NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - ELITE EIGHT - SEMIFINALS
No.12/25 BENTLEY (28-5, No.1 Seed) vs. No.1 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (33-0, No.1 Seed)
Wednesday, March 23, 2016 - 6 p.m.                                             
Sanford Pentagon (Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Online Video: None   
TV: CBS Sports Network (Ed Cohen, Debbie Antonelli)
Radio: KJTV am950/100.7fm (Chris Due)
All-Time Series: No Prior Meetings
Tweet #LCUvsBEN
 
THEN THERE WERE FOUR
Lubbock Christian University dodged a scare Tuesday, opening their stay at the Elite Eight tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. with a 73-69 win over Florida Southern, and now move into the Final Four and the semifinals of the Elite Eight tournament to face Massachusetts based Bentley University at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening. Bentley arrives after claiming the East Region tournament and defeating Virginia Union Wednesday 53-52. Wednesday's game will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.
 
LOOKING BACK AT THE LAST GAME
Haley Fowler scored 20 of her season high 23 points in the second half and No.1 Lubbock Christian University used a 22-5 scoring advantage at the line to defeat Florida Southern 73-69 in the Elite Eight tournament of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship at Sanford Pentagon. 
 
LCU had a 65-55 lead with 5:41 remaining in the game, but their optimism towards advancing to the next round was interrupted by an 11-2 Moccasins run over a span of 3:34 and LCU's lead was cut to 67-66 with 2:18 to go. Mariah Harris posted six of her 12 fourth quarter points during the run. It was capped by a three-pointer from Shaquita Snow, who would hit another three-pointer with 1:02 remaining to end a brief 4-0 LCU run to move the Mocs within two points (71-69). LCU was unable to score on the ensuing possession and Fowler had a bucket negated on an offensive fowl and FSC regained possession with under 45 seconds to go. Snow drove for a layup with under 30 seconds remaining and it did not fall and LCU clinched the win with free throws by Fowler with 10 seconds remaining.
 
The Mocs nearly completed a massive comeback in a game LCU led for over 38 minutes. LCU had to fight through several FSC comeback bids throughout the game. LCU used an 11-2 run carrying over from the opening quarter to the second quarter to build a 25-15 lead. LCU maintained the cushion for most of the quarter until FSC closed the half on a 4-0 run (LCU led 35-29 at the half) and it rolled into a 14-3 run to give the Mocs a 39-38 lead with 6:44 remaining in the third quarter for their first lead of the game. The Mocs never led by more than 40 seconds in the game, as LCU answered back with a 14-2 run highlighted by a Haley Fowler three-pointer, which was LCU's only three-pointer of the game (1-of-8 from three-point range). LCU carried a 57-47 lead into the fourth quarter. They held the lead until FSC's late rally.
 
FSC out-shot LCU from the field 49.2% (30/61) to 48.1% (25/52) and it marked the first time this season an LCU opponent has out-shot them from the field. FSC was 60.7% (28/17) from the field in the second half. LCU was 54.5% (24/44) inside the arc and it led to a 46-32 scoring advantage. Each team had four players in double figures in points. FSC had 19 points from Harris (12 in fourth quarter), 12 points each from Jensen Blassage and Gianna Vastola and 11 points from Snow. LCU received a game high 23 points from Fowler, and also received 16 points each from Nicole Hampton and Tess Bruffey and 11 points from Kelsey Hoppel Bruffey also added four blocks and six rebounds. Hampton nearly converted a double-double, leading LCU with nine rebounds.
 
The Mocs were whistled for 26 fouls in the game, leading to 29 free-throw attempts for LCU. The Lady Chaps were 75.9% from the line, draining 25 of the attempts. FSC was 5-of-7 as a team from the line.
 
FOR STARTERS
LCU is 33-0 this season and has yet to face a loss. It is their best start in program history, surpassing a 16-0 start from the 2012-2013 season. They are the only NCAA Div. II team undefeated on the season. The 323 wins marks a program single-season wins mark, topping their 31-win season (31-4) from 2012-2013.
 
