Men’s Basketball | 02.02.2026


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NO. 9 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (18-3, 9-2 LSC)
vs. MIDWESTERN STATE (7-11, 5-6LSC)
Tuesday, February 3 – 7:30 p.m.
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
 
TIPOFF
It will be a busy week for the Lubbock Christian University men’s basketball team, and it all starts on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. at the Rip Griffin Center against Midwestern State. The Chaps will play three games in five days this week, following up the matchup with MSU with a road contest on Thursday at UT Dallas before taking on DBU Saturday in a makeup of the postponed game originally scheduled for January 24. After this week, LCU will have just six more games left on the regular season schedule. They have played the 21st hardest schedule in D-II so far this year, facing opponents with a combined winning percentage of .597.
 
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
After losing to Cameron on the road earlier this season, the Chaparrals got revenge in a big way on Saturday, scoring 107 points. The 107 points was the most in a game by an LCU team since Nov. 26, 2024, and was just eight points shy of matching the Rip Griffin Center scoring record, set in 2013. Furthermore, the 57-point margin of victory is their largest under Head Coach Todd Duncan, surpassing the previous 56-point win against Open Bible College on Nov. 15, 2013. LCU is now averaging 80.4 points per game, which is the team’s highest mark since the 2020-21 season when they averaged 82.7.
 
IN THEIR DEFENSE
On the flip side, the Chaps held the Aggies to just 50 points on 31.4 percent shooting. Both of those marks were the second-worst in a game this season by CU. Lubbock Christian opponents are averaging just 67.9 points per game this season, which gives them the third-best defense in the Lone Star Conference. Chap opponents shoot just 41.7 percent from the field, including 31.6 percent from behind the arc. The game against Cameron marked the sixth time this season LCU has held an opponent to less than 60 points, and they are 6-0 in those contests.
 
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 34th nationally with 35:23 minutes per game. Dow and Pusateri are not far behind at third and fifth, respectively. Dow has played the full 40 minutes in six games this season. Only Leo Nordberg (20.5) and Reagan Fielder (10.4) are averaging double-digit minutes off the bench, although each have seen minutes as starters since Alex Anamekwe was injured in the game against West Texas A&M.
 
SHARP-SHOOTERS
As a team, LCU now shooting 50.5 percent on the season, which ranks 9th in the nation and leads  the conference. Lubbock Christian is also ranked 5th 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 .579. Pusateri leads the team and is third in the LSC in field goal percentage at .595, and Amondo Miller Jr. and Kendall Dow and Lucas Mercandino are all shooting better than 48 percent.
 
BEYOND THE ARC
LCU’s efficiency extends all the way out past the three-point line, where their 39.9 percent shooting ranks 9th in all of Division II and leads the LSC. Kendall Dow leads the team and the league, shooting 42.5 percent from deep. 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
Lubbock Christian moved up two spots and is back in the top 10 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches top-25 poll, checking in at No. 9 this week. The Chaps are the highest rank LSC team, but are joined in the top 25 by Eastern New Mexico (9), St. Edward’s (22) and Dallas Baptist (24). LCU has played against seven ranked teams so far this season, going 5-2 in those games overall.
 
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
This will be the seventh home game of the season for the Chaps, who are 6-1 inside the Rip Griffin so far this year. Including Tuesday’s matchup with MSU, they have five more games on their home court. In their seven home games so far this season, they are averaging 81.9 points per game on 54 percent shooting, while limiting opponents to 63.0 points per game on 40.5 percent shooting. In their only home loss against ENMU, the Chaps shot 57.1 percent from the field, which is their highest shooting percentage in a loss since March 16, 2021.Officially dedicated on October 9, 2000, the Rip Griffin Center seats 1,950 fans for sporting events.
 
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS


Head Coach Jon Trilli is in his first season leading the Mustangs after previously playing for MSU in 2009-11 under current Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland, who is the father of Chap guard Jett McCasland
Midwestern State is shooting just 66.6 percent from the free throw line, which is the fourth-worst mark in the LSC
The Mustangs have won back-to-back games, including a double overtime victory against Cameron on Jan. 29
Three MSU players are averaging double-figures, led by Orlando Horton Jr. with 12.0 points per game
Midwestern State is allowing 79.7 points per game, which is the third-most in the conference

 
THE SERIES WITH THE MUSTANGS
Lubbock Christian and Midwestern State have met 45 times on the hardwood overall, with the Mustangs leading the all-time series 27-18. The Chaps have won the last three meetings, and seven of the last 10 matchups. Earlier this season when the two teams met in Wichita Falls, LCU led by as many as 18 in the second half and held off a late MSU comeback attempt.