Chaps start road trip wanting to pay back WNMU
The Lubbock Christian University men have won six basketball games in a row, and the streak would be eight straight had the Chaparrals not suffered an upset loss at home four weeks ago to Western New Mexico.
The Chaps will try to return the favor this week.
LCU (16-6, 12-4) takes on Western New Mexico (13-9, 7-9) in Lone Star Conference action at 8:30 p.m. CST Thursday in Silver City, New Mexico. WNMU is trying to end a stretch of 14 consecutive losing seasons, having finished far below .500 in most of those years.
The game is the second of two at Drag's Court. The Lady Chaps (16-8, 11-5) and the Mustangs (7-13, 5-11) square off at 6:30 p.m. CST.
The WNMU men bumped off the LCU men 76-67 on Jan. 14 at the Rip Griffin Center, one of only two home losses they've suffered this season.
It was a costly setback for the Chaps, given the strength of the 16-team Lone Star Conference this season has been mostly in the West Division. West Texas A&M (16-6, 14-2), No. 25 Angelo State (18-5, 14-3) and LCU have the top three records in the division and the conference.
LCU scored a big victory last Thursday at home, edging Angelo State 67-66 and ending the Rams' nine-game win streak.
Chaps forward Rowan Mackenzie averages 19.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, first and seventh in the conference, respectively. Forward Russell Harrison has the LSC's seventh-highest scoring average at 15.8 points per game, and point guard Najeeb Muhammad is third in the conference in assists at 4.4 per game to go along with his scoring average of 10.1.
Lady Chaps forward Grace Foster is averaging 15.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, figures that rank fifth and second in the conference. Junior guards Audrey Robertson (11.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Maci Maddox (9.8 ppg, 4.6 apg) and Shaylee Stovall (8.1 ppg) are the Lady Chaps' other primary weapons. Maddox's assists average ranks third in the conference.
The games in Silver City are the first in the usual two-game LSC road trip. LCU teams play Eastern New Mexico on Saturday in Portales.
THURSDAY'S AREA SCHEDULE
Women
Howard College (12-11, 3-5) at South Plains College (13-7, 7-0), 5:45 p.m.
Wayland Baptist (15-9, 11-7) vs. Oklahoma City University (11-9, 8-9), 6 p.m. in El Reno, Oklahoma
Lubbock Christian University (16-8, 11-5) at Western New Mexico (7-13, 5-11), 6:30 p.m.
Men
Howard College (16-7, 6-3) at No. 15 South Plains College (18-5, 5-3), 7:30 p.m.
Wayland Baptist (18-6, 13-5) vs. Oklahoma City University (12-11, 10-7), 8 p.m. in El Reno, Oklahoma
Lubbock Christian University (16-6, 12-4) at Western New Mexico (13-9, 7-9), 8:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Chaps start road trip wanting to pay back loss to WNMU
