The 2015-16 LCU women's basketball team marks the fifth "team" to receive induction into the Hall of Honor, joining the 1983 and 2009 baseball teams, the 1990-91 men's cross country team and the 2008 softball squad.
Tidbits on the 2015-16 LCU Women's Basketball Team
- LCU concluded the season with a 35-0 record.
- Lubbock Christian became the third team in NCAA Division II history to finish the season undefeated with a national title, joining the 1995 North Dakota State (32-0) and 2014 Bentley (35-0) squads to finish the year with unblemished marks.
- The national title was the first in program history.
- The season was LCU's first as a member of NCAA Division II after making the move from the NAIA and went 6-0 in their inaugural NCAA Tournament appearance.
- Lubbock Christian's 35
th win on the season extended their school record for wins in a season, having surpassed the 2012-13 output of 31 wins during a 31-4 campaign.
- Lubbock Christian improved to 1-1 all-time in national title games, having finished as the runner-up in the 2006 NAIA Tournament.
- Lubbock Christian trailed for just 0:37 of the national championship game, marking the 24
th time during the season in which the team trailed for 0:50 or less in a game during the season. They did not trail at the completion of the final 86 quarters they played during the season.
- During the championship game senior Nicole Hampton finished the game one assist shy of her third career triple-double. She concluded her final collegiate game with 22 points, 13 rebounds (11 in the first half) and nine assists, finishing her career as the all-time career leader at Lubbock Christian in points (1,796), assists (659), rebounds (1,053) and steals (330). Hampton also started her 130
th career game, having started every game of her collegiate career.
- Senior Kelsey Hoppel, Lubbock Christian's career leader in three-pointers, hit four three-point field goals in the championship to bring her career total to 271 as she finished with a game-high 27 points (in the title game). Her 91 three-pointers during the season marked the program's single-season record.
- Senior Kellyn Schneider posted five blocks in the championship game to surpass 200 was the 200
th of her LCU career in just her second season with the Lady Chaps. She finished the game with five blocks to bring her total to 204.
Championship Game Recap
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (April 4, 2016) – Top-ranked Lubbock Christian University became the third team in NCAA Division II Women's Basketball history to cap a perfect season and the first to win a national championship in their first season of eligibility, as they claimed the program's first national title with a 78-73 win over University of Alaska Anchorage Monday afternoon in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship Game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The senior duo of Kelsey Hoppel and Nicole Hampton, who close their LCU careers with a combined 3,247 points, led LCU in the win. Hoppel posted a season-high 27 points, which was the most by a Lady Chaps individual during the season. She hit four three-pointers and collected four steals. Hampton nearly became the eighth player in NCAA women's basketball history (first in Division II) to record a quadruple-double, as she had 22 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and matched a career high with seven steals. She ended her LCU career with 42 double-doubles.
LCU led the game for 35:04 and only trailed for 37 seconds, but the game's flow did not reflect that. Neither team was able to get on the scoreboard until 2:46 into the game, when Hoppel scored a pair of her eight first-quarter points. Jessica Madison was 4-of-7 from three-point range for UAA and connected on her first with 4:58 left in the first quarter for an 8-5 UAA lead. It would be the only time the Seawolves would lead, as LCU responded with a 12-0 run for a 17-8 lead with 1:19 left in the opening quarter. Five of the points during the run were from senior Haley Fowler. LCU led 18-13 at the end of the first quarter.
Madison hit another timely three-pointer for UAA with 6:18 left in the half and LCU's lead was cut to 25-24, but again LCU responded and with a bucket by Fowler, who capped a 6-0 run to build the lead to 31-24 with 4:19 left in the half. LCU led 40-32 at the half.
Hampton had 11 rebounds, eight points and five assists in the opening half. LCU was 61.5% from the field in the second quarter (8/13).
On two occasions during the third quarter, UAA was able to cut LCU's lead down to a three-point game, but LCU responded with a small 4-0 and 6-0 run. The second run consisted of three-pointers from Hoppel and Hampton for a 55-45 lead with 3:25 remaining in the third quarter. Hoppel was 3-of-5 from long range for nine points in the quarter and they led 60-50 heading into the fourth quarter.
Hampton followed a Tess Bruffey three-pointer with a pair of free throws for a 71-57 lead with 4:55 remaining. That was the end of a 7-0 run and it was the start of UAA's comeback bid. The Seawolves forced four consecutive LCU turnovers and went on a 9-0 run to cut LCU's lead to 71-66 with 2:29 left in regulation. It was also part of a 12-2 run that had UAA trailing LCU 73-69 with 1:17 remaining. Hampton had a runner with 40 seconds left and also had three steals in the quarter (six in the second half) to help build the lead to 78-69 with 21 seconds left. UAA scored two quick buckets in the final 13 seconds, but time was on LCU's side and the Lady Chaps celebration erupted onto the floor with the final buzzer.
LCU ran a tight squad, with only seven of their players touching the floor. Five Lady Chaps played at least 24 minutes and everyone played at least 12 minutes. Bruffey fouled out marking the first Lady Chaps starter to foul out on the season. LCU was 48.1% (26/54) from the field and held UAA to 41.4% from the field (29/70). LCU had six blocks, with Kellyn Schneider surpassing 200 career blocks with five blocks (204). LCU received 15 points from Fowler, who joined Hoppel and Hampton in double figures offensively. The Lady Chaps out-scored UAA 19-7 from the free-throw line, as UAA was whistled for 25 fouls (11 against LCU). UAA, who ends their season at 38-3, was led by a 23-point and 12-rebound double-double from Megan Mullings and received 14 points from Madison. UAA out-rebounded LCU 47-30, leading to a 20-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
The title was the first national title for LCU, as a university, at the NCAA Div. II level. They are the first team to go undefeated in NCAA Division II Women's Basketball since Bentley went 35-0 two seasons prior. The last NCAA Div. II program (any sport) to win a title in their first season of eligibility in NCAA Division II was Academy of Art (Women's Track & Field in 2013). LCU was the first Heartland Conference member to claim a title in women's basketball.
ROSTER
2 Nicole Hampton Point Guard Canyon, Texas
3 Bailey Haist Guard Colorado Springs, Colo.
4 Claire Bruffey Guard Lubbock, Texas
5 Allison Szabo Forward Merkel, Texas
10 Antoinette Iroko Guard Carrolton, Texas
13 Kellyn Schneider Forward Lubbock, Texas
14 Blair Taylor Guard Plano, Texas
15 Hannah Harbin Guard Lubbock, Texas
20 Olivia Robertson Guard/Forward Kerrville, Texas
21 Allea Harris Guard Argyle, Texas
23 Kelsey Hoppel Guard Midland, Texas
24 Haley Fowler Guard Smyer, Texas
25 Caitlyn Buttram Guard Georgetown, Texas
42 Bobbi Chitsey Forward Wall, Texas
54 Tess Bruffey Forward Lubbock, Texas
Coaches
Steve Gomez – Head Coach
Caleb Henson – Assistant Coach
Vic Self – Assistant Coach
Kaycie Wilson – Graduate Assistant Coach
Kristin Tucker – Athletic Trainer
Laci Richardson – Strength & Conditioning
Morgan Hancock - Student Manager
Cade Powell – Student Trainer
