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CANYON, Texas – No. 8 West Texas A&M will look to book their ticket to the Lone Star Conference Championship on Friday, March 4, when they host No. 16 DBU in a semifinal matchup at the First United Bank Center. Tip is scheduled for 4 p.m.
 
Friday's semifinal will be broadcast on the LSC Digital Network with Kent Johnson and Lucas Kinsey on the call. Stats will be available on GoBuffsGo.com 
 
A LOOK AT BACK AT TUESDAY'S QUARTERFINAL
The Buffs won their 10th straight LSC tournament game under Tom Brown on Tuesday with a 72-58 victory UT Permian Basin in the quarterfinal round. Eight different Buffs scored including a game-high 20 from Qua Grant as the junior went 9-of-19 from the floor and pulled down six rebounds. 
 
A LOOK AT NO. 16 DBU
No. 16 DBU is 16-3 overall having won seven of their last eight games including a 76-55 victory over Midwestern State in Tuesday's quarterfinal. The Patriots are led by 15th year head coach Dr. Blake Flickner, who has compiled a record of 286-177.
 
Chandler Jacobs is an all-around great basketball player. The senior not only ranks second in the LSC in scoring but was also named the league's Defensive Player of the Year. He enters Friday's semifinal averaging 21.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game shooting 58.3 from the floor, 49.1 percent from the floor and 80.7 percent from the free throw line. He has scored in double figures in all 19 games this season including a 29-point performance in the quarterfinals against MSU. 
 
Ricky Lujan was named the Freshman of the Year after averaging 16.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. The Las Cruces, N.M. native has scored in double figures in 15 games this season including a career-high 31 against Cameron on Jan. 2 where he went 7-of-10 from 3-point range. 
 
His stats won't blow you away but William Heather is a key part of what the Patriots do on both ends of the court. The redshirt sophomore is averaging 9.7 points and 3.1 assists per game in 19 starts this season. Carson Hughes leads the team in assists at 4.3 dimes per contest while averaging 10.5 points per game. 
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
Friday will be the sixth all-time meeting between the two programs, all of them coming in Canyon. WT is 4-1 all-time against DBU but the Patriots did end the Buffs 45-game home win streak earlier this season. 
 
This will mark the first time the two teams meet in the postseason as they were on opposite ends of the bracket in last year's LSC tournament. 
 
LOOKING TO MAKE IT FOUR STRAIGHT
The Buffs improved to 42-19 (.689) in LSC Tournament games with their over UTPB on Tuesday. They have now won nine more than games than any other team in the conference and are one win away from their 15th title game appearance. 
 
They are also still on track to become the first team in LSC history to win four straight LSC Tournaments. With their win over St. Edward's last year, they joined Abilene Christian (1985-87) as the only teams to be crowned champions three straight years. 
 
THE DYNAMIC DUO
Grant and Joel Murray were both named to First Team All-LSC on Wednesday morning. Jon'il Fugett picked up second-team honors with Zach Toussaint earning honorable mention accolades. 
 
Grant became just the second Buff in program history to be voted to the First Team in three consecutive seasons. It is hard to believe but the junior's numbers are better this season than his sophomore season when he was named the league's Player of the Year. He is averaging 20.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 50.7 percent, 36.3 percent from three and 77.5 percent from the free throw line.
 
Murray earned First Team accolades for the second straight season after leading the league is scoring. The junior is the only player in the conference to rank in the Top 10 in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals as he averaged 24.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists during the regular season. 
 
They were both also named to the all-defensive team as they rank in the Top 10 in steals per game. 
 
MIGHT NEED A BIGGER TROPHY CASE
Murray might need a bigger trophy case as the junior was named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Men's Division II National Player of the Week on Tuesday evening. He earned the honor after averaging 34.5 points per game against Lubbock Christian.
 
GETTING CLOSER TO BIG AL
Following his 11th career win over UTPB, Brown is one win away from tying Al Baggett for the fourth-most wins in program history. Baggett (1934-42) went 176-65 during his time in Canyon including a trip to the NIT during his final season where they faced Creighton. 
 
BUFFS IN THE SEMIFINALS
West Texas A&M is 16-7 all-time in conference tournament semifinals including a 14-7 record as a member of the Lone Star Conference. They went 2-0 in semifinals in the Missouri Valley Conference but were unable to bring home a title losing to Southern Illinois in 1977 and Bradley in 1980.
 
BIG FAN OF BILL BELICHICK
In three games against DBU, Murray is averaging 24.7 points, 7.0 assists and 6.7 rebounds per contest while shooting 51.1 percent from the floor, 31.3 percent from three and 84.0 percent from the charity stripe. He had everyone on triple-double alert in their last meeting with 23 points, nine boards and seven assists.
 
BUFFALO CHIPS
Grant will more than likely move up to third on the all-time scoring list in Friday's game against DBU. The junior as scored, 1556 points in 86 career games, 11 points away from Martin Lattibeaudiere. 
 
Murray should enter the Top 5 as well as the junior is three points away from passing Jordan Evans. The Rowlett native, who is averaging 23.5 points per game, has scored 1,453 points during his three-year career.
 
With his three assists against UTPB on Tuesday, Murray moved up to fifth in all-time assists with 349. Once he passes J. Evans on the scoring list he will become the second player in program history to rank in the Top 5 in scoring and assists.
 
UP NEXT
With a win over DBU, the Buffs would advance to face the winner of No. 14 Texas A&M-Kingsville and SEU in Saturday's LSC Championship. Tip is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the FUBC.