No.1 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (23-0, 15-0) at TEXAS-PERMIAN BASIN (6-18, 2-13)
Saturday, February 20 - 1:00 PM
Falcon Dome (Odessa, Texas)
Radio: KJTV am950/100.7fm  
All-Time Series: LCU leads 16-0
Tweet #LCUvsUTPB
 
LAST ONE
Saturday, top-ranked Lubbock Christian University plays their final regular season road game of the year facing Texas-Permian Basin in Odessa, Texas. LCU is 23-0 on the season and stand as the conference regular season title holders with a 15-0 mark in conference this season. Texas- Permian Basin is 2-13 in the conference (6-18 overall) and trying to hold onto the final conference tournament  
 
LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST GAME
Five Lady Chaparrals tallied double figures in points as top-ranked Lubbock Christian University shot a season-high 64.2% from the field and 64.7% from three-point range to defeat St. Edward's University 95-44 in Heartland Conference play Thursday night inside Recreation and Convocation Center.
 
The game was much closer than the final score indicated early, as SEU benefited off seven offensive rebounds in the opening quarter leading to four more shot attempts than LCU. The score was tied 14-14 with 1:56 remaining in the quarter and Kelsey Hoppel hit her third three-pointer of the quarter to help LCU close the quarter on a 7-2 run for a 21-16 lead.
 
SEU and LCU traded blows early in the second quarter, as each had a simultaneous stretch going 3-for-4 from the field. The stretch would end with for SEU with 5:54 remaining in the quarter. The Hilltoppers would go a stretch of 7:24 without a field goal, as LCU countered the SEU dry spell with a 20-1 run. The run was delayed with halftime hitting during the run and LCU had a 43-25 halftime lead, out-scoring SEU 22-9 in the second quarter.
 
LCU was 64.3% (18/28) from the field in the opening half and had a 24-8 scoring advantage in the paint. Hoppel (12 points) and Nicole Hampton (11 points) combined for 23 points in the first half.
 
The Hilltoppers ended the 20-1 run with a layup from Abby Hopper in the third quarter, but it did not jumpstart their offense. They continued going the following 12:16 with just one field goal and LCU struck up a 25-5 run for a 74-32 lead as 6:14 remained in the fourth quarter.
 
The Lady Chaps struggled allowing eight offensive rebounds in the first half, but in the third quarter, LCU held SEU to one offensive rebound despite the Hilltoppers missing 11 field goal attempts in the quarter.
 
Most of LCU's starters exited the game during the third quarter, but that did not stop LCU's scoring. Allea Harris produced a career-high 11 points, with all 11 points coming in the second half and over a 10 minute span of play. Bailey Haist (11 points) and Claire Bruffey (five points) combined for 16 points during the fourth quarter.
 
LCU was 64.2% (34/53) from the field for their best shooting performance since their record mark of 69.2% on Nov. 29, 2014 (vs. Eastern New Mexico). Their mark of 11-of-17 (64.7%) from long-range was their best three-point shooting mark since a 66.7% team performance on Feb. 21, 2015 against Texas-Permian Basin.
 
While LCUs shots were falling, the same could not be said for SEU, who shot 30.5% (18/59) from the field. They were 1-of-13 (7.7%) from the three-point range, marking the fewest three-point field goals made by a LCU opponent since St. Mary's was held to one on Feb. 15, 2014. Shakera Barnes led SEU with 12 points and was one of the 'Toppers few bright spots. Khiani Clark (0-of-4), Lexi Fatheree (1-of-7), and Bailey Hill (0-of-7) combined to shoot 5.6% (1-of-18) from the field.
 
SEU missed 41 field goal attempts leading to a lot of rebound opportunities. The Hilltoppers led the category, out-rebounding LCU 33-31, with 17 of the rebounds offensive. It is the second time this season LCU has been out-rebounded.
 
Hampton and Hoppel co-led LCU with 15 points. LCU also received 13 points from Tess Bruffey (11 points in the third quarter) and 11 points each from Bailey Haist and Harris. Hampton also had a team-leading seven assists, four steals and five assists.
 
FOR STARTERS
LCU is 23-0 on the season. It is their best start in program history, surpassing a 16-0 start from the 2012-2013 season. They are one of two NCAA Div. II teams entering Saturday undefeated on the season. The other is Limestone.
 
MARGINS
LCU has moved into the national lead in average margin of victory at 30.3. They have outscored their opponents by at least 20 points in 20 of their 23 games this season.
 
BLOCK PARTY
The Lady Chaps lead the nation in blocks per game with an average of 7.0 per game. They also lead in total blocks (162). Kellyn Schneider ranks 11th nationally in blocks per game (2.8) and is 11th nationally in total blocks (64). Teammate Tess Bruffey is not far behind, ranking 16th in blocks per game (2.3) and 23rd in total blocks (53). Schneider's 64 blocks this season are ranking as the fourth highest single-season total in program history. Schneider became the program's career block leader Thursday with a trio of blocks against St. Edward's.
 
