LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (0-1) vs.
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES (0-1)
Saturday, November 9 – 7 p.m. (8 p.m. CT)
Lockridge Arena – Golden, Colorado
 
CHALLENGING START
Lubbock Christian will begin their 2019-20 campaign on Friday in Golden, Colorado as a participant in the RMAC/LSC Challenge, which features is hosted by Colorado School of Mines and features the Orediggers along with Regis and St. Mary's. This is the fourth straight season that LCU has participated in the challenge to begin the season. In the history of the challenge, Lubbock Christian has a 3-5 record, including a perfect 2-0 record last season when they beat CSM and Regis, who were both receiving votes in the national polls.
 
HINDSIGHT
The Chaparrals are coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history, posting a 21-10 record in 2018-19, which matched their best total ever since moving to the NCAA Division II level. The Chaps started the season with a 70-62 win over Colorado School of Mines, posting a 10-5 record in nonconference play overall. LCU then raced to its best-ever finish in the Heartland Conference, going 11-5 to place third. The highlight of the regular season was a 68-60 win over No. 4 St. Edward's in the Rip Griffin Center. A disappointing early exit from the Heartland Conference Tournament did not deter the Chaps from reaching the NCAA South Central Regional in Austin as the No. 6 seed. Once there, the Chaps faced a re-match against the No. 3-seeded Colorado School of Mines, upsetting the Orediggers in the quarterfinal game 82-73. The season came to an end with a loss in the regional semifinal to host St. Edward's.
 
WHO THEY LOST
Two Lubbock Christian players were recognized with postseason awards for their performance in the 2018-19 season, and neither of them will be returning to the Chaps for the 2019-20 campaign. Brennan Fowler was a First Team All-Heartland Conference selection and was then recognized at the regional level with a selection to the D2CCA All-South Central Region Team as well. The Smyer native started all 31 games, averaging a double-double with 19.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game last season. Isaac Asrat was also selected to the All-Heartland Conference First Team and followed that by earning a spot on the Google Cloud Academic All-America team as well. Asrat led the team in minutes per game, averaging 16.4 points and 2.1 assists in 30 games played.
 
WHO RETURNED
Five players have returned who saw playing time last season, including Cameron Copley, Kobe Thompson, Rashaan Proctor, Silas Crisler and Zach Stepp, along with Cade McDowell, who redshirted last year. Proctor saw the most playing time of any returner last season, averaging 9.0 points per game and 4.4 rebounds per game in 2018-19. Copley also averaged 26.9 minutes in 28 games played as a redshirt freshman last year, leading the team with 4.6 asists per game. Crisler scored 6.1 points per contest, shooting a team-leading 38.9 percent from behind the arc. Thompson played in all 31 games a year ago, averaging 5.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in his time on the court, and Stepp scored 28 points in 12 games. McDowell, at 6'10, is the tallest listed player on the LCU roster and hails from Nashville Tennessee.
 
NEW FACES
Head men's basketball coach Todd Duncan added seven newcomers to the mix this year, including three transfers and four freshmen. Parker Hicks is a Decatur native, transferring to LCU from just down the street at Texas Tech University. Joshua Davey is one of two players to come to the Chaps from Australia (along with freshman Rowan Mackenzie), but Davey is starting his LCU career as a sophomore. Lloyd Daniels is the only other transfer, coming to Lubbock Christian from Murray State College where he averaged 18.1 points per game as a sophomore. The three other Chap freshmen include Aamer Muhammad from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, Ty Caswell from Wichita Falls, Texas and Karhan Jones from Mansfield, Texas.
 
SCOUTING THE OREDIGGERS

• Colorado School of Mines had a comeback of 20 points in their season-opener to force overtime against St. Mary's, but fell short 85-84
• The Orediggers returned two players who averaged double-figures a season ago, including Mason Baker (15.0 ppg) and Michael Glenn (11.8 ppg)
• Lubbock Christian and Mines met twice last season, with the Chaps winning both meetings. LCU opened the season with a  win over CSM and ended the Oredigger season with an upset win in the
• Oredigger head coach Pryor Orser is in his 19^th season, compiling a 339-189 record in that time
• CSM was picked to finish first in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2019-20 Preseason Poll