No.3/10 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (5-0, 0-0)
AT TARLETON STATE (3-1, 0-0)
Wednesday, November 21 - 5:30 PM                                             
Wisdom Gym (Stephenville, Texas)
Radio: 100.7 FM "The Score"
All-Time Series: TSU leads 20-5
 
THANKSGIVING EVE
Lubbock Christian University hits a busy Thanksgiving Week with a trio of games, including their first regular season games away from the Rip Griffin Center this season. LCU opens the week Wednesday with a contest at Tarleton State University before heading to San Antonio, Texas for a second straight season competing in the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic.  
 
SATURDAY SUMMARY
LCU drained 16 three-pointers and held University of Texas of the Permian Basin to 30% shooting, as they cruised to an 82-39 victory in the closing game of the Arbor Hotels Classic inside Rip Griffin Center Saturday.
 
The 16 three-pointers were two shy of a program single-game record and are tied for 10^th in Heartland Conference history. It ties as the fifth most in a single game this season in NCAA Division II.
 
LCU was 58% (29/50) from the field, which was their best shooting mark since shooting 62.7% (Nov. 21, 2017) last season against Tarleton State. The Lady Chaps made 16 three-pointers and 13 two-point field goals, marking the first time LCU has had more "threes" than "twos" since Feb. 18, 2017 (vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State) when LCU set a program single-game record with 18 three-points and 13 two-point field goals.
  
All LCU starters played under seven minutes in the second half and none played in the fourth quarter.  The bench was still able to outscore UTPB 18-12 in the fourth quarter.
 
LCU had point production from 11 of their 12 active players, with four completing the game in double figures. Allie Schulte led LCU with four three-pointers (4-of-6) and had a game-high 16 points, with Olivia Robertson (11), Kailin Davis (10) and Ashton Duncan (10) each in double figures. Even with the outside shoot success, LCU out-scored UTPB 22-10 in paint scoring. LCU also had a 20-12 scoring advantage in points-off-turnovers and a 35-17 (+18) advantage in rebounds.
 
UTPB, who was held with a second-chance point, did not have any players in double figures. The Falcons (1-3) finished 15-of-50 (30%) from the field.
 
ROADIES
LCU is riding a 55-game home win streak, but they are also riding a nine-game win streak on the road, as they went 9-0 last season and Wednesday marks their first road game of the season. Their last road loss came Feb. 11, 2017 at Arkansas Fort Smith. The nine-game road win streak is tied for the sixth active-leading streak in NCAA Div. II. Ashland has won their last 30 consecutive road contests.
 
FIVE-0
Lubbock Christian joins 59 other NCAA Division II programs, remaining with a perfect record to date, and are one of five programs that are 5-0.  The Lady Chaps are 5-0 for a second straight season and they have started 5-0 in three of the last four seasons.
 
SISTER CHRISTIAN
On Nov.10, 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 yet to play in a game this season, although she is expected to be active this week.
 
LENDING A HELPING HAND
LCU has four players with at least an average of 2.0 assists per game.  Allie Schulte leads the team with 24 assists (4.8 per game), with Olivia Robertson (13, 2.6), Bobbi Chitsey (12, 2.4) and Juliana Robertson (10, 2.0) also providing into the ball distribution. LCU averages 16.6 assists on 25.6 field goals per game.  LCU has 83 assists, ranking seventh nationally in the category.
 
BOARD GAMES
The Lady Chaps have produced at least 30 rebounds in each of their last four games and averaged 17 more rebounds than their opposition the past two games.
 
DOWNTOWN
LCU came two three-pointers shy of tying a team single-game record with 16 three-pointers against UTPB Saturday. LCU ranks third nationally with 48 three-pointers on the season and is eighth with a shooting mark of 45.7% from long range.
 
RANKING THINGS
D2SIDA and WBCA each released their first in-season national rankings of the season, and LCU remained No.3 in D2SIDA and No.10 in the WBCA poll.
 
