LUBBOCK, Texas - The top scoring defense and the top scoring offense in the Lone Star Conference collide as Lubbock Christian opens conference play against Oklahoma Christian at the Rip Griffin Center on Thursday, Dec. 1.

Oklahoma Christian (4-1) at Lubbock Christian (2-2)
Thursday, Dec. 1 - 7:30 PM
Lubbock, Texas - Rip Griffin Center

TOYS FOR TOTS
For the second straight season, the LCU Student Athlete Advisory Committee is teaming up with the US Marines for Toys for Tots. Any fan who brings a brand new toy to donate will receive free admission to both the women's and men's basketball games on Thursday, Dec. 1. One toy equals one free ticket.

NEED TO KNOW
- LCU is coming off a 92-43 win over Arlington Baptist on Nov. 21. Five LCU players finished in double digit scoring, led by Russell Harrison with 20 points.
- Aaron Gonzales scored a career-high 17 points against ABU, while draining five three-pointers. His three steals were also a career-best.
- Alec Zambie scored a career-best 11 points off the bench against the Patriots, shooting an impressive 5-for-7 from the field. He also picked up a career-high two blocks.
- LCU is 2-1 all-time in Lone Star Conference openers, and is 42-10 all-time in LSC play
- Oklahoma Christian enters the contest 4-1 and has won three games in a row. OC went 2-0 at the UAFS Thanksgiving Classic last week

A NEW SEASON
Lubbock Christian enters conference play this week, facing Oklahoma Christian and Arkansas Fort Smith at home this week. LCU has won two-straight Lone Star Conference regular season championships, and have compiled a 42-10 record in the LSC since joining the conference in 2019. The Chaps are 2-1 all-time in Lone Star Conference openers, winning two in a row after dropping their first ever LSC game to Angelo State 73-63 on Nov. 23, 2019. The Chaparrals are also 2-1 in home LSC openers, the last loss also being their inaugural home opener on Dec. 5, 2019, falling 97-87 in three overtimes to Dallas Baptist.

ROW ROW ROW YOUR BOAT
Rowan Mackenzie is the top scorer returning for the Chaps this season. Mackenzie built off a strong freshman campaign, starting in 28 games for the Chaps. He scored 20 points twice in the 2021-22 season, dropping 20 points and shooting 6-for-7 from three against Oklahoma City on Dec. 6, and scoring 20 points against UTPB on Jan. 29. 
This season, Mackenzie is leading the Chaps in scoring, averaging 19.0 points per game, tied for second in the LSC. The junior scored a career-high 35 points against Colorado School of Mines on Nov. 12, draining seven three-pointers, just three shy of tying the school record of most threes made in a single game. For his impressive play against the Orediggers, Mackenzie earned his first career LSC Offensive Player of the Week Honors on Nov. 14, 2022. 
Mackenzie has also been a force defensively, setting a career-high in steals in back-to-back games, picking up four steals against Colorado Mines and five steals against Southern Nazarene. 
Against Arlington Baptist, Mackenzie stuffed the stat sheet, with 14 points, six rebounds and a season-high seven assists.

NOT SHY AT ALL
Transfer Kurt Wegscheider leads the team in rebounds, averaging 6.8 a game. In his first game with LCU against Regis on Nov. 11, Wegscheider finished one rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. Wegscheider has been consistent this season, scoring 11 points in three games this year.
Wegscheider played in 28 games for Utah State Eastern College, averaging 14.2 points and 4.2 rebounds a game. He recorded a double-double on Nov. 19 against Central Wyoming College, scoring a season-high 24 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. Wegscheider also tallied 41 steals and 44 assists.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
A total of nine new players will make their debut for the Chaps this season. Of those nine, three are transfers, led by Louisiana-Monroe transfer Russell Harrison. The Monterrey High product averaged 13.1 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game with the Warhawks last season, including a game on 1/6/2022 when Harrison scored 28 points and pulled down 13 boards against Arkansas State. 
Two junior college transfers join the Chaps, with Najeeb Muhammad coming over from Arizona Western College, while Kurt Wegscheider comes over from Utah State East College.
Muhammad played in 28 games for Arizona Western College, averaging 11.1 points, 5.0 assists and 3.1 rebounds a night. He shot 37.6% from the floor, including 35.7% from beyond the arc. Muhammad recorded a season-high 21 points on Nov. 10 against the College of Southern Nevada. He recorded double-digit assists twice this season, dishing out 10 assists against Gateway C.C. on Feb. 9 and recording a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists on Nov. 20 against Eastern Arizona College. Muhammad's 139 total assists ranked third in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference.

WOKE UP FEELING DANGER RUSS
Russell Harrison returned home for his first game in Lubbock against Arlington Baptist on Nov. 21, scoring 20 points, pulling down eight rebounds and dishing out three assists. Harrison scored the first 11 points of the game for the Chaps, draining three shots from beyond the arc. The former Monterey Plainsman also got it done on the defensive end, with two steals and one block against the Patriots.

