3-Seed LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (20-8,11-5 Heartland)
vs. 6-Seed OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN (10-17, 11-5 Heartland)
Friday, March 8 – 7:30 p.m.
Union Multipurpose Athletic Center (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
All-Time Series: OC leads 39-27
 
THIS IS MARCH
It's tournament season for the Lubbock Christian University men's basketball team, who tied for their highest Heartland Conference finish in their six years with the No. 3 seed in the conference postseason tournament. In LCU's three years of competition at the Heartland tournament, they have posted a 2-3 record and had one player, Tyler Rogers in 2017, earn a spot on the All-Tournament team. The Chaps were winners in their opening round game each of the last two years (5-see in 2017, 4-seed in 2018) before losing in the second round both years to the No. 1 seed Dallas Baptist.
 
HOW WE GOT HERE
The Chaps won 20 games in the regular season for just the second time since moving to Division II and posted a 13-7 record in Heartland Conference play, marking their second most wins in the conference ever. LCU started out the season 2-0 and have had two separate four-game winning streaks this year, including the one they are currently on. The Chaps beat three teams ranked in the top 25, including the most recent win against then No. 4 St. Edward's, which was the Chaps' first win against a top-five opponent since they moved into NCAA Division II competition.
 
MOVIN' ON UP
In each of the first two NCAA Division II South Central Regional rankings, LCU was put in the exact same spot – No. 7. With just the top eight teams in the region advancing to the NCAA Postseason Tournament, the Chaps needed to win to hold onto their spot, and they did so, rattling off four straight victories and moving into the No. 4 spot in this week's poll. Lubbock Christian has a 17-8 record against in-region opponents and has defeated each of the teams ranked first through third this season.
 
HEARTLAND RECOGNITION
Lubbock Christian University seniors Brennen Fowler and Isaac Asrat were named to the All-Heartland Conference First Team for the 2018-19 season, the conference announced on Wednesday. Fowler was named to the All-Conference First Team and also has an Honorable Mention selection to his name, while Asrat was put on the conference First Team for the first time after making the Honorable Mention team last year. Fowler was second in the conference in both scoring (19.1) and rebounding (10.4), while Asrat was No. 5 in the Heartland with 16.3 points per game and led the team in steals.
 
DAUNTING DEFENSE
Out of the 304 Division II men's basketball teams in the country, LCU ranks in the top 25 of them in field goal percentage defense this season. They have limited opponents to a .410 shooting percentage, holding opponents to lower than 40 percent in 12 games this season (11-1 in that time). In the two regular season games against Oklahoma Christian, the Eagles were held under the 40 percent shooting mark twice, including a 31.8 percent showing on 2/23, which was their second lowest mark of the season.
 
THE BEST FOR LAST
Junior forward Rashaan Proctor waited until the last game of the regular season to post his best performance, pouring in a career-high 23 points in LCU's win over then-No. 4/5 ranked St. Edward's. Proctor took the game over late in the second half, scoring 11 of his points in the final eight minutes, including seven straight at one point. Proctor also hit a three-pointer in the closing minutes of the game, marking just the fourth time this season he had made a shot from behind the arc. Proctor completed the effort by pulling down six rebounds and blocking one shot.
 
SOME ASSISTANCE, PLEASE
Guard Cameron Copley has quickly been increasing his assist numbers in recent weeks, posting at least five in each of the last five games. In Heartland Conference play, the Canadian native has racked up the second most assists per game at 4.6, only behind Hilltopper August Haas, who ranks No. 6 nationally with 6.7 per game. Copley set a new career high as the Chaps upset St. Edward's, assisting 10 Lubbock Christian baskets.
 
DOUBLE-TROUBLE
Lubbock Christian forward Brennen Fowler is averaging a double-double for the season with 19.1 points per game and 10.4 rebounds per contest. Both of those figures are second best in the Heartland Conference, and he has posted actual double-doubles in five straight games and 15 total times this season, giving him 40 for his career. Among active Division II players, Fowler's 40 double-doubles rank as the fourth most, and he is tied for the 19^th most across all Divisions.
 
FIVE FACTS ABOUT OC

• The Eagles rank 11^th in the nation and lead the Heartland Conference with more than 41 rebounds per game
• OC forward Will Lienhard is a big part of that rebounding effort, leading the nation with 12.5 boards per game
• Oklahoma Christian averages 4.5 blocks per game, ranking No. 13 in the nation
• Guard Jordan Box leads the team and ranks No. 4 in the Heartland Conference with 16.3 points per game
• Lienhard and Box were OC's two lone selections for the Heartland Conference postseason awards, with Box earning a spot on the All-Conference Second Team and Lienhard being named an Honorable Mention selection

 
THE SERIES WITH THE EAGLES
Lubbock Christian has faced off with Oklahoma Christian more than any other Heartland Conference opponent, playing 66 times since the first meeting in 1971. The Chaps were winners in the last meeting, which was less than two weeks ago, and LCU has beaten OC in seven of the last 10 matchups. The Eagles' longest win streak was in the '70s, when they were victorious in 10 straight games, while the Chaps were victorious in six straight games at one point from 2015 to 2017.