NO. 4 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (12-0, 12-0 LSC)
vs. WESTERN NEW MEXICO (0-5)
Thursday, February 11 – 7:30 PM
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
All-Time Series: Tied 8-8
 
NON-CONFERENCE PLAY?
So far this season, every game the Lubbock Christian University men's basketball team has been a part of their Lone Star Conference schedule and counted toward the league standings. This week, however, the Chaps will host Western New Mexico for a pair of non-conference matchups. The Mustangs opted out of LSC play this season due to the New Mexico state mandate and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham guidelines for college athletics. WNMU has been competing as an independent this season, making the two games this week nonconference contests.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
When the D2SIDA National Top 25 was announced this week, LCU checked in at No. 4, which matches the program's highest ranking ever. The Chaps have only been ranked this high one other week ever, from Jan. 20-27, when they were also No. 4 in the NAIA Men's Basketball poll. LCU is also ranked in the top 10 of the NCBW National Top 25, checking in at No. 9 this week.
 
RECORD-BREAKERS
The 2020-21 edition of the Lubbock Christian men's basketball team has had the best start to a season in program history, winning each of their first 12 games. The previous program record was set in the 1996-97 season, when the Chaps began the year with 10 straight wins. This year's team matched that start with their overtime win against Midwestern State on Jan. 30 before surpassing it on Feb. 5 with last week's 76-72 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Chaps are one of just 12 undefeated teams left in the nation, but only two teams besides LCU have played at least 10 games.
 
SHARING THE ROCK
Lubbock Christian is the NCAA Division II men's basketball national leader in assist to turnover ratio, with a mark of 1.71. They also rank No. 7 in the nation and lead the Lone Star Conference in assists per game at 18.4. Chap guard Cameron Copley is responsible for a large portion of those assists, as his 6.0 per game so far this season ranks No. 10 in all of Division II individually. Lloyd Daniels (2.8) and Rowan Mackenzie (2.6) are both also averaging double-digit assists per game for LCU.
 
PROTECT THE RIP
In their four home games so far this year, the Chaps have been dominant, averaging 80.1 points per game while allowing just 53.5. Furthermore, they have shot 51.7 percent from the field in the Rip Griffin Center while holding opponents to just 34.1 percent shooting. The Chaps have historically been great at home under head coach Todd Duncan, posting a 106-25 (.808) record in his nine-plus seasons at the helm. Parker Hicks has been LCU's best player at home, averaging 15.3 points per game, but Lloyd Daniels (12.3), Aamer Muhammad (10.5) and Rowan Mackenzie (10.3) are all also averaging double-figures at the Rip.
 
FAIR OR FOUL
Through their first 12 games this season, the Chaps have averaged just 14.3 personal fouls per game, which is the eighth-lowest mark in the nation. In total, LCU players have committed just 172 fouls. Daniels, who leads the team in minutes played with 33.8 per game, has committed just nine fouls all year. Chap opponents have shot just 188 free throws this season, which is the third-lowest mark in the LSC, and LCU opponents have struggled at the free throw line, making only 67.4 percent of their free throw chances.
 
SHARP-SHOOTERS
The Chaps have also been an excellent shooting team overall, hitting 51.3 percent of their shots from the field (No. 9 in D-II) and 39.2 percent of their three-point attempts (No. 22 in D-II). Both Hicks (No. 4) and Daniels (No. 6) rank in the top ten in the LSC in field goal percentage, with marks of 56.7 percent and 52.5 percent, respectively. Gonzalo Corbalan has also shot an extremely efficient 66.1 percent from the field, but his 59 field goals attempted do not qualify him for the conference leaderboard.
 
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS

• WNMU has played five games so far this season, taking on UT Permian Basin once, Northwest Nazarene three times and WT once. NNU and WT are both top-25 teams nationally.
• Zane Gibson is in his first year at the helm of the Mustang program after previously serving as the Associate Head Coach at UT Permian Basin under Josh Newman.
• Cash Williams is the team's leading scorer so far this year, averaging 14.6 points per game. He had a season-high 24 on 9-of-14 shooting Wednesday against West Texas A&M.
• WNMU is averaging just 67.2 points per game this year, which would be the third-lowest mark in the LSC if they were competing within the conference. Their 80.1 points per game allowed would also rank as the third-worst in the league.
• Marvis Odia is the only other WNMU player averaging double-figures this season with 10.2 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting.

 
THE SERIES WITH THE MUSTANGS
Thursday night's game is something of a rubber match for Lubbock Christian and Western New Mexico, as the two teams are currently tied 8-8 in the all-time series. The Chaps and Mustangs met twice on the hardwood in the '70s, with WNMU winning both matchups. LCU's first win over WNMU came in 1991, and the series has been all Chaps in the last five meetings with five straight wins.