NO. 7 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (9-0, 9-0 LSC)
at ARKANSAS-FORT SMITH (3-5, 3-5 LSC)
Friday, February 5 – 7:30 PM
Stubblefield Center (Fort Smith, Arkansas)
All-Time Series: LCU leads 7-5
 
SHUFFLING THE DECK
Although the Lubbock Christian University men's basketball team has had four games postponed so far this season, they have been relatively lucky compared to this week's opponent Arkansas Fort Smith, who has played just eight games during the 2020-21 season. This past weekend while LCU took down Midwestern State to move to 10-0, the Lions shuffled their schedule not once, but twice, postponing their originally schedule games against Cameron before eventually taking on Oklahoma Christian for one game (a 75-56 Lion loss) on Monday. A quick turnaround now faces UAFS, as the Chaps will be in town for games on Friday and Saturday.
 
A PERFECT 10
With Saturday's overtime win over Midwestern State, the Chaps moved to 10-0 to start the season, which is the best start ever by LCU since moving to the NCAA and their best start under head coach Todd Duncan. With the 10^th win of the season, they also matched the program's best ever start, matching the 1996-97 team, which John Copeland coached to a 10-0 start. A win over UAFS Saturday would set a new program record for wins to start a season. Only 11 other teams in NCAA Division II are still undefeated, but LCU is one of only three perfect squads – Colorado School of Mines and Northern State being the others – to have played more than six games this year.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
There are two NCAA Division II men's basketball top 25 polls, and the Chaparrals are now ranked in the top 10 in both of them. In the D2SIDA Poll, LCU moved all the way up to No. 7 this week, which is their highest national ranking since February of 2004, when they earned the No. 5 spot in the NAIA National Poll. In the NABC Poll, the Chaps also moved up, but to No. 10. This is the first season that LCU has been ranked in any top 25 poll since moving to the NCAA.
 
SHARING IS CARING
Lubbock Christian is the NCAA Division II men's basketball national leader in assist to turnover ratio, with a mark of 1.76. They also rank No. 5 in the nation and lead the Lone Star Conference in assists per game at 19.5. Chap guard Cameron Copley is responsible for a large portion of those assists, as his 6.4 per game so far this season ranks No. 6 in all of Division II individually. Lloyd Daniels (3.2) and Rowan Mackenzie (2.7) are both also averaging double-digit assists per game for LCU.
 
FAIR OR FOUL
Through their first 10 games this season, the Chaps have averaged just 14 personal fouls per game, which is the seventh-lowest mark in the nation. In total, LCU players have committed just 140 fouls. Daniels, who leads the team in minutes played with 33.7 per game, has committed just seven fouls all year. Chap opponents have shot just 157 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 65.6 percent of their free throw chances.
 
CHARITY STRIPE
On the flip side, Lubbock Christian has been the best team in the league and the 15^th-best team in the nation at shooting free throws, averaging 79.1 percent for the season. They have attempted just 153 free throws this season, which is the third-fewest in the league, but they have made 121 of those. Copley is still perfect (17-17) on foul shots this season, and Aamer Muhammad (87 percent) and Ty Caswell (81.3 percent) are second and third on the team.
 
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 38.9 percent of their three-point attempts (No. 24 in D-II). Both Parker Hicks (No. 4) and Daniels (No. 6) rank in the top ten in the LSC in field goal percentage, with marks of 56.6 percent and 52.3 percent, respectively. Gonzalo Corbalan has also shot an extremely efficient 66.7 percent from the field, but his 45 field goals attempted do not qualify him for the conference leaderboard.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS

• UAFS has one of the lowest-scoring offenses in the league, averaging just 69.3 points per game this season.
• Lion head coach Jim Boone is in his second season at UAFS, but it his 35^th overall as a head coach at the NCAA Division I and II levels. He is closing in on the 600-win mark, with a 574-434 career record as a head coach.
• Chris Rollins leads UAFS in scoring this season with 16.9 points per game. Payton Brown is right behind with 16.8 points per game, although he has only been able to play in six contests so far this year.
• Rollins is also one of the top rebounders in the league (T-3^rd) with an average of 8.8 boards per game. As a team though, the Lions rank ninth in the conference with just 34.8 rebounds per game.
• Monday's matchup with Oklahoma Christian was one of the Lions' worst offensive games of the season, as they shot 31.1 percent from the field and scored just 56 points – both season-low marks.

 
THE SERIES WITH UAFS
Lubbock Christian and Arkansas-Fort Smith only began facing off on the hardwood in the 2013-14 season, when LCU became members of the Heartland Conference. They have met 12 times overall, with the Chaps taking seven of those meetings. The Chaps have been winners in the last three matchups, dating back to 2018. Last season, LCU held off a furious comeback effort by UAFS in the second half to win 69.67.