Men's Basketball | 12.15.2025

NO. 4 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (9-1, 3-1)
vs. NO. 2 WASHBURN (11-0, 3-0)
Tuesday, December 16 – 11 a.m.
Bill Greehey Arena (San Antonio, Texas)
 
TIPOFF
It's a quick turnaround for the Chaparrals, who just lost their first game of the 2025-26 season and now turn their attention to a matchup with No. 2 Washburn at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at Billy Greehey Arena in the River City Holiday Classic. It's a break from Lone Star Conference play for LCU, who will also play Central Missouri at the invitational before heading to Las Vegas for two more non-conference games at the Holiday Hoops Classic.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
Updated national rankings for this week have not been released yet, making Tuesday's matchup between the Chaps and the Ichabods a top-five battle. Washburn, who remains undefeated on the season, is currently No. 2 in the National Association of Baskeball Coaches poll, and may move up to No. 1 this week, as last week's top team – Nova Southeastern – lost on Saturday. LCU, who also suffered its first loss on Saturday, was No. 4 in last week's NABC poll, holding that spot for the second-straight week. LCU has played only one other ranked team so far this season – Colorado School of Mines – who was ranked No. 10 in the preseason poll and who LCU beat 63-58.
 
BOARD GAMES
Lubbock Christian out-rebounded both of their opponents on the Oklahoma swing of the road trip and has been ahead in that category in nine of 10 games so far this season. The Chaps are averaging 37.1 rebounds per game, which is tied for fourth-best in the LSC. A large portion of that comes from Antonio Pusateri, who leads the conference and ranks 15^th nationally with 10.0 rebounds per game. He pulled down a season-high 15 against Cameron on Saturday, which was the most by an LCU player since Brennan Fowler had 18 against Jarvis Christian College on Nov. 29, 2018.
 
SHARP-SHOOTERS
As a team, LCU now shooting 50.1 on the season, which ranks 20^th in the nation and ranks second in the conference. Lubbock Christian is ranked even higher – 10th  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 .581. Antonio Pusateri leads the team in field goal percentage at .570, and Amondo Miller Jr. is also shooting better than 50 percent this season.
 
BEYOND THE ARC
Despite struggling from deep in both games last week, the Chaps are still one of the best teams in the country at shooting the three. LCU is shooting 42.1 percent from deep as a team, which leads the LSC and ranks fifth in all of Division II. Jett McCasland leads the team, shooting 50 percent from behind the arc, but does not have enough attempts to qualify for the conference or national leaderboards. Dow does though, leading the league and ranking No. 19 nationally with a .481 three-point percentage. 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.
 
PROTECT THE ROCK
The Chaparrals are averaging just 10.6 turnovers per game so far this year, which ranks third in the LSC and 19^th nationally. They also rank second in the league with 16.8 assists per game. Combining the two together, their assist to turnover ratio of 1.58 which ranks 11^th in Division II and leads the LSC. Dow, Miller Jr., Lucas Mercandino and Leo Nordberg all have at least 25 assists already this season. LCU has committed 10 or fewer turnovers in five games so far.
 
MILLER MAGIC
A large part of Lubbock Christian's success early this season has been the play of senior forward Amondo Miller Jr. The Colorado native ranks 11^th in the nation in points per game (22.6), 6th in total field goals (83) and 14^th in defensive rebounds per game (7.00). He is shooting 54.6 percent from the field, including 46.5 percent on three-pointers, and has added in 18 steals and five blocks on the defensive end of the floor. His stellar play has already earned him two LSC Offensive Player of the Week awards and the Tournament MVP at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
 
SCOUTING THE ICHABODS

• Washburn University and its Ichabods are both named for an early benefactor of the school – Ichabod Washburn. It has no connection to Ichabod Crane of Sleepy Hollow
• The Ichabods are undefeated on the season (11-0) but did need double overtime to take down Central Missouri on Saturday
• Dillon Claussen leads Washburn's offense with 17.3 points per game on an incredible 69.1 percent shooting
• Washburn reached the Final Four last season before losing to eventual national champion Nova Southeastern
• The Ichabods lead the nation in margin of victory, winning their 11 games by an average of 31.2 points per game

 
THE SERIES WITH THE ICHABODS
Lubbock Christian and Washburn have met only once in men's basketball previously, and did so outside of the lower 48. The matchup came in Nov. 26, 2016 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The No. 17 Ichabods edged the Chaparrals 65-63. Isaac Cardona led the Chaps with 13 points.
 
SCOUTING THE MULERIDERS

• Central Missouri has lost three games so far this season, but did take No. 2 Washburn to double-overtime on Saturday
• Lazerek Houston leads the offense, averaging 19.7 points and 4.8 assists per game
• Adam Bohac is in his third season leading the Muleriders after previously serving as the head coach at Southern Nazarene for 15 seasons
• CMU has a strong offense, shooting 48 percent from the field and averaging more than 80 points per game
• The Muleriders and Chaps have one common opponent – Colorado School of Mines – who they both beat

 
THE SERIES WITH THE MULERIDERS
Lubbock Christian and Central Missouri have never met in men's basketball.