SOUTHERN NAZARENE (0-2, 0-0)
AT No.3/10 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (3-0, 0-0)
Friday, November 16 - 6:00 PM                                             
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: Online Only
All-Time Series: SNU leads 35-13
 
HOSTING AGAIN
The Lubbock Christian University continue their season-opening five-game homestand this weekend hosting the Arbor Hotels Classic, which is the second straight tournament hosted by LCU. Last weekend, LCU hosted the TAJ Hospitality Classic, where they opened the season 3-0 with wins over Metropolitan State of Denver, Colorado State – Pueblo and Texas A&M – Commerce. The Arbor Hotels Classic welcomes St. Mary's (Texas), Southern Nazarene and Texas – Permian Basin to the Hub City for the classic style tournament. LCU opens the weekend hosting Southern Nazarene Friday and Texas-Permian Basin Saturday.
 
MONDAY MUSINGS
Lubbock Christian University held Texas A&M – Commerce to 14 field goals and benefited off a 25-6 scoring advantage in points-off-turnovers to claim a 67-42 victory inside Rip Griffin Center Monday night. The Lions, who posted 61 points in an exhibition game at Baylor, converted on more three-point field goals than two-point field goals. It marks the first time LCU has held an opponent to more three-point field goals than two-point field goals since Texas-Permian Basin registered six of their 11 field goals from three-point range on Mar. 3, 2016. TAMUC was held to two two-point field goals the entire second half, and went a gap of 15:51 without a two-point field goal. They did not have a two-point field goal in the first and third quarter of play. LCU had a 34-10 scoring advantage in the paint, with a +24 in the category marking their highest mark since a +32 (50-18) on Mar. 1, 2018 against Texas A&M International. TAMUC, 14-of-62 (22.6%) from the field, was 5-of-30 (16.7%) shooting inside the paint and 6-of-41 (14.6%) inside the perimeter. Meanwhile, LCU was 48.9% from the field, going 17-of-30 (56.7%) in the paint (15-of-20, 75% underneath the basket).
 
HOMELAND SECURITY
LCU completed their home schedule going 16-0 last season season. They are the eighth team in NCAA Division II women's basketball history to win 53 consecutive home games with their win over Texas A&M – Commerce Monday (it actively leads NCAA Div. II). If LCU extends the streak to 56, they would become the seventh team in NCAA Division II history to hit the plateau. 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 49 consecutive home conference games, with their last conference home loss occurring Jan. 10, 2013 (against Oklahoma City). They are 43-0 all-time in Heartland Conference home games.
 
THE QUAD
LCU has four players averaging at least 10 points through their opening three games of the season. Maddi Chitsey (14.7) leads the team this season in points per game, with Allie Schulte (14.3), Olivia Robertson (12.3) and Bobbi Chitsey (10.3) also in double figures. LCU has had a different leading scorer in each of their three games.
 
SISTER CHRISTIAN
Saturday's win over CSU-Pueblo marked the first time in LCU program history in which a pair of sisters tallied double figures, as LCU received double-digit point production from Olivia Robertson, Juliana Robertson, Bobbi Chitsey and Maddi Chitsey. LCU has three sisters on the squad, but they have not had a game yet in which all three sisters touched the floor.  Caitlin Cunyus has been sidelined and has to play in a game this season.
 
CRIME SPREE
LCU had 10 steals in their win over TAMUC Monday and have reached at least 10 steals in a game in two of their three games this season. LCU hit the mark nine times last season. Allie Schulte leads LCU with 2.7 steals per game (8 total on the season, which ranks 43^rd nationally).
 
NO WHISTLES
The Lady Chaps rank fourth nationally in fouls per game with a low of 11.3 per game (William Jewell leads the nation with 9.0 per game). LCU averages an 18.7 – 12.7 advantage in free-throw attempts per game.
 
SECURITY
LCU ranks fourth nationally in turnovers per game, with an average of 10.3 turnovers per game. The Lady Chaps have not turned the ball over more than 11 times in a game this season, while averaging forcing 17.0 turnovers per game. LCU has a 1.58 assist/turnover ratio, which ranks 11^th nationally. Olivia Robertson leads the conference and is 22^nd nationally with a 5.00 assist/turnover ratio.
 
FIVE FACTS ABOUT SNU
- SNU is 0-2 after falling twice in Kansas City at the Central Region Challenge. They fell to No.1/1 Central Missouri 55-47 and No.24 Augustana 82-70. LCU is SNU's third straight nationally ranked opponent.
- The Crimson Storm went 10-16 last season, with an 8-14 mark in Great American Conference play. SNU has not enjoyed a winning season since moving to NCAA Div. II (full membership), as 2012-13 (21-10) marked their last winning season (during their NAIA to NCAA Div. II transition).
- SNU is preseason picked eighth in the LSC Preseason Poll.
- Trent May is in his first season serving as the head coach at Bethany, Okla. based Southern Nazarene. He previously coached at Bethany (Kansas) and most recently Grand Canyon prior to taking over the Crimson Storm, who return four starters from last season.
- The Crimson Storm are averaging 15 offensive rebounds per game, leading the GAC in the category this season.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST SNU
SNU leads the all-time series 35-13, which dates back to the 1993 season.  The two squads have not met since Mar. 2, 2012, which was their last season in which the two squads were conference foes in the NAIA's Sooner Athletic Conference. LCU won four of the prior six meetings.
 
PREVIOUS RECAP VS. SNU
Mar. 2, 2012 (Siloam Springs, Ark.) - SNU: 81 - LCU:73
History was on Southern Nazarene's side in their Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament meeting with No.4 Lubbock Christian University, and so was a 70.4% shooting percentage in the second half, which carried the No.16 Crimson Storm to an 81-73 win over the Lady Chaparrals inside Bill George Arena on the campus of John Brown University.
 
LCU, who has won their opening game of the tournament for a streak of nine consecutive seasons, has never won a game following a win in the tournament (0-10 when following a win).  The Lady Chaps have also never defeated SNU in tournament play (0-6).  It marks the second consecutive season in which LCU swept SNU in the regular season but fell in the tournament.
 
The Lady Chaps missed a slew of open looks in the first half, shooting 28.6% (8/28) in the half.  Despite the poor shooting, the Lady Chaps went on a 10-0 run to take a 23-16 lead with 4:46 remaining in the half.  SNU scored seven of the next 11 points to tie the game at 27-27 before a pair of free-throws by Nicole Hampton allowed LCU to take a 29-27 halftime lead.
 
Kelsey Canavan increased the LCU lead to 33-29 early in the second half, but then momentum shifted in favor of the Crimson Storm.  SNU made five of their next seven shots from the field, with Abbey Marra netting four of the attempts to get a 15-3 run by the Storm and a 44-36 lead.  SNU ended up building the lead to a ten-point lead with their 19/27 second half shooting (70.4).  LCU was only able to trim the deficit to four (75-71 with 58-seconds remaining) in the final moments.  Marra scored 14 of her 20 points in the second half and Sharmeda Johnson poured in 12 of her 13 points in the half.
 
The teams combined for nine players in double figures, with Canavan and Hampton each scoring 23 points for LCU to lead all scorers.  Canavan completed a double-double with 10 rebounds.  LCU also received 14 points from Brittany Roberts and 11 points from Emily Atkins (10 in the second half).  SNU was led by 21 points from Oumoul Thiam, with Logan Martin (11 points) also finishing in double figures offensively to join Johnson and Marra, who had a double-double completed by 12 rebounds.  LCU shot 43.3% in the second half (13/30) and finished the game shooting 36.2% (21/58).