LCU Basketball Faces First Ranked Test Friday

GOLDEN, CO — Lubbock Christian University (1-1) will head into their first matchup against a ranked opponent this season, facing No. 8 Colorado School of Mines on Friday night in the South Central Region Crossover. Tipoff at Lockridge Arena is set for 7 p.m. MST (8 p.m. CST).

The Chaparrals opened their season at the D2CCA Tipoff Classic with a split, defeating Missouri Western but falling to St. Cloud State. LCU faces a challenging matchup in the Orediggers, who will be playing their season opener after finishing last season with an impressive 24-9 record.

The Chaps are showcasing new talent for the 2024-25 season, and several players have already made key contributions. Amondo Miller Jr. led LCU with a 16-point average across two games, earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Newcomer Sean Murphy posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Thompson contributed as the team’s leading playmaker with seven assists.

LCU’s offense showed flashes of dominance in the opening weekend, shooting 62.5 percent from the field in their first game, highlighted by super senior Ty Caswell’s 18-point performance off the bench. However, the Chaps struggled from beyond the arc in their second game, hitting only 16 percent. Their combined three-point average for the weekend, 37.8 percent, still leads the Lone Star Conference.

Defensively, Lubbock Christian leads the Lone Star Conference in points allowed, holding opponents to an average of 58.5 points over the two games. Though they tallied few blocks and steals, the Chaps’ rebounding advantage of +7 helped control the game against both opponents.

LCU head coach Todd Duncan, in his 14th season, has led the team to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and a 244-135 overall record. On the opposite sideline, Colorado School of Mines coach Pryor Osor enters his 24th season as the winningest coach in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference history, with a 445-227 record.

Series History

Friday’s game continues a close rivalry between the Chaps and the Orediggers, who have faced each other almost every year since 2015. Mines leads the all-time series 6-3, winning the last two meetings by narrow margins. LCU’s last victory came on Nov. 13, 2021, with a 79-63 win at the Rip Griffin Center.