THE LID IS LOOSENING...
After an abysmal opening half against Southern Nazarene where the Chaps shot 25 percent from the floor and 12.5 percent from three, LCU has found the offense, ending that game agianst the Crimson Storm on a 31-9 run over the final 9:39 of the game and shooting 57.7 percent from the field and 50 percent from three in the second half. Against Arlington Baptist, the Chaparrals dropped 92 points on the Patriots, shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from beyond the arc.
As a team, LCU is shooting 49.1 percent from the field, second in the LSC, and 39.4 percent from three, also second in the conference. Rowan Mackenzie leads the LSC in three-point percentage, shooting 52.4 percent from deep.His 56.9 percentage from the field is third in the Lone Star Conference

...BUT ONLY FOR THE CHAPS
Opponents have struggled to score against the Chaps this season, averaging just 59.2 points per game against Lubbock Christian. So far this season, all four opponents that LCU has faced have scored their lowest point total in a game this season, with Regis scoring 59 points, Colorado School of Mines scoring 69 points, Southern Nazarene scoring 66 points, and Arlington Baptist scoring just 43 points. The mark is the best scoring defense in the Lone Star Conference and 15th best in Division-II. Mackenzie has led the defense this season, as his 2.5 steals per game are third in the LSC and 29th in Division-II

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
- Oklahoma Christian enters the contest 4-1 and on a three-game winning streak after knocking off Ouachita Baptist and Harding at the UAFS Thanksgiving Classic. The Eagles' lone loss was to reigning South Central Region champion no. 10 Black Hills State on Nov. 12, falling 80-73. 
- The Eagles lead the Lone Star Conference in points, averaging 81.8 points per game. Despite this, OC is towards the middle of the pack in the conference in field goal percentage, tied for sixth overall, shooting 46.3 percent from the field, and in three-point percentage, tied for 10th in the LSC, shooting 33.3 percent from deep. Their 42.4 rebounds per game is also the top of the Lone Star Conference and 15th in Division-II
- Texas State transfer Drew Tennial leads the Eagles and is tied for second in the conference with 19 points per game. The Edmond, Okla. product rarely leaves the court, playing at least 35 minutes in five games this season. Tennial scored a season-high 26 points against no. 10 Black Hills State on Nov. 12. 
- Moun'Tae Edmundson leads OC in assists per game (3.4)(5th-LSC), steals per game (2.2) (5th-LSC), made three-pointers (9) and free throw percentage (90.0) (T-5th-LSC). He is also the reigning LSC Defensive Player of the Week after scoring 32 points, recording six assists and five steals in two games against Oauchita Baptist and Harding.
- Former OC player Kendre Talley enters his fourth season as head coach of the Eagles. Talley played for OC from 2010 to 2014. As a senior, he earned National Christian College Athletic Association All-America second-team honors and first-team All-Heartland Conference laurels after becoming the only player in Heartland history to lead the NCAA Division II league in three major stat categories – scoring (17.5 points per game), assists (5.9 per game) and steals (2.0 per game).

THE SERIES WITH THE EAGLES
OC leads the long-time rivalry series 25-21, but Lubbock Christian has won three games in a row. In their last meeting on Jan. 8, 2022, LCU won 88-56 as the Chaps shot a blistering 58.6 percent from the field and 59.1 percent from three. Lubbock Christian also forced 13 Eagle turnovers, scoring 17 points off of OC miscues.
Oklahoma Christian has lost eight straight meetings in Lubbock, their last win an 80-76 victory at the Rip Griffin Center on Jan. 22, 2011.

LAST TIME OUT
Nov. 21, 2022 - vs Arlington Baptist - Five players finished in double digits in points, as no. 16 Lubbock Christian rolled to a 92-43 victory over Arlington Baptist in their home opener on Monday, Nov. 21.
The 49-point margin of victory is the first time the Chaps have won by 45 points or more since knocking off Western New Mexico 108-54 on Feb. 24, 2022. It is the first time the Chaps have scored at least 90 points the season, and the first time since that Feb. 24 rout of the Mustangs. 
Russell Harrison scored 20 points for the first time in his career at Lubbock Christian, finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Aaron Gonzales smashed his career-high for made three-pointers, shooting 5-for-9 from deep and 50 percent from the field, scoring a career-high 17 points. His three steals are also a career-high. 
Alec Zambie finished in double-digits for the first time in his career, scoring 11 points and shooting 5-for-7 (71.4 percent) from the field. His two blocks are a career-high as well.

A WIN WOULD
- Be the third straight win for the Chaps in the Lone Star Conference opener
- Be the fourth straight win over Oklahoma Christian
- Be the ninth straight win over Oklahoma Christian in Lubbock (last win for OC - Jan. 22, 2011).

UP NEXT
The Chaps stay at home for their second straight conference game, hosting Arkansas Fort Smith on Saturday, Dec. 3. Tip-off is set for 3 PM. Fans can purchase tickets at lcuchaps.com.