LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (8-3, 3-1)
vs. MONTANA STATE BILLINGS (9-4, 1-0)
Friday, Dec. 20 – 6 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. CT
South Point Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
 
TIPOFF
Same time. Same place. New opponents. Less than 24 hours since they stepped off the floor victorious against Western Washington, Lubbock Christian will tip off for their second game in the Holiday Hoops Classic, taking on Montana State-Billings at 6 p.m. PT in the South Point Arena. It's an even quicker turnaround for the Yellowjackets, who had the late game on Thursday, losing 61-53 to Angelo State in a game that ended at 9:49 p.m.
 
FIVE THINGS TO FOCUS ON
1 | The Chaps struggled from behind the arc in Thursday's win, shooting just 26.7 percent overall. It is their lowest mark in a win since two seasons ago, when they beat UT Tyler 58-48 despite shooting just 25 percent on threes. The were solid enough in the second half, when they were 3-of-8 for a 37.5 percent mark. Lubbock Christian entered the weekend No. 1 in the nation with a season average of 43.6 percent on three-pointers.
 
2 | Lubbock Christian blocked five shots against Western Washington, matching their season-high, which they have done three other times. The Chaps now have 32 blocks on the season. Jaylen Thompson, who got his first start of the season on Thursday, leads the team with eight.
 
3 | Montana State-Billings also struggled mightily from behind the arc on Thursday, hitting on just five of their 26 attempts (19.2 percent). Jalen Tot, who came into the week shooting 37.6 percent from three, went 0-for-8.
 
4 | LCU has won five straight games. During the 2023-24 season, they had one win streak of five games and one of seven games.
 
5 | Friday's contest will be the last in non-conference play for the Chaps in the regular season. They are 5-2 outside of league play so far this year. They were 5-3 in non-conference regular season games in the 2023-24 season.

THE SERIES WITH THE YELLOWJACKETS
This will be the first-ever meeting between Lubbock Christian and Montana State-Billings in men's basketball.
 
SCOUTING THE YELLOWJACKETS

• MSUB is 9-4 on the year and enters the contest having lost two straight. They fell to No. 13 Minot State before heading to Las Vegas
• Senior Yellowjacket guard Jalen Tot entered the weekend third in the GNAC in scoring with an average of 17.9 points per game
• Luke Fennelly is in just his second season leading MSUB, but had an excellent first year, winning West Region and GNAC Coach of the Year while leading the Yellowjackets to a conference title and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament
• MSUB was picked to finish second in the GNAC Preseason Poll, just five points behind Central Washington and with only one fewer first place vote
• The Yellowjackets lead the GNAC in three-point field goal percentage, shooting 38.3 percent from behind the arc.