TARLETON STATE (3-1) at No.23 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (5-0)
Tuesday, November 21 - 6:00 PM
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: Online Only
All-Time Series: TSU leads 20-3
ANOTHER BUSY WEEK BEGINS
No.23 Lubbock Christian University, with already five games under their belt this season, begin a three-game week Tuesday inside Rip Griffin Center hosting Tarleton State University. The Lady Chaps enter the game winners of their last 37 home games. Their last home loss came Jan. 1, 2015 against Oklahoma City. Following the game, LCU will venture to San Antonio, Texas to participate in the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic to face No.1 Ashland and Midwestern State.
SATURDAY SUMMARY
No.23 Lubbock Christian University held University of Texas of the Permian Basin to shoot 18.8% (13/69) and received a near-triple-double from
Tess Bruffey (15 points, 11 rebounds and 8 blocks), as the Lady Chaparrals closed the 2017 Arbor Hotels Classic with a 72-34 win Saturday night inside Rip Griffin Center.
The 18.8% shooting percentage is the lowest mark by an LCU opponent recorded on file (game-by-game records kept on file since the 2004). The Falcons were held to two field goals in the second (2/19, 10.5%) and fourth (2/10, 10%) quarter of the contest. UTPB went stretches of 4:09 (0-for-4 in the opening quarter), 7:34 (0-for-11 in the first and second quarter), 7:47 (0-for-13 in the second and third quarter) and 3:45 (0-for-15 in the fourth quarter) without a point. The span of 3:45 in the fourth quarter was part of a 5:49 stretch in which UTPB went without a field goal. UTPB did not have any of the prior runs interrupted by points from the free-throw line, as they did not have their first free-throw attempted until 4:05 remained in the game. From a 20-minute span from the midway mark of the first quarter to the midway mark of the third quarter, UTPB was 3-of-31 (9.7%) from the field.
While one team was struggling to get points, the Lady Chaps were cashing in. LCU was 48.1% from the field (26/54), with a mark of 56.4% (22/39) if the second quarter was excluded. The two teams went the opening 3:58 of the second quarter without a point and combined for six field goals (four by LCU). LCU led 26-14 at the half.
Bruffey, who led all scorers with her 15 points, scored her final eight points in the third quarter. LCU was 9-of-13 (69.2%) from the field in the third quarter. Several freshman took the spotlight in the fourth quarter, as
Ashton Duncan (7 points) and
Emma Middleton (9 points) combined for 16 points in the quarter.
The Lady Chaps hit 10 three-pointers (10/24, 41.7%), marking the fourth consecutive game in which they hit at least 10 three-pointers. LCU committed more turnovers (12-11), but led the points-off-turnovers category 16-2. They also had a 16-12 advantage in second chance points despite allowing 22 offensive rebounds to UTPB.
Bruffey's double-double was her 19
th of her career and third of the season. The NCAA Division II's active career blocks leader posted a season-high eight to give her 294 in her career. LCU also received 11 points from
Bobbi Chitsey, who was 5-of-7 from the field with five rebounds in 16 minutes of time on the floor. Seven Lady Chaps had at least six points in the game. No Falcons player had more than two field goals in the game. Khali Pippins-Tyron led the winless Falcons (0-4) with seven points.
HONORED
Forward
Tess Bruffey averaged a double-double as she led the Lady Chaps to another undefeated week and earned Heartland Women's Basketball Player of the Week honors. The award was given for games played from Nov. 13 - Nov. 19. Bruffey helped LCU to a 3-0 week, which included a road win at Texas A&M-Commerce and home wins over Western N.M. and Texas-Permian Basin, by averaging 13.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.7 blocks per game. At A&M-Commerce, she posted 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting and contributed 14 rebounds and five blocks. She capped the week Saturday nearly completing a triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 8 blocks. The NCAA Div.II's active career blocks leader was 6-of-11 (54.5%) from three-point range and contributed eight assists on the week. The honor is Bruffey's first conference weekly honor this season and the seventh of her career.
NATIONALLY KNOWN
New national rankings come out Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday's new rankings will serve as the first in-season rankings of the year. In the preseason rankings D2SIDA had LCU ranked No.23 in their Women's Basketball Preseason Media National Poll. LCU has found their way into the D2SIDA preseason poll four consecutive seasons, marking every season they have been eligible to appear (due to the transfer from NAIA to NCAA Div. II), ranking No. 4 (2016-17), No.15 (2015-16) and receiving votes in 2014-15. LCU was the third highest ranked team in the South Central Region, behind No.5 Colorado State – Pueblo and No.13 West Texas A&M. The D2SIDA polls are voted on by a committee of sports information directors at Division II member institutions nationwide.
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association released their 2017-18 Women's Basketball NCAA Div. II Preseason Top 25 Coaches' Poll and Lubbock Christian University opened the season receiving votes. The WBCA NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Preseason Poll is another poll LCU has consistently debut in each season since being eligible. Last season, LCU opened the season ranked No.11, which was their highest WBCA preseason poll ranking. In 2015, they debuted at No.18 before making their way to No.1 en route their NCAA Division II national title.
MAKING IT THROUGH
LCU is one of 63 teams that are without a loss on the early season and is the only Heartland Conference team without a blemish. LCU is sitting 5-0 for the second time since the 2012-13 season. They went 16-0 to open the 2012-13 season and 35-0 to open and complete their 2015-16 championship season.