FOUL-PLAY
Lubbock Christian ranks fourth nationally in discipline play, with an average of 12.2 fouls per game. The lack of fouls has them with a 12.2 - 7.8 scoring advantage from the free-throw line (LCU averages a 16.4 – 12.8 advantage in free-throw attempts per game).
 
FIVE FACTS ABOUT TARLETON
- Tarleton is 3-1 after splitting the weekend's play last week in a California road trip. They defeated Biola 62-50, but fell 82-70 in overtime to Cal Poly Pamona.
- The TexAnns went 20-12 last season, with a 12-8 mark in Lone Star Conference play. They qualified for the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament as the No.8-seed and fell to the Lady Chaps in the opening round of the tournament.
- Tarleton is preseason picked fourth in the LSC Preseason Poll.
- The TexAnns take advantage of getting to the line, ranking 43^rd nationally in free-throw attempts (92) and 33^rd in free-throws made (92). They are averaging 17.3 points from the line per game and an average allowance of 10.5.
- Three of the top-seven players in steals in the Lone Star Conference are TexAnns, which has them as a team with 40 steals (second in the LSC). Kaylee Allen ranks third in the LSC with a team-leading nine steals.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST TARLETON
The TexAnns have dominated the all-time series 205, but LCU has won the prior three meetings. LCU is 2-11 all-time in Stephenville, Texas, winning 75-66 in their prior meeting at Wisdon Gym (Dec. 13, 2016).
 
PREVIOUS RECAP VS. TARLETON
Mar. 9, 2018 (Lubbock, Texas) - TSU: 46 - LCU:78
Tess Bruffey celebrated her 23rd birthday with a double-double (17 points and 13 rebounds) and combined for 35 points with Maddi Chitsey (18 points) to help No.2 and top-seeded Lubbock Christian University advance to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball South Central Region Tournament with a 78-46 victory inside Rip Griffin Center.
 
The TexAnns were without All-Lone Star Conference selection and leading scorer Mackenzie Hailey, who suffered an injury at the LSC Tournament.  LCU took advantage of her absence early with 16 points in the first quarter from Maddi Chitsey. The Lady Chaps opened the quarter on a 12-0 run. Chitsey hit her first five field goal attempts and capped the quarter with a three-pointer before the horn for a 26-7 lead at the end of the quarter. LCU had an 8-0 scoring advantage in paint scoring and 15-4 rebound advantage led to a 6-0 scoring advantage in second-chance scoring.
 
The Lady Chaps built the lead to 40-15 four minutes into the second quarter, but then hit a wall. LCU went the final 5:52 of the quarter without a point, as TSU closed the half on an 8-0 run to cut LCU's lead to 40-23 at the half. It was an eventual span of 8:04 without a point for LCU on 0-of-10 shooting.  The dry spell ended on a layup from Chitsey 2:12 into the third quarter.  Chitsey's layup also ended a span of 5:20 in which the score was locked at 40-23.
 
LCU avoided any further dry spell, making their next four shots and 15 of their final 21 shots (71.4%). The Lady Chaps, with four players in double figures in second half scoring, shot 60% (15/25) in the second half. TSU closed the game with one field goal in their final 13 attempts.
 
Bruffey's double-double was her 24th career double-double and first since Feb. 17 at Oklahoma Christian. Chitsey led LCU in points with 18 and also added seven rebounds and two blocks. LCU had eight blocks in the game, with four by Tess Bruffey to place her with 117 and placing her with a new Lubbock Christian University and Heartland Conference single-game record.
 
The Lady Chaps shot 53.6% from the field (30/56) and held TSU to a 30.5% (18/59) shooting mark. LCU connected on 11 three-pointers (11/23, 47.8%), with three from Caitlyn Cunyus, who finished with 13 points. The Lady Chaps out-rebounded TSU 44-24.