 points) and Asrat (11 points) also scored in double-figures.
 
The loss to Oklahoma Christian snaps a three-game win streak for the Chaps leading up to their regular season finale. LCU now stands 13-13 for the season and 9-6 in conference play.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
OC's shooting performance marks LCU's third contest this season where an opponent finished above a 50% field goal average. In all three games, the Chaps have gone on to lose.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Lubbock Christian will now head to Austin, Texas for their final Heartland Conference match of the season. LCU will take on the Hilltoppers of St. Edward's University Saturday, Feb. 24. Tipoff is schedule for 3 p.m. inside SEU's Recreation and Convocation Center.