MARGINS
LCU has the national lead in average margin of victory at 28.9. They have outscored their opponents by at least 20 points in 28 of their 33 games this season. LCU's win Tuesday (a four-point margin of victory) was their slimmest margin of victory, the third game decided by single digits and the fourth game decided by 15 or less points this season.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
LCU is ranked as the No.1 team by D2SIDA and by the WBCA/USA Today (Coaches Poll). This season marks LCU's second season eligible in the D2SIDA poll and the first in the Coaches Poll. Jan. 19 marked LCU's debut at No.1 in the D2SIDA Poll and Jan. 26 marked their debut at No.1 in the Coaches Poll. LCU is receiving 11 of 16 first-place votes in the D2SIDA poll and 18 of 24 first-place votes in the Coaches Poll.  The D2SIDA poll is voted on by sports information directors and the WBCA/USA Today is voted on by WBCA coaches.
 
BLOCK PARTY
The Lady Chaps lead the nation in blocks per game with an average of 6.9 per game. They also lead in total blocks (228). Kellyn Schneider ranks eighth nationally in blocks per game (2.8) and fifth in total blocks (86). Teammate Tess Bruffey is not far behind, ranking 21st in blocks per game (2.3) and 13th in total blocks (77). Schneider's 86 blocks this season are ranking as the third highest single-season total in program history and Bruffey's 77 blocks ranks as the fourth best single season mark.
 
ALL-AMERICANS 
Nicole Hampton (First Team) and Tess Bruffey (Honorable Mention) have been named Division II Conference Commissioners Association 2016 Women's Basketball All-Americans.
 
Hampton leads the nation with a 3.60 assist/turnover ratio, ranks fifth in assists (198) and free-throw percentage (90.6%) and seventh in steals (96). If you based her numbers on playing a full 40 minutes per game, she would average 19.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 8.3 assists and four steals per game. She has already claimed South Central Region Player of the Year, the Heartland Conference Player of the Year, the Heartland Conference Tournament MVP, CoSIDA Academic All-American and All-South Central Tournament Team honors. Hampton is LCU's career leader in rebounds, steals and assists and is third all-time in program scoring.
 
Bruffey averages 13.7 points and 2.3 blocks per game. She is coming off Most Outstanding Player honors at the South Central Region tournament. She ranks 14th nationally in blocks (73), 20th in field goal percentage (56.4%) and 21st in blocks per game (2.3). Bruffey, as a sophomore, is the lowest classificationed player as all recipients were either seniors or juniors.
 
Hampton becomes a three-time All-American, claiming the honor in all performing season, except her junior year, which she was not eligible for nomination due to LCU's transition to NCAA.
 
The honors are the first All-American honors recognizing on-court performance a Lady Chaps member has received since LCU started competing at the NCAA Div. II level. They had 18 NAIA All-Americans, with the last coming at the end of the 2012-13 season honoring Hampton and Kelsey Canavan. Fourteen of the honorees in the NAIA were under head coach Steve Gomez's guidance.
 
ELITE EIGHT FIELD
The winning team from eight different regionals makes up the Elite Eight field in Sioux Falls. LCU represents the South Central Region, as they hosted and won their regional tournament. Here are the winning teams, their seed from the region tournament and the region they represent to make up this year's Elite Eight field.
 
4 Florida Southern - South
1 Lubbock Christian - South Central
1 Virginia Union - Atlantic
1 Bentley - East
2 Alaska Anchorage - West
7 Francis Marion - Southeast
7 Grand Valley State - Midwest
2 Pittsburg State - Central 
 
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES   
LCU is the only program in NCAA Div. II which ranks in the top-five in field goal shooting (leads at 51.7%) and field goal defense (second nationally holding opponents to a 33.1% shooting mark).
           
MILESTONE WATCH
-Kellyn Schneider is a block away from 200 career blocks with LCU.  She can complete the mark in only two seasons with the Lady Chaps. 
 
-Nicole Hampton is 15 points away from passing her sister, Jordan, and moving into second all-time in program scoring (Jordan Hampton had 1,767 points from 2005-2009). She is also six free-throw makes away from 500 in her career.
 
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT AT A GLANCE
LCU is the new kid on the block when it comes to NCAA postseason tournaments, but national tournaments are nothing new to the Lady Chaps. LCU's appearance this season marks LCU's 11th consecutive season in which they have qualified for a postseason national tournament when eligible. LCU made 10 appearances in the NAIA National Tournament and went 15-10 (all under head coach Steve Gomez).
 
