LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (18-6, 13-3)
vs. ANGELO STATE (14-9, 10-7)
Thursday, February 13 – 7:30 p.m.
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
 
TIPOFF
After a perfect 2-0 weekend on the road, the Lubbock Christian men's basketball team has now won seven straight games. Their last loss was against the team they will play against on Thursday – Angelo State. The Chaps dropped a game to the Rams in San Angelo 65-55 on Jan. 18, shooting just 35.1 percent, including 1-19 from beyond the arc. ASU enters the week after a pair of big wins last week, taking down both Eastern New Mexico and West Texas A&M.
 
FIRST OUT
There are two national top-25 polls in NCAA Division II basketball, one voted on by the coaches and one by sports information directors. In both polls this week, the Chaparrals are the first team just outside the rankings. LCU received 37 points in the D2CSC poll, just behind No. 25 West Chester's 46 points. In the NABC poll, they received 24 points, right behind No. 25 St. Mary's with 32 points. 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.
 
THE DEFENSE DOESN'T REST
Lubbock Christian has limited six of its last seven opponents to less than 70 points, and three of their last four to less than 60 points. Last Thursday, the Chaps limited the Mustangs to just 53 points and 28.6 percent shooting, which is their lowest single-game mark of the season. This season, the Chaps are limiting opponents to 65.9 points per game, which is the second-best mark in the Lone Star Conference. They are just behind Midwestern State, averaging 65.8 point against per game. Chaparral opponents shoot 43.4 percent, including only 33.4 percent from beyond the arc.
 
MURPHY MAGIC
Chaparral senior forward Sean Murphy had a huge week on the road trip west, averaging a double-double with 23.0 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game. Against the Mustangs, he was the only LCU player in double-figures, scoring a career-high 30 points on 13-22 shooting with 11 rebounds. He followed up with 16 points and nine rebounds against the Lobos. The New Zealand native is now averaging 11.9 points per game on 60.4 percent shooting and 5.8 rebounds per game.
 
BEYOND THE ARC
Lubbock Christian struggled mightily in the three-point shooting department against Western New Mexico, hitting just one in 15 attempts, but they rebounded and shot 34.8 percent against Sul Ross For the season, they are shooting 39.4 percent, which ranks No. 4 nationally and leads the conference. Duncan has made 72 this season, which ranks No. 14 in D-II and leads the LSC. His percentage of .436 is third on the team of players with at least 20 attempts, behind Ty Caswell (.452) and Jaylen Thompson, who is shooting 46.4 percent on 28 attempts. 
 
PROTECT THE ROCK
In the last three games, LCU has turned the ball over less than 10 times in every game. They have kept the turnovers in the single-digits 15 times this season and are 10-5 in those contests. Their season-low in turnovers was actually in their last game against Angelo State, when they turned over just twice. The Chaps average just 9.4 turnovers per game, which is the fewest in the conference and ranks No. 7 nationally. The also lead the LSC with a 1.51 assist/turnover ratio, and that mark ranks 17^th in D-II. Individually, Najeeb Muhammad leads the LSC and ranks No. 5 nationally with a 3.56 assist/turnover ratio. Against WNMU last week, Muhammad matched his career high with nine assists and turned it over just once.
 
WHERE THE HEART IS
Including Thursday's contest, there are just three home games left this season for the Chaps, who are 8-2 at the Rip Griffin Center this season. On their home floor this season, LCU is averaging 83.1 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting. Opponents in the Rip are averaging 66.0 points on just 46.3 percent shooting. Amondo Miller Jr., Duncan, Caswell, Murphy and Muhammad are all averaging at least 11 points per game at home this year. The Chaps are 152-81 (.649) in home games under head coach Todd Duncan.
 
LOOKING AT THE LONE STAR
DBU now sits atop the Lone Star Conference standings after a win against St. Mary's in San Antonio on Saturday. The Patriots are 15-2 in LSC play and 10-1 in the East Division. Meanwhile, in the West Division, Lubbock Christian now leads with an 8-2 divisional record after UT Permian Basin lost twice last week. The Chaps are 13-3 in in LSC play overall. Right behind LCU in the division is Midwestern State at 7-3. LCU and MSU will play twice next week to wrap up the regular season.
 
THE SERIES WITH THE RAMS
Lubbock Christian and Angelo State have met 36 times on the hardwood as four-year universities, with ASU leading the all-time series 24-12. ASU won the first eight meetings between the two teams. Since the Chaps made the move to NCAA Division II though the series has been much more even, tied at 7-7. The Rams won four straight from 2017 to 2020, but LCU responded with wins in the next three meetings  and six of the next seven. Lubbock Christian and Angelo State also met eight times as junior colleges, with the Rams winning every time.
 
SCOUTING THE RAMS

• Angelo State ranks second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 30.2 percent shooting
• Sterling Gaston-Chapman leads the Rams in scoring, averaging 12.7 points per game
• Head Coach Vinay Patel is in his third season leading the Angelo State program, posting a 180-122 overall record
• The Rams average scoring margin is 2.4 points, which is the lowest of any LSC team that has a positive number in that category
• ASU guard Kaden Evans has 45 steals this season, which is the fifth-most in the conference