No. 2/4 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (14-0, 6-0) at ARKANSAS - FORT SMITH (11-4, 4-2)
Saturday, January 16 - 5:00 PM                                                     
Stubblefield Center (Fort Smith, Ark.)
TV: Fox 34 News Now (34.2 / Suddenlink 109)
Radio: Online Only      
All-Time Series: LCU leads 4-0
Tweet #LCUvsUAFS 

HOSTILITY AWAITS
The Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaparrals close out their easternmost Heartland Conference roadtrip Saturday in Fort Smith, Ark. facing University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. The game time was moved to 5 p.m. to coordinate with a nationally televised broadcast and a large crowd inside Stubblefield Center is expected as last season's conference regular season co-champions clash. UAFS officials have already announced the game is sold out. LCU enters the game 6-0 in Heartland Conference play and a game ahead of St. Mary's (6-1) for first place in the standings.
 
LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST GAME
Lubbock Christian University was able to overcome a halftime deficit for the first time this season and Nicole Hampton set a program single-game record with 15 successful free throw attempts in a 68-59 Heartland Conference road victory at Rogers State, who was previously unbeaten this season at Claremore Expo Center.
 
In 52 prior quarters played this season, LCU had only trailed at the conclusion of one quarter (first quarter at St. Mary's on Dec. 19, 2015). Thursday, LCU found themselves playing from behind most of the first half.  The Lady Chaps had a miserable start, opening the game 3-of-11 (27.3%) from the field in the first quarter of play. Meanwhile, RSU, who opened the game with a three-pointer from Courtney Smith, went 3-for-5 from long-range in the quarter for a 17-12 lead.  The Lady Chaps went a span of 7:45 without a field goal and found themselves trailing 19-12 two minutes into the second quarter. Tess Bruffey had a pair of field goals to serve as bookends of the dry spell.  Bruffey's field goal to end the drought turned out to be the first of three LCU field goals in a span of over a minute leading to an 8-0 run for a 20-18 lead. RSU responded back with an 8-0 run of their own and led as much as 29-22 in the quarter before LCU closed the half on a 7-1 run to trail 30-29 at the half.
 
LCU went on a 7-of-10 shooting stretch in the third quarter, and back-to-back three-pointers by Tess Bruffey sparked a 16-5 run to help LCU rally from behind and take a 45-35 lead. The 16-5 run was also part of 23-6 scoring run carrying over from the close of the second half for LCU. The Lady Chaps out-scored RSU 10-0 in paint scoring and led 47-39 heading into the fourth quarter. LCU led as much as 11 (56-45) in the fourth quarter, but RSU didn't back away, as they responded from an 11-point deficit with an 8-2 run and cut LCU's lead to 58-53 with 4:23 to go. LCU kept their distance with free-throw shooting.  A three-pointer by Kelsey Hoppel with 3:59 left was LCU's final field goal of the game. They scored their final seven points from the free-throw line to preserve the victory.
 
The Lady Chaps went 19-of-27 (70.4%) from the line as a team, going 10-of-12 (83.3%) in the second half. RSU was 8-of-11 (72.7%) from the line, which was a season-high by a Chaps opponent. Bruffey joined Hampton in double figures with 18 points. She matched a career high with three three-pointers. She also had four blocks. Kellyn Schneider produced a game-high 12 rebounds. Kami Bunch led RSU with 20 points and Natasha Kindred provided 12 points in the loss (all 12 came in the fourth quarter).
 
FOR STARTERS
LCU is 14-0 to start the season. It is their best start since opening the 2012-2013 season 16-0. They are one of five NCAA Div. II teams entering Friday undefeated on the season.
 
MARGINS
LCU ranks second in the nation in average margin of victory at 28.2, behind only Alaska-Anchorage (31.2). LCU has outscored their opponents by at least 20 points in 12 of their 14 games this season.
 
HAMPTON'S NIGHT
Nicole Hampton nearly completed a rare feat Thursday night, as she was a rebound and a pair of assists away from a triple-double. What she did complete found its way into the program record books. Hampton broke her own single-game program mark (14, which was also shared by Becky Hinojos) with 15 free throws made. She drained the 15 free throws on 17 attempts to tie the program single-game mark for attempts (last completed on Mar. 1, 2002 by Mamy N'Kolomoni).  The 15 made free throws ranks tied as the fourth most in a Heartland Conference contest in conference history. The mark is also tied as the third most by a NCAA Div. II player this season. She finished the game with a game-high 21 points and also produced nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals.
 
MOVING ON UP
The Lady Chaps moved up to No.4 in the latest WBCA Coaches Poll. It's their best ranking in the poll and they received four first-place votes. They remained No.2 in the D2SIDA Poll. Formula based Hero Sports (herosports.com) poll has LCU as the No.1 rated team in NCAA Div. II. In addition, NCAA.com power rankings have LCU No.8 nationally.   
 
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES  
LCU is the only program in NCAA Div. II which ranks in the top-10 in field goal shooting (second in the nation 50.1%) and field goal defense (fourth at holding opponents to a 32.8% shooting mark).
          
MILESTONE WATCH
Tess Bruffey is four blocks away from passing Candace Clenney and moving into third place on the program's all-time blocks list.
 
