On Sunday, January 4th at 3 p.m., Lubbock Christian University (LCU) will take on St. Mary’s University in San Antonio. This match features two highly ranked teams: LCU is No. 8 with a record of 13-2, while St. Mary’s holds the No. 20 spot at 10-2. The Chaps have been impressive, with victories over other ranked opponents, including No. 12 West Liberty and No. 13 St. Edward’s. Their only loss came against No. 2 Washburn.
Here are five key points to watch in this exciting matchup:
- Antonio Pusateri is on fire. He recently scored a career-high 32 points against St. Edward’s, shooting an impressive 14-of-17. He’s also the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week, averaging over 16 points and 10 rebounds per game. His nine double-doubles lead the nation.
- LCU set a new season record by shooting 93.3% from the free-throw line against St. Edward’s, making 14 out of 15 attempts. Last year, they surpassed 90% only four times.
- The Chaps excel at three-point shooting, ranking No. 14 in the country with a 39.6% success rate. Kendall Dow leads the team with 35 three-pointers, while Amondo Miller Jr. boasts the highest shooting percentage at 43.9%.
- LCU has dominated the boards, averaging 38 rebounds per game. They’ve only been out-rebounded once this season, with Pusateri ranking sixth nationally in rebounds.
- In the Lone Star Conference standings, LCU sits in second place, trailing Eastern New Mexico and DBU, both undefeated in league play. St. Mary’s is close behind with a 3-1 record.
Now let’s take a closer look at St. Mary’s. Despite one league loss to DBU, they are known for their tight defense, allowing only 65.3 points per game—the best in the conference. Damani Claxton, the LSC Preseason Player of the Year, leads St. Mary’s in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game. They also excel at rebounding, boasting a margin of +7.4 over their opponents.
The rivalry between LCU and St. Mary’s dates back to 1992. LCU has won 11 of the 18 matchups but lost the last two, including one in the NCAA Tournament that ended LCU’s season. This game is set to be another thrilling chapter in this competitive series.
For more insights into college basketball statistics and performance trends, you can visit resources like NCAA.com.