MILESTONE WATCH
-Nicole Hampton moved into third on LCU's all-time free-throw shooting list for made attempts (passed Mamy N'Kolomoni, who had 456 from 1998-02) with 457 makes from the line. She is three makes away from second (passing Brittany Roberts, 459 from 2008-12) and nine from the program's all-time mark (Emily Pool, 464  from 2010-14).
 
-Hampton is 20 field goal attempts away from 1,000 career attempts.
 
-Hampton is 10 field goal makes away from 536 career field goals, which would move her into fifth all-time in program history and past Jordan Hampton (2005-09).
 
-Kellyn Schneider stands as LCU's career leader in blocks with 177. She reached the feat in only her second season with the Lady Chaps and passed Suzanne Copeland, who had 174 from 1988-92.
 
-Kelsey Hoppel moved into third all-time among LCU's career leaders in three-point field goal attempts with 561. She moved past Haley Burton, who had 559 attempts from 1996-00. Five more attempts will place her past Jordan Hampton (565 from 2005-09) and into second on the program's all-time list.
 
TIME WARP
Since the NCAA adapted "quarters" this season, LCU had never trailed after any quarter of play until the first quarter on 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. LCU has led 90.5% of their season through 22 games, with a total amount of time in the lead at 836:50 of their 925 minutes played this season. Their opponents have led a total of 48:54 (5.3%) this season. LCU has led throughout in 10 games this season and have trailed less than 50 seconds in 16 of their games. Their current streak (entering Saturday) is 38 consecutive quarters completed with the lead.
 
THEY HAVE HEART-LAND
As active roster members, redshirt-seniors Nicole Hampton and Kelsey Hoppel are 35-0 in Heartland Conference games. They have also been part of 38 consecutive conference wins. Their last loss in a conference game was Feb. 14, 2013 against Rogers State.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT UTPB
• The Falcons are 6-19 overall on the season, 2-13 in conference and 4-7 at home. They defeated Oklahoma Panhandle State 89-74 Thursday to end a five-game losing skid.
• The Heartland Conference preseason polls had UTPB preseason picked fifth in the conference.
• This is LCU's final visit to Odessa facing UTPB in a Heartland Conference battle. UTPB joins the Lone Star Conference next season.
• Niniva Taito is the team's only player averaging double-figures, averaging 14.4 points per game. She is averaging 18 points a game over the prior four games.
• Taito ranks second in the conference (61st nationally) in three-point field goal percentage at 38.5%.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST UTPB
LCU is 16-0 all-time against the Falcons. The Lady Chaps won the prior meeting this season (Jan. 21) 70-34.
 
PRIOR MEETING VS. UTPB
Jan. 21, 2016 (Lubbock, Texas): LCU 70 - UTPB 34
No.1/2 Lubbock Christian University shot 61% inside the arc and produced 11 blocks in a 70-34 Heartland Conference victory over University of Texas of the Permian Basin inside Rip Griffin Center.
 
Continuing a trend, LCU had a fast start. After UTPB took a 4-3 lead 1:45 into the first quarter, LCU responded with a 15-0 run sparked by Haley Fowler and Allison Szabo. Fowler registered seven points and Szabo had four points during the run, which gave LCU a 17-4 lead with 3:47 remaining in the opening quarter. LCU led 21-7 after the opening quarter and held the Falcons to four points in the second quarter. UTPB was held 2-of-15 (13.3%) from the field in the second quarter and LCU had a 40-11 lead at the break. The Falcons were 5-of-27 (18.5%) from the field in the first half, while LCU was 14-of-26 (53.8%).
 
LCU closed the third quarter with an 8-3 run over the final 4:53 of the quarter and then had a 9-2 run in the fourth quarter to build their lead to its largest (69-28, with 4:03 left in the game). Kellyn Schneider had eight points in the third quarter and Tess Bruffey had four of LCU's 10 points in the fourth quarter.
 
Bruffey finished with 10 points and also had six rebounds, four assists and four blocks. She was the only starter to play more than 17 minutes. Szabo came off the bench to lead all players with a game-high 14 points. She was 5-of-7 from the field and also had six rebounds and a trio of blocks. Hampton (13 points) and Schneider (12 points) also finished in double figures. Schneider had six rebounds and four blocks, while Hampton had six assists, five rebounds and two steals.
 
LCU was 26-of-55 (47.3%) from the field in the game. They were 61% (25/41) inside the arc and a miserable 1-of-14 (7.1%) behind it. Hampton had LCU's lone three-pointer. LCU did block 11 shots, forced 10 steals and 19 turnovers, while also holding UTPB to shoot 21.8% (3/21) from the field. UTPB's Jau'nae Peevy was their only player in double figures in points (10 points).  LCU outscored UTPB 50-10 in the paint, 24-6 in points off turnovers and 12-0 in fast-break points. They also had a 45-30 rebound advantage.