As far as semifinals in their program history, here is a rundown:
 
NAIA FAB FOUR HISTORY
2006 - Jackson, Tenn.
Mar. 20 - vs. Vanguard - W 69-59
Mar. 21 - vs. Union (Tenn.) - L 62-79
 
2012 - Frankfort, Kent.
Mar. 19 - vs. Oklahoma City - L 56-85
 
NCAA FINAL FOUR HISTORY
2016 - Sioux Falls, S.D.
Mar. 23 - vs. Bentley -
 
TIME WARP
Since the NCAA adopted "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 91.4% of their season through 32 games, with a total amount of time in the lead at 1210:32 of their 1325 minutes played this season. Their opponents have led a total of 62:26 (4.7%) this season. LCU has led throughout in 14 games this season and have trailed less than 50 seconds in 22 of their games. Their current streak (entering Wednesday) is 78 consecutive quarters completed with the lead.
 
THEY HAVE HEART-LAND
As active roster members, redshirt-seniors Nicole Hampton and Kelsey Hoppel completed a record of 38-0 in Heartland Conference games. They  were also part of 41 consecutive conference wins. Their last loss in a conference game was Feb. 14, 2013 against Rogers State. Toss in they also went 3-0 in Heartland Conference Tournament games.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE MEMBERS
Head Coach Steve Gomez claimed his third Coach of the Year honors and his first in the Heartland Conference. All five of his starters he has had throughout during the season all claimed Heartland Conference honors:
 
Nicole Hampton: First Team
Tess Bruffey: First Team
Kelsey Hoppel: Second Team
Kellyn Schneider: Honorable Mention
Haley Fowler: Honorable Mention
 
Conference Player of the Year: Nicole Hampton
Conference Defensive Player of the Year: Kellyn Schneider
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT (CONFERENCE)
Nicole Hampton claimed Heartland Conference Tournament MVP honors with a tournament average of 15.3 points and nine rebounds in the tournament. Haley Fowler and Tess Bruffey also claimed All-Tournament honors. Fowler had a season-high 17 points in the tourney championship game and finished with a 13-point average in the tournament. Bruffey had a tournament average of 13.7 points.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT (SOUTH CENTRAL REGION)
Tess Bruffey claimed Most Outstanding Tournament honors at the South Central Region tournament averaging 17.3 points a game. She had a LCU season game high 26 points in the title game against West Texas A&M. She was 69.2% from the field and 5-of-10 from three-point range. Haley Fowler and Nicole Hampton also received All-Tournament Team honors. Fowler averaged 17 points shooting 69% from the field and Hampton averaged 16 points, 8.7 assists, 8 rebounds and 3.7 steals per game.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BENTLEY
• The Falcons are 28-5 on the season and completed play in the Northeast-10 with a 16-5 record (led the Northeast Division). They are 1-0 in neutral site games and combined 12-3 away from home.
• The NE-10 had Bentley preseason picked fourth in their division.
• The Falcons are making their record 32nd NCAA postseason appearance, their 14th Elite Eight appearance and their 10th Final Four appearance since 1989. They claimed the national title in 2014 going 35-0.
• Head coach Barbara Stevens is one of five women's basketball coaches in NCAA history with over 950 career wins and is the winningest coach in Division II history. Stevens, in her 39th season, is 957-267 in her coaching career.
• Bentley has started the same lineup in every game this season. The lineup includes junior All-American Jen Gemma, who averages 19.8 points and 9.5 rebounds a game and had 16 points and 12 rebounds Tuesday over Virginia Union. 
 
THE SERIES AGAINST BENTLEY
LCU and Bentley have never met. They are the second Massachusetts team LCU has faced this season. They defeated NAIA Fisher College in exhibition play in Boston (Oct.31, 2015) 119-40. 
 
PRIOR MEETING VS. BENTLEY
No prior meetings.
 
WHERE TO FIND CBS SPORTS NETWORK IN LUBBOCK
NTS: 45 /  AT&T: 643 & 1643(HD) / DISH: 158 & 158 (HD) / SUDDENLINK: 712 & 412(HD)