DOWNTOWN
The Lady Chaps lead the Heartland Conference and ranking fourth nationally with 47 three-pointers made on the season. They have hot their 47 treys on a 43.1% rate, which ranks seventh nationally. LCU has received three-point field goals from 11 different individuals, led by 12 from
Caitlyn Cunyus. LCU is averaging 9.4 per game (14
th nationally), which is above a 7.3 pace last season and a 7.5 rate in 2015-16. LCU has produced at least 10 three-pointers in their prior four games, which is a task they completed once in the opening 12 games of last season.
BLOCKING IT OUT
Tess Bruffey, who ranked second nationally last season in blocks per game (3.9), leads the nation with 22 blocks on the season. Her 22 blocks come at a rate of 4.4 per game (second nationally). The Lady Chaps, as a team, rank fourth nationally with 28 blocks. Bruffey has three double-doubles on the season as well ranks tied for 10th nationally in the category. In her career, Bruffey has a program and conference record 290 blocks, marking her as the NCAA Div. II's active career leader (third among all levels). She also ranks on the NCAA Div. II's active career leader charts in points (1,296, 10th) and double-doubles (17, 16th).
STINGY
Lubbock Christian is coming off a performance in which they held Texas Permian Basin to an 18% shooting mark, which has LCU ranking fifth nationally in opposing shooting percentage. Opponents have been held to a 28.2% shooting mark on the season, and to 44.4 points per game, which ranks third in the nation.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TSU
• Tarleton State is coming off a 16-14 season, which included a 12-8 Lone Star Conference record and a 4-9 road mark.
• The Lone Star Conference preseason picked the TexAnns third in the conference.
• Mackenzie Hailey was named LSC Preseason Player of the Year. She averaged 16.1 points and 8.4 rebounds to earn LSC Newcomer of the Year and second-team All-LSC accolades. The LSC tournament MVP leads Tarleton with 13.3. points and 7.3 rebounds a game.
• The TexAnns rank 12
th nationally with an average of 14 personal fouls per contest.
• Tarleton State is 3-1 on the season and coming on following a 55-42 win in Denton, Texas over Regis (Colo.) Sunday. LCU marks their second Heartland opponent of the season, as they defeated St. Mary's 59-56 on Nov. 11. TSU faced Baylor in an exhibition game and fell 122-44 to the No.3 Bears.
THE SERIES AGAINST TSU
The TexAnns have dominated the all-time series 20-3, but the last meeting (Dec. 13, 2016) was won 75-66 by LCU for their second ever win in Stephenville. LCU is 1-10 all-time at home against Tarleton, and the two teams have not met in Lubbock since Nov. 28, 2014 (LCU falling 73-71 in overtime).
PREVIOUS RECAP VS. TSU
Dec. 13, 2016 (Stephenville, Texas) - LCU: 75 - TSU:66
Although a small losing streak, Lubbock Christian University's worst losing streak since 2005 came to an end inside Wisdom Gym, as the three-game losing streak was halted by a 17-point performance by
Tess Bruffey, joined by a nine-point fourth quarter from Bailey Haist and a double-double from Allison Szabo (11 rebounds, 10 points), to lead the Lady Chaparrals to a 75-66 win over Tarleton State University. The win was LCU's second ever win in Stephenville, where LCU is now 2-10 all-time.
LCU had to overcome a third quarter scoring surge by the TexAnns in the contest. The Lady Chaps led 44-35 with 3:40 left in the third quarter, but during a sequence of 10 consecutive TexAnn possessions, LCU was whistled for six defensive related fouls. TSU hit consecutive and-ones and eight free throws during the span and also had an 8-0 run (six of the points from the line) to take a 45-44 lead with 1:47 left in the quarter. LCU did not wait long to regain the lead. Claire Bruffey scored five straight points for LCU and jumpstarted a 6-0 run over a 1:54 span for a 52-46 LCU lead.
The 6-0 run eventually turned into a 14-2 run. Haist ignited in the core of the run with six straight points. She was fouled on a made three-pointer for a four-point-play and then followed with a layup 16 seconds later to give LCU a 60-47 lead with 7:31 remaining. Bailey Wipff, a Lubbock Coronado High School product, attempted to rally the TexAnns back with a 10-point fourth quarter. She had a pair of three-pointers, but the best she could do was cut LCU's lead to 59-66 with 3:45 remaining, as LCU held off TSU with 76.9% (10-of-13) shooting in the fourth quarter. They led as much as 75-61 (1:34 remaining in the game).
The Lady Chaps opened the game on a 6-0 run, hitting their first four field goal attempts.
Bobbi Chitsey, who started in the paint, had five points in the opening 2:32 for LCU and helped LCU jump out to a 13-3 advantage. The Lady Chaps opened the game 8-of-10 from the field. Ikpeaku Iwobi helped cap a 12-4 TSU run in the second quarter, cutting the LCU lead to 24-2 with 3:19 left in the half, but LCU responded holding the TexAnns off the scoreboard the final 3:19 of the half and received a three-pointer from Allea Harris to take a 30-22 lead into the half.
LCU shot a season-best 50.8% from the field (30/59), shooting 56.7% in the second half. They out-rebounded TSU 41-29. TSU's Mackenzie Haley led all scorers with 19 points and capped a double-double with 10 boards. They also received 18 points from Wipff and 14 from Iwobi.
Tess Bruffey led LCU with 17 points. She opened the game 1-of-7 from the field, but then tallied buckets on six of her next eight attempts to finish 7-of-15 from the field. Haist finished with 14 points and Szabo completed her second straight game with a double-double (fifth of her career) with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Hannah Harbin led LCU with five assists and did not have a turnover.
