ST. MARY'S (7-8, 1-1)
at No.3/5 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (13-1, 2-0)
Saturday, January 6, 2018 - 1 p.m.                                         
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: Online Only    
All-Time Series: LCU Leads 11-3
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MAINTAIN THE COURSE
No.3/5 Lubbock Christian University rides a season best seven-game win streak into Saturday, as they host St. Mary's University at 1 p.m. inside Rip Griffin Center. The Lady Chaps are 2-0 in Heartland Conference action (13-1 overall) and join Newman (3-0) as the only unbeaten teams in conference play.   
 
THURSDAY TRIBUNE
LCU used a 27-point second quarter and Tess Bruffey led a foursome of Lady Chaparrals in double figures with 17 points to lead them past Texas A&M International 73-53 in Heartland Conference play Thursday night inside Rip Griffin Center. The win extended LCU's home win streak to 42 games, matching Arkansas Tech as having the 16^th longest streak in NCAA Division II history. 
 
After an opening quarter in which TAMIU shot 46.7% (7-of-15) from the field and trailed LCU 17-16, the Lady Chaps prevented any relinquishment of the lead shooting 73.3% (11/15) in the second quarter. LCU out-scored TAMIU 16-2 in paint scoring during the quarter and had a 10-0 advantage in points off turnovers. LCU, who opened the quarter on an 11-3 run, closed the half with Caitlyn Cunyus scoring their last seven points for a 44-30 halftime lead.
 
Bruffey opened the game 1-of-5 from the field and was held to three points in the first half. She responded in the third quarter with 10 points in the quarter off 3-of-4 shooting from the field. Both teams hit a dry spell in the quarter, as LCU missed their final six shots of the quarter and TAMIU missed their final eight shot attempts of the quarter. TAMIU went the final 7:01 of the quarter without a field goal, while LCU went on a 10-0 run all from the free-throw line to take a 59-39 lead into the final quarter.
 
Reserves filled the floor for most of the fourth quarter. Bruffey made two quick field goals in the quarter and subbed out for the final 7:46 of the game. Emma Middleton led the Lady Chaps the rest of the way with four points, as LCU led as much as 27 points (71-44), but never led by less than 18 points (71-53).
 
Bruffey finished the game with 17 points, nine rebounds and six blocks. Caitlyn Cunyus and Maddi Chitsey each had 12 points and and Olivia Robertson provided 11 points to join Bruffey in double figures. LCU out-rebounded TAMIU 39-21, with 16 offensive boards. Cunyus matched a career high with five assists. TAMIU, who entered the game 25.2% from long range, was 8-of-16 (50%) in the contest from three-point range. The Dustdevils were 39.6% (19/48) from the field, marking the best shooting performance by a LCU opposing team in a losing effort this season. LCU was 50% (27/54) from the field, reaching the 50% plateau for a seventh time this season. They out-scored TAMIU 40-18 in the paint.
 
MARGINALIZE
LCU ranks 21^st nationally with a conference leading scoring margin of 18.6 points per game margin in outscoring their opponents. Prior to their 20-point win Thursday, the Lady Chaps margin had been decreasing, as they went a string of three single-digit victories over a six-game stretch (prior to Thursday). They only had one single-digit win of their opening six wins to start the season.  In their current seven-game win streak, LCU has trailed in four of those contests, but their largest deficit has not exceeded four points and each of their largest deficits in those contests have been in the opening quarter. They were able to rebound in each of those games and have not trailed after a quarter of play in any of their games during the current seven-game win streak.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
New national rankings came out Wednesday afternoon, and the Lady Chaparrals moved from No.4 in both the D2SIDA's Top-25 Poll and the WBCA's Top-25 Poll (Coaches Poll) for NCAA Division II women's basketball. They improved to No.3 in the D2SIDA poll, while dropping to No.5 in the WBCA poll. They are the top team in the polls of teams that have suffered a loss. The No.3 ranking marks their best ranking this season in the D2SIDA poll.
 
CALENDAR CHECK
Last Saturday's contest (Dec. 30 at Eastern New Mexico) marked LCU's final game of the 2017 calendar year. Their win over ENMU provided the Lady Chaps with a 26-5 record (83.9%) for all games played in 2017. LCU went 29-10 (74.4%) in 2016 and 24-4 (85.7%) in 2015.
 
PERIMETER PLAY
On the offensive side, LCU ranks 39th nationally with 103 three-pointers made on the season. Tess Bruffey leads the team with 26 three-pointers, with Caitlyn Cunyus right behind her with 24. LCU's three-point shooting percentage ranks seventh nationally at 39.5%. On the defensive side, LCU leads the Heartland Conference holding opponents to a 28.2% shooting percentage from long range.
 
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES
LCU leads the Heartland Conference and ranks 10th nationally in field goal percentage, shooting 47.2% from the field.  They also lead the nation in field goal defense, holding the opposition to 31.6% shooting on the season. Their allowance of 53.9 points per game ranks 11th in the nation.
 
BLOCKING IT OUT
Tess Bruffey, who ranked second nationally last season in blocks per game (3.9), leads the nation with 64 blocks on the season. Her 64 blocks come at a rate of 4.6 per game (leads nationally) and she has more blocks than all but 20 NCAA Div. II teams (she has more blocks than 280 NCAA Division II programs). The Lady Chaps, as a team, leads the nation with 98 blocks. Bruffey has six double-doubles on the season as well ranks tied for 13th nationally in the category. In her career, Bruffey has a program and conference record 336 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 (1,446, 13th), field goals (532, eighth) and double-doubles (20, 15th).  
 
