ST. EDWARD'S (17-7, 13-2) at LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (16-10, 11-4)
Saturday, February 25, 2017 - 12:00 p.m.
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: Online Only
All-Time Series: LCU leads 8-5
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THIS IS IT
The final regular season game of the 2016-2017 Lubbock Christian University women's basketball season takes place at noon with LCU hosting St. Edward's University. The Hilltoppers already clinched the Heartland Conference regular season title and will serve as the top seed in Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. LCU aims to complete a home schedule this season with a 11-0 record.
LOOKING BACK AT THEIR LAST CONTEST
Lubbock Christian University used a 46-29 rebound advantage, with a career high-matching 15 rebounds off a double-double performance by
Tess Bruffey, and Bruffey joined teammate
Olivia Robertson with 18 points each to lead LCU to an 88-76 Heartland Conference victory over Oklahoma Christian Thursday night inside Rip Griffin Center.
LCU had four players in double figures to overshadow a 27-point outing from McKenzie Stanford. The scoring was fast and furious in the opening quarter, as the two teams combined for 59 points in the opening 10 minutes off a combined 60.6% shooting from the field. LCU was 11-of-19 (57.9%) and OC was 9-of-14 (64.3%) in the opening quarter from the field. The teams were also a combined 7-of-10 (70%) from three-point range and 12-of-13 (92.3%) from the free-throw line. When the dust cleared,
Hannah Harbin's eight points had LCU edging the Lady Eagles 30-29, with OC supported off 12 points from Stanford.
The scoring pace slowed down just a bit in the second quarter, which was filled with streaky play. LCU opened the quarter on a 10-1 run capped by free-throws from
Bobbi Chitsey to put LCU up 40-30 with 7:17 left in the half. The Lady Chaps went the next 5:28 without a point, while OC responded with a 10-0 run to tie the game at 40-40.
Delaney Gaddis and Chitsey connected on three-pointers to end the half on a bright spot for LCU, who led 48-43 at the half.
LCU was 17-of-32 (53%) from the field in the half, going 6-of-10 from long range (60%). Harbin led LCU with 10 points in the half. Stanford had 17 in the half for OC, making up for six of OC's 13 field goals in the half.
The Lady Chaps received 16 points off their bench in the third quarter, with Robertson scoring eight points in the quarter (6-of-6 from the free-throw line). Bruffey had nine rebounds in the quarter and LCU used an 18-5 scoring run in the quarter to burat out to a 68-53 lead with 1:51 remaining in the quarter. LCU kept their distance in the fourth quarter, as OC never was able to cut LCU's lead to less than a seven-point advantage.
Bruffey had a double-double in the second half alone with 11 rebounds and 10 points. Robertson scored 12 of her 18 points in the second half. The two Lady Chaps were joined in double figures by Chitsey (14 points) and Harbin (12 points). Stanford led OC with 27 points and also received offensive assistance in the loss from Sarah Parker (15 points) and Addy Clift (12 points).
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SEU
• The Hilltoppers, who went 12-17 last season (3-8 on the road) are 17-7 this season, with a conference mark of 13-2. They will head into Lubbock with a two-game win streak.
• The Heartland preseason picked SEU to finish fifth in the conference. Shakera Barnes made the Preseason All-Conference list and is averaging 13.8 points per game.
• SEU ranks eighth nationally in turnovers (302), ranking 12th with a conference best 12.6 turnovers per game.
• Since Lexi Fatheree's return from an injury (joined the squad on Dec. 8), SEU is 14-2 on the season. Fatheree is averaging 15.2 points per game this season.
• With 5.4 assists per game, Shakera Barnes ranks 24th nationally.
THE SERIES AGAINST SEU
The prior season meeting (SEU win 58-50 on Jan. 19, 2017) ended LCU's streak of seven straight Heartland Conference wins over SEU. Despite the loss, LCU has the all-time series lead at 8-5. LCU won all three meetings last season (95-44 on Feb. 18, 2016 in their prior meeting in Austin), with their final meeting of the season serving as the Heartland Conference Tournament championship game (75-52 LCU win on Mar. 6, 2016 in Tulsa).
PREVIOUS RECAP VS. SEU
Jan. 19, 2017 (Austin, Texas) - LCU: 50 - SEU: 58
Allison Szabo's double-double (16 rebounds, 13 points) and
Tess Bruffey's game high 19 points helped Lubbock Christian University rally from a 12-point second half deficit, but a scoring woe late in the contest allowed St. Edward's to march past the Lady Chaparrals 58-50 Thursday night in Heartland Conference action inside Recreation and Convocation Center.
Trailing 38-27 with 3:55 left in the third quarter, LCU went on a 16-2 run and took a 43-40 lead with 7:22 remaining. Ten of the 16 points during the run were tacked on by Bruffey. The tide would shift back towards SEU, as the Hilltoppers responded with a 9-0 run to regain the lead at 49-43 with 4:17 remaining.
Bailey Haist connected on a rare LCU three-pointer in the contest to get within 49-46, but free-throws helped SEU surge to a 56-46 lead with 52 seconds remaining. Overall, SEU's run was a 16-3 run (seven points from the free-throw line) to capitalize on the victory.
LCU went the final 2:58 without a field goal and closed the game 1-of-10 from the field (Haist's three-pointer was the only field goal during the stretch). SEU scored their final five points and seven of their last nine points from the free-throw line. The Hilltoppers, entering the fourth quarter 5-of-13 (38.5%) from the free-throw line, went 9-of-12 in the fourth quarter from the line.
The game featured six lead changes, with four occurring during the opening quarter. Lexi Cunningham's three-pointer for SEU in the final seconds of the quarter capped a 6-1 run gave SEU an 18-12 advantage at the end of the quarter. LCU trailed as much as 30-19 in the first half, but Bruffey's eight points in the half helped keep the game in reach with LCU trailing 30-21 at the break.
LCU trailed 33-21 in the second half before eventually chipping away at SEU's lead. The Lady Chaps benefitted off five straight points from the line to begin their 16-2 run. LCU trailed 40-36 at the close of the third quarter, which occurred during the run.
Both teams shot less than 40% from the field (SEU – 38.2%, LCU – 32.6%) and shot 16.7% from three-point range. LCU had a 39-30 rebound advantage, but had 17 turnovers compared to seven by SEU. Shakera Barnes led SEU with 17 points. They also received 14 points from Lubbock native Abby Hopper and 12 points from Lexi Fatheree. Bruffey and Szabo had the only double-figure point productions for LCU, who only received field goals from four different players. Szabo's 16 rebounds were a career high and the double-double was her fifth of the season.
