By: Everett Corder (everett.corder@lcu.edu)


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NO. 11 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (16-3, 7-2 LSC)
at UT TYLER (9-6, 3-6 LSC)
Thursday, January 22 – 7:30 p.m.
Louise Herrington Patriot Center (Tyler, Texas)
 
TIPOFF
Lubbock Christian heads back out on the road this weekend for matchups with two different Patriot teams, starting with Thursday night’s game against UT Tyler at the Louise Herrington Patriot Center. Coming into the weekend, the Chaps have played the 14th-hardest schedule in all of NCAA Division II. LCU’s 19 opponents have a combined record of 196-121 for a .618 winning percentage. Left on the schedule are 11 teams that are a combined 87-99, for a .468 winning percentage.
 
SHARP-SHOOTERS
In Saturday’s game against Eastern New Mexico, Lubbock Christian shot 57.1 percent from the field (32-56). It is their third-highest single game percentage of the season and the ninth time the have shot better than 50 percent. It is also their highest shooting percentage in a loss since March 16, 2021. Overall this year, LCU is shooting exactly 50 percent, which leads the LSC and is the 12th-best mark in the nation. Antonio Pusateri leads the team and ranks third in the conference individually, shooting 58.8 percent.
 
BEYOND THE ARC
LCU’s efficiency extends all the way out past the three-point line, where their 39.0 percent shooting ranks 15th in all of Division II and leads the LSC. Kendall Dow leads the team and is third in the league, shooting 41.9 percent from deep, and Miller Jr. is also shooting better than 40 percent. Dow  also leads the conference with 2.74 made three-pointers per game. 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.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN

Going 1-1 last week against a pair of teams also nationally ranked dropped Lubbock Christian six spots in the National Association of Basketball Coaches poll to No. 11. They have spent every week of the 2025-26 season ranked, and are still the highest-ranked Lone Star Conference team. Joining them in the rankings are Eastern New Mexico (19) and St. Edward’s (25). West Texas A&M and St. Mary’s are also receiving votes, and Dallas Baptist just dropped out after being ranked No. 25 last week. The Chaps are coming off a stretch of playing five ranked teams in the last six games.
 
IRON MEN
Three of the top five players in the Lone Star Conference in minutes per game are starters for LCU. Amondo Miller Jr. leads the way, ranking second in the league and 23rd nationally with 35.47 minutes per game. Dow and Pusateri are not far behind at third and fifth, respectively. Dow has actually played the full 40 minutes six times this season, including in five straight games. Only Leo Nordberg (19.9) and Reagan Fielder (10.1) are averaging double-digit minutes off the bench, and Nordberg was recently moved into the starting lineup.
 
BOARD GAMES
One of the top rebounders in the nation resides in Lubbock in Pusateri, who enters the week with a total of 203 boards – the second most in Division II. The San Francisco native is the only LSC player averaging double-digit rebounds (10.7), and his 11 double-doubles are the third most in the nation. If he keeps up his current average, his single-season rebound total will rank in the top five in LCU history. Miller is third in the conference with 8.7 boards per contest. As a team, the Chaps average 36.8 rebounds a game, which is sixth in the LSC.
 
PROTECT THE ROCK
The Chaps are currently No. 2 in the conference and 23rd nationally in assist to turnover ratio with a mark of 1.41. They average 16.2 assists and 11.5 turnovers per game, with both marks ranking third in the conference. In games this season where they commit less than 10 turnovers, LCU is 7-1. Dow and Lucas Mercandino both rank in the top 10 individually in the LSC in assist to turnover ratio at 1.9 and 1.7, respectively. Miller leads the team in assists with 68.  
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Lubbock Christian has played three times as many games away from home as they have inside the Rip Griffin Center this season. They are 4-1 in true road games and 6-1 in neutral site games. In their five true road games, the Chaps are averaging 80.2 points per game on 49.0 percent shooting while limiting opponents to 71.8 points per game on 44.3 percent shooting. Their one road loss came against Cameron.
 
SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS


Head coach Tim Moser is in his third season leading the men’s team after previously serving as the associate head coach of the women’s team
The Patriots are shooting 47.3 percent from the field this season, which is the third-best mark in the LSC
UTT is, however, does rank in the bottom third of the league in three-point shooting, averaging just 31.7 percent from beyond the arc
Sean Emfinger is the only Patriot averaging double-figures with 11.2 points per game, but three others are averaging at least nine a contest
UT Tyler is the worst free throw shooting team in the conference, shooting 60.9 percent from the charity stripe

 
THE SERIES WITH THE PATRIOTS
UT Tyler moved to the NCAA Division II level and joined the Lone Star Conference in 2019, and the Chaps and Patriots have been meeting on the hardwood since. In their seven total meetings, LCU has won every time. Four of the games have been decided by single-digits, including last year’s 59-51 LCU win that featured 23 points from Ethan Duncan.