NO. 4 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (8-0, 2-0)
at ANGELO STATE (4-3, 0-2)
Thursday, December 11 – 7:30 p.m.
Payne Athletic Center (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
 
TIPOFF
Lubbock Chistian University is headed for the Sooner State, taking on Oklahoma Christian at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Payne Athletic Center. The Chaps are looking to remain undefeated after an 8-0 start to the season, which is their best since 2021. They are one of just 13 teams at the Division II level still unbeaten this late into the season, and one of only three left in the Lone Star Conference. The Eagles enter the matchup 4-3 so far and without an LSC win yet this season.
 
AWARD CENTRAL
Lubbock Christian University junior forward Antonio Pusateri was named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday afternoon. This is the fourth time this season that a Chaparral has been recognized with a weekly LSC award, including the second time for one to claim DPOW honors. Pusateri pulled down 18 defensive rebounds, blocked four shots and averaged a double-double to help lead the No. 4-ranked Chaps to a pair of conference wins over UT Permian Basin and Angelo State
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
For the second-straight week, the Chaps find themselves inside the top five in the National Association of Basketball Coaches National Top-25 poll. They sit at fourth again this week, with no movement inside the top five. It is their highest ranking since the 2021-22 season, when they reached No. 1 overall for eight straight weeks. Lubbock Christian is the only school in the nation with both its men's and women's teams ranked in the top five nationally. St. Mary's (7) West Texas A&M and St. Edward's (14) are the other LSC teams in the rankings.
 
IN THEIR DEFENSE
After allowing just 60.5 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting across their two wins last week, the Chaps are boasting one of the best defenses at the Division II level. Overall this season, LCU is allowing just 65.1 points per game, which ranks No. 25 in the nation. Chap opponents are shooting just 41 percent from the field, including just 29.2 percent from behind the arc. Twice this season, LCU has held an opponent below 60 points in a game, including last week's win against UT Permian Basin.
 
MILLER MADNESS
Amondo Miller Jr. has had a strong start to his senior season, winning two league Player of the Week awards and also earning Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Tournament MVP. An All-LSC Third Team selection last season, Miller Jr. ranks sixth in the nation in points per game (24.0), 10th in total field goals (71) and 11^th in defensive rebounds per game (7.38). He is shooting 57.7 percent from the field, including 55.9 percent on three-pointers, and has added in 14 steals and five blocks on the defensive end of the floor.
 
SHARP-SHOOTERS
As a team, LCU now shooting 50.7 on the season, which ranks 16^th in the nation and leads the conference. Lubbock Christian is ranked even higher – 8^th  nationally – in Effective FG%, which is a statistic that adjusts field goal percentage to account for the fact that three-point field goals count for three points, while all other field goals only count for two points. Their EFG% so far this season is .593. Miller Jr. is the team leader in field goal percentage, but Kendall Dow and Antonio Pusateri are both shooting above 50 percent for the season as well.
 
BEYOND THE ARC
LCU's efficiency extends all the way out past the three-point line, where their 45.0 percent shooting ranks second in all of Division II. Dow leads the team, is first in the conference and fifth in the nation with an individual mark of 55.3 percent. LCU matched a program record with 20 made three-pointers – including 12 in the second half – earlier this season against Fort Lewis. The Chaps have shot better than 50 percent from behind the arc three times this season, including a season-high 64.7 percent on Nov. 2 against Augusta.
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Although they have played away from home a number of times this season, the Chaps have only one true road game under their belt – the Nov. 22 win at Fort Lewis. Every other contest this season has been at a neutral site or in the Rip Griffin Center. They won that game against the Skyhawks 94-76, shooting 50.8 percent in the unfriendly confines. Last year, the Chaparrals were 10-3 in road contests.
 
SCOUTING THE EAGLES

• OC is one of just six Lone Star Conference teams with a negative scoring margin so far this year, albeit just -0.7 points per game
• Four Oklahoma Christian players are averaging double-figures, led by Miles Gibson with 15.3 points per game
• A former Eagle himself, Kendre Talley is in his seventh season leading the Oklahoma Christian men's basketball program
• OC has the third-lowest assist per game mark in the league, averaging just 12.1 per contest so far this season
• Carson Jones leads the team with 35 three-point attempts, but is shooting just 31.4 percent from behind the arc

 
THE SERIES WITH THE EAGLES
Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Christian have been meeting on the hardwood since 1971, which was the Chaps' first season as a four-year institution. The Eagles lead the all-time series 41-33, dominating the series in the early years, but LCU has closed the gap immensely in the NCAA era, winning 15 of the last 20 matchups between the teams. The Chaps have not lost to the Eagles since Feb. 15, 2020, when they missed a pair of buzzer-beater attempts and fell 69-68.