LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (17-8, 8-5 Heartland)
vs. NEWMAN (18-7, 9-4)
Thursday, Feb. 21 – 7:30 P.M.
Fugate Gymnasium (Wichita, Kansas)
All-Time Series: LCU leads 7-4
 
ROAD TRIP
Lubbock Christian University is playing its last true road game of the season this Thursday, traveling to Wichita, Kansas to take on the Newman Jets. It will be the third game in three states for the Chaparrals, as they took on Dallas Baptist in Texas last Thursday and faced Rogers State in Oklahoma on Saturday. LCU has struggled when leaving home this season, posting a 6-8 record in true road and neutral site games.
 
SHARP SHOOTING
The Chaparrals have shot better than 50 percent from the field in 12 games this season, winning all but one of those contests. Last Thursday's lost to Dallas Baptist marked the first time this season that the Chaps made at least half their shots (50.8 percent) and took a loss. They have the best shooting percentage in the Heartland Conference at .482. If LCU hits less than half of its shots, however, it has a losing record of just 3-6. The Chaps' best shooting game this season was on Dec. 19 when they shot 55.4 percent in a 23-point win against UT Permian Basin.
 
LUCKY NO. 7
On Wednesday, the NCAA released the first Division II regional rankings, with Lubbock Christian sitting at No. 7. Lubbock Christian is 17-8 overall with a 14-8 record against fellow South Central Region Teams, and in good position as the top eight teams advance to the NCAA Tournament. St. Edward's leads the rankings in the No. 1 spot, and fellow Heartland Conference member Dallas Baptist is No 6. LCU's Thursday night opponent, Newman, is currently No. 10 in the poll.
 
SUPER SENIORS
In all but four of this season's games, the Chaps have been led in the scoring column by two players – Brennen Fowler and Isaac Asrat – who are also the only two seniors on the team. Fowler has led the team in scoring 11 times after scoring 25 points on Saturday against Rogers State, Asrat has led nine times, and the two were co-leaders in one other game. In the four games that either Fowler or Asrat did not lead, the scoring leaders were Rashaan Proctor (twice), Ja'Qualyn Gilbreath and Silas Crisler.
 
DAUNTING DEFENSE
Not only does LCU lead the Heartland Conference in field goal percentage, shooting an incredible 48.2 percent, they also have limited opposing teams to the lowest shooting percentage in the conference and the 48^th lowest in the country. Chap opponents this season are shooting just 41.9 percent from the field (42.7 percent in conference play). Lubbock Christian has only let three teams shoot better than 50 percent against them, and they have out-shot their opponent in 21 of their 25 games this season (15-6 in those games).
 
DOUBLE-TROUBLE
Lubbock Christian forward Brennen Fowler is averaging a double-double for the season with 18.1 points per game and exactly 10 rebounds per contest. Both of those figures are second best in the Heartland Conference. On Saturday against Rogers State, Fowler posted his 12^th actual double-double of the season, scoring 25 points and pulling down 15 rebounds. His career total for double-doubles is 37, which is the fifth most among active Division-II players and only one behind the fourth place player (Gage Davis, St. Cloud St.)

SHARING IS CARING
Redshirt freshman Cameron Copley currently ranks third in the Heartland Conference with 4.1 assists per game, but has stepped things up recently, posting at least five assists in each of the last three games. Copley matched his career high last Thursday against Dallas Baptist with eight assists. He also had eight assists against Jarvis Christian on 12/29/18.
 
FACING THE HEARTLAND
The Chaparrals are in their sixth season of Heartland Conference play after first joining for the 2013-14 campaign. They have now played a total of 106 games in conference play, making Thursday's contest against Newman their 107th in Heartland play. LCU is 70-37 in those six seasons giving them a .636 winning percentage overall.
 
FIVE FACTS ABOUT NEWMAN

• The Jets have best three-point field goal percentage defense in the Heartland Conference, limiting opponents to just 30.6 percent shooting from behind the arc
• Forward Marshawn Blackmon ranks ninth in the conference in scoring with an average of 14.2 points per game
• Blackmon also ranks fifth in the conference in rebounding, grabbing eight rebounds a contest
• Newman has won its last two games and four of its last five, with each of the wins coming on the road
• The Jets are 11-1 at home this season with the only loss coming against No. 3 St. Edward's

 
THE SERIES WITH THE JETS
LCU did not start playing against Newman until the 2014-14 season, when the two teams were matched up in Heartland Conference play. The Jets won that first matchup in 2014, 76-74, but the Chaparrals have the all-time series lead with seven wins and just four losses. Lubbock Christian swept the meetings last season and has beaten Newman the last four times the two teams played one another.