Men's Basketball | 11.08.2024

RV LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (1-1)
at COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES (0-0)
Friday, Nov. 8 – 4 p.m. MST / 5 p.m. CST
Lockridge Arena (Golden, Colorado)
 
TIPOFF
It is the first official weekend of NCAA Division II basketball, although the Chaparrals already got their season underway at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic last weekend. LCU opened up with a win over Missouri Western, but fell to St. Cloud State in their second game of the weekend. The road gets no easier for the Chaps, as they will now take on No. 8 Colorado School of Mines in the South Central Region Crossover. This will be the first game of the season for the Orediggers.
 
FRESH FACES
The 2024-25 edition of Lubbock Christian features a number of new contributors, many of whom made big impacts in their first weekend of games with the Chaps. Amondo Miller Jr. averaged 16 points per game and added in seven rebounds on the weekend, earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team. He was the only Chap to finish in double-figures in both contests. LCU's top two rebounders are also new to the team. Sean Murphy averaged 7.5 rebounds in the tournament, including a double-double in Saturdays game (14 points, 11 rebounds), while Jaylen Thompson averaged 7.0 boards per game and leads the team with seven assists.
 
TURNING BACK THE CLOCK
LCU started the season with an epic offensive performance, shooting 62.5 percent from the field in a 40-point win. The leading scorer in the game was super senior Ty Caswell, who was 7-for-9 from the field, including 4-for-4 from behind the arc for 18 points – all off the bench. The 18 points were the most for Caswell in a single game since Feb. 29, 2020 – his freshman year. That season, the Wichita Falls native averaged 11.2 points per game and was named the LSC Freshman of the Year.
 
THE DEFENSE DOESN'T REST
Only five Lone Star Conference teams played last weekend, but of the group, Lubbock Christian led the way defensively. The Griffons and Huskies averaged just 58.5 points per game against the Chaps and shot a combined 37.2 percent in the two games. That effort came in spite of the fact that they had the fewest blocked shots and steals. LCU did do well on the glass, out-rebounding their opponents by an average of 7.0 per game.
 
FROM WAY DOWNTOWN
The Chaps were like Jekyll and Hyde from behind the arc in their opening weekend of play. They were on fire in the win over Missouri Western, hitting on 65 percent of their attempts, including 8-of-9 in the first half. That mark would've been second-best among last season's games, behind only Feb. 22's 70.6% shooting performance. In game two though, they shot just 16 percent, which was their worst percentage since Feb. 2, 2023, when they were 1-for-16 (.063). Combing the two together, LCU still has the best three-point percentage in the league at 37.8 percent. They shot 41.3 percent in the 2023-24 season.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
This will be LCU's first test against a ranked opponent this season, with Mines ranked No. 8. During the 2023-24 campaign, the Chaps were 3-4 against ranked opponents, including 3-3 against teams ranked in the top ten. Their highest-ranked win came over No. 4 West Texas A&M. Lubbock Christian is not ranked, but did receive votes in the NABC Preseason Poll. LCU was last in the national rankings early in the 2022-23 season, when they were ranked No. 16 in the NABC poll and No. 24 in the D2CSC poll.
 
LEADING THE CHARGE
Back to lead the Chaparrals for an 14th straight season is head coach Todd Duncan. The seventh coach in program history, Duncan took over starting with the 2011-12 season. Prior to that, he spent 15 successful years as the head boys basketball coach and athletic director at Trinity Christian H.S. In his 13 prior seasons, Duncan has built a record of 244-135 and led the program to the NCAA Tournament seven times in the 10 seasons they have been eligible. Duncan is joined by Jason Imes, who has been his assistant for all 14 seasons, along with three graduate assistants. Kolten Trimmier, who is in his third season, Lloyd Daniels, who played for the Chaps from 2019-2022, and has now returned as a staff member and newcomer Sam Reaves.
 
THE SERIES WITH THE OREDIGGERS
Lubbock Christian and Colorado School of Mines have become familiar foes on the hardwood since the former became a member of the NCAA's Division II, facing off at least once nearly every year since 2015. They only missed the 2020-21 season, due to COVID. The Orediggers lead the all-time series 6-3 and have won each of the last two meetings, although both only by single digits. LCU's last win in the series came on Nov. 13, 2021 in the Rip Griffin Center by a score of 79-63.
 
SCOUTING THE OREDIGGERS

• Pryor Osor is entering his 24^th season leading the Oredigger program. He is the winningest coach in the history of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at 445-227
• CSM was picked to win the RMAC this season with 11 of 14 first place votes and 191 total points
• Four newcomers join the Orediggers for the 2024-25 campaign comprised of three freshmen and a junior college transfer
• Majok Deng is the top returner after averaging 17.2 points per game a year ago and earning First Team All-RMAC honors
• Mines went 24-9 overall and 17-5 last season including a 12-2 mark when playing at Lockridge Arena