ZANY STAT LINE
LCU leads the nation in a bizarre statistic, as opponents are shooting 56.2 percent (113/201) from the free-throw line against the Lady Chaps this season. Rogers State had the best performance by a Lady Chaps opponent (at least 10 attempts) with a mark of 72.7% (8-of-11).
 
TIME WARP
Since the NCAA adapted "quarters" this season, LCU had never trailed after any quarter of play until the first quarter Saturday Dec. 19 at St. Mary's. It ended a streak of 36 consecutive quarters in which LCU had led at the completion of the quarter. Thursday LCU trailed after the first and second quarter, which was the first time they had trailed at the half. In 57 quarters played this season, LCU has trailed at the completion of three of them. LCU has led 88% of their season through 13 games, with a total amount of time in the lead at 494:50 of their 565 minutes played this season. Their opponents have led a total of 42:10 (7%) this season. LCU has led throughout in six games this season and have trailed less than 40 seconds in 10 of their games.
 
TV TIME
American Sports Network (a sports division of Sinclair Broadcasting) is broadcasting LCU's doubleheader Saturday at UAFS for television distribution and the game will air in the Lubbock market on Fox 34 News Now, which is 34.2 over-air and 109 on Suddenlink. Full station guide can be found on www.lcuchaps.com.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT UAFS
• The Lady Lions are 11-4 overall on the season and 4-2 in conference (third place) to enter the week. They defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State 70-40 Thursday.
• The Heartland Conference preseason polls had UAFS preseason picked second in the conference. UAFS and LCU shared the conference's regular season title last season.
• UAFS is has wins in five of their last six games played and are 5-1 at home this season.
• Former Frenship High School and South Plains College product Jasmine Brainard is the only UAFS player averaging double figures offensively, averaging 14.2 points per game. She heads into the week with at least 11 points scored in nine consecutive games.
• The Lady Lions rank sixth in the nation with an average of 12.5 steals per game.  
 
THE SERIES AGAINST UAFS
LCU has won all four all-time meetings and all meetings have been in Heartland Conference action. LCU is 2-0 all-time in Fort Smith.
 
PRIOR MEETING VS. UAFS
Feb. 12, 2015 (Lubbock, Texas): LCU 60 - UAFS 57
Lubbock native and former Frenship High School product Jasmine Brainard had a chance to defeat her hometown team, but her three-point attempt with three seconds remaining went in and out and Lubbock Christian University, with a 20-point performance from Haley Burton, escaped with a 60-57 come-from-behind win over University of Arkansas Fort Smith to remain in sole possession of first place in the Heartland Conference. The win extends LCU's win streak to 10 games and ended UAFS's six-game win streak.
 
LCU had to rally from an eight-point second half deficit for the win. UAFS led 43-35 four minutes into the second half and led 50-45 with 12 minutes remaining before LCU started their comeback. LCU responded with a 7-0 run but it was a long-lasting run, which covered seven minutes. Burton knocked down a free-throw to tie the game at 50-50, but LCU would be unsuccessful on their next three trips up the floor and the game went nearly three minutes deadlocked until Kellyn Schneider produced a strong move to score a lay up and put LCU up 52-50 with 7:44 remaining. It was LCU's first lead since opening the game with a 2-0 lead. UAFS went on a 7-0 run following LCU's opening bucket and LCU trailed until Schneider's basket.
 
The Lady Chaps would eventually build their lead to 58-54 with 3:45 to go and it was enough time for UAFS to try and regain the lead. Three consecutive points from the line made it 58-57 with LCU leading despite four turnovers (since the 3:45 mark), which gave UAFS the basketball with 30 seconds left. They missed six field goal attempts in the final 90 seconds, including Brainard's three from the left-corner with three seconds left. Bailey Haist was fouled on the rebound and made the free-throws to give LCU a three-point lead. The free-throws almost proved valuable as Brainard also put up a half court heave that went off the rim as time expired.
 
UAFS had a chance to win despite a horrendous shooting line in the second half. The Lady Lions missed their final 19 shots from the field and did not have a field goal over the final 12:52 of the game. The closed the final 12:52 with seven points and they all came from the line. UAFS was 6-of-33 from the field in the second half (18.2%) and they finished the game 17-of-76 (22.4%). It is the third consecutive game in which the Lady Chaps opposition has been held shooting under 30%. The Lady Lions made four less field goals despite 27 more field goal attempts than LCU (21/49, 42.9%). The 76 attempts was the most by a Lady Chaps opponent this season. The Lady Lions can attribute the amount of shots to 24 LCU turnovers and 26 offensive rebounds. Angi Ramey, who was 3-for-13 from the field, had 10 offensive rebounds and 15 total for a 14-point and 15-rebound double-double.
 
The Lady Lions had a 20-11 advantage in points off turnovers. The 24 turnovers by LCU was their most since committing 24 on Feb. 2, 2013 against Oklahoma City.
 
There were three double-doubles in the game, with two produced by Lady Lions. Joining Ramey was Candice Fallowwell, who had 11 points and 10 rebounds. LCU's double-double was produced by Schneider. She had 11 points and produced 16 rebounds for a second consecutive game for her seventh double-double of the season. Burton, who produced her 10th career 20-point performance, was limited to three assists, but LCU assisted on 17 of their 21 field goals.