WHAT IS ON THE LINE?
LCU became the 16th team in NCAA Division II Women's Basketball to win 42 consecutive home games with their win over Texas A&M International Thursday (it actively leads NCAA Div. II).  If LCU extends the streak to 44 (currently at 42), they will match Ashland for 15th place on the all-time list for consecutive home wins in NCAA Division II history.  The record is 87 consecutive home victories by Nebraska-Kearney, who completed the task from Jan. 31, 1995 - Nov. 24, 2001. LCU's last home loss came on Jan. 1, 2015 against Oklahoma City University. LCU has also won 44 consecutive home conference games, with their last conference home loss occurring Jan. 10, 2013 (against Oklahoma City). They are 38-0 all-time in Heartland Conference home games.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT StMU
• The Rattlers are 7-8 on the season and 1-1 in conference play this season. They have won three of their last four games, including two straight contests. They defeated Cameron 54-51 on the road for their second straight road win, pushing their road mark to 2-3 on the season.
• The Heartland Conference Preseason Poll had St. Mary's fourth, with one first-place vote in the mix. They are 1-1 in conference play this season with a road loss at St. Edward's and a road win at TAMIU.
• This is the Rattlers second trip to Lubbock this season.  They played in the Arbor Hotels Classic (Nov. 17-18), defeating Texas - Permian Basin (50-46) and Western New Mexico (64-60).
• StMU ranks 19th nationally and leads the conference in personal fouls per game, averaging a low of 15 per contest.
• Arysia Porter leads the conference in minutes played per game (34.9) and is eighth nationally in overall minutes played (523). She also ranks 10^th nationally in steals with 42 on the season.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST StMU
LCU leads the all-times series 11-3 over StMU. LCU is 8-2 against the Rattlers since joining the Heartland. The two teams split the regular season series, with the home team winning each contest, and then the Lady Chaps defeated StMU 70-51 in the Semifinals of the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla.
 
PRIOR MEETING VS. StMU
Mar. 4, 2017 (Tulsa, Okla.): LCU 70 - StMU 51
No.3-Seed Lubbock Christian University used a 14-2 run in the opening quarter and a double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds) from Tess Bruffey to defeat No.2-Seed St. Mary's University 70-51 in the Semifinals of the Heartland Conference Tournament at John Q. Hammons Arena.
 
The Lady Chaparrals controlled most of the game, containing a lead of at least 10 points for 28:03 of the game. The offensive support for LCU started early, with a 14-2 run in the opening quarter. The run, which included a 12-0 stretch, helped LCU surge from a 7-5 lead to a 21-7 advantage with 45 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. LCU, who led 21-9 at the quarter's conclusion, was 69.2% (9/13) from the field in the quarter, with nine field goals (the nine field goals in the quarter was more than StMU produced in the half).
 
Despite the offensive success in the first half for LCU, who shot 56% (14/25) in the half, LCU allowed StMU to stick around. LCU committed nine turnovers in the first half and it led to StMU scoring 10 points off turnovers in the first half, which was 43% of their point production in the half with LCU leading 36-23 at the half.
 
StMU started to rally back in the third quarter, opening the half on an 8-0 run. LaBraile Fields and Arysia Porter each hit three-pointers during the run and cut LCU's lead to 36-31 2:14 into the second half. LCU did not wait long to respond, getting a three-point play from Delaney Gaddis to spark a 5-0 run before countering a 4-0 Rattlers run with a 10-1 run capped by a three-pointer from Caitlyn Cunyus to put LCU up 51-36 with 1:33 left in the third quarter. Bailey Haist hit three three-pointers for LCU and her first of two in the second half came with 13 seconds left in the third quarter to close the quarter with LCU leading 54-39.
 
LCU received seven points from Bobbi Chitsey in the fourth quarter and her production helped build LCU's lead to as large as a 22-point advantage in the final quarter. The Lady Chaps outscored StMU 16-12 in the final quarter.
 
The Lady Chaps shot at least 50% in three of the game's four quarters and finished the game 54% (27/50) from the field. They were 6-of-14 from beyond the arc (42.9%) and 21-of-36 inside the arc (58.3%). LCU was also 10-of-12 from the charity stripe (83.3%). On the defensive end, LCU held StMU to a 32.8% (19/58) shooting mark. The Rattlers struggled with a 26.7% (4/15) shooting mark in the opening quarter. They were 0-of-4 from long range in the quarter, 1-of-9 in the half and finished the game 4-of-21 (19%) from three-point range.
 
Kiara Etheridge (17 points) and Porter (12 points) were the lone bright spots for the Rattlers, who fell to 21-7 and will have a slim outside chance at an at-large regional berth. If their season is complete, it would mark the second straight season in which their season ended with a semifinals loss to LCU in Tulsa.
 
LCU received a game-high 18 points from Bruffey, who was 8-of-15 from the field and added 11 rebounds to complete her 11th double-double of the season. Chitsey produced another solid outing in Tulsa with 15 points for her fourth consecutive game of at least 14 points. LCU also received 14 points from Hannah Harbin, who also contributed five rebounds and four assists.