BELLINGHAM, Wash. (December 18, 2018) – Sisters Bobbi Chitsey (26 points) and Maddi Chitsey (17 points) combined for 43 points, and Bobbi's 21 points in the second half helped LCU overcome a halftime deficit and the Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaparrals closed out the Viking Holiday Hoops Classic with a 70-64 win over Simon Fraser Monday night inside Carver Gym on the Western Washington campus. Olivia Robertson added a double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) and claimed Tournament MVP honors. Bobbi Chitsey also received All-Tournament Team accolades.
 
LCU, heading into the second half trailing 38-33, opened the third quarter with a 12-2 run, which was started by a three-pointer from Bobbi Chitsey. Eight of LCU's 12 points during the run were from Chitsey, who finished with nine points in the quarter and helped LCU take a 50-43 lead into the fourth quarter. LCU's first four points of the fourth quarter were tallied from the free-throw line, with Chitsey making a pair during the span to give LCU their largest lead of the game (54-43) less than 90 seconds into the quarter.
 
SFU, entering the game ranking 12^th nationally in three-point field goals per game, made 11 three-pointers in the game and five were nailed in the fourth quarter. They received one from Jessica Jones, along with an old-fashioned three-point play from Samantha Beauchamp during a quick spurt to cut LCU's lead to 54-51 with 4:53 remaining. With 3:35 to go, Jones hit her second three-pointer of the quarter and trimmed the Lady Chaps lead to 56-54, but Chitsey answered with a three-pointer to push the LCU lead back to a five-point-lead (59-54). LCU went the final 1:26 without a field goal, but they were 10-of-10 from the free-throw line, including going 6-of-6 in the final 40 seconds of play.
 
The contest had nine lead changes and the score was tied on six occasions. SFU led for
18:25 and LCU led for 17:47. The Clan led for most of the first half of play. LCU had a 5-2 lead after a three-pointer from Allie Schulte, but SFU responded with a 10-0 run for a 12-5 lead. Jessica Jones knocked down a pair of three-pointers in the quarter and SFU led 17-15 at the quarter's close. Maddi Chitsey registered nine points in the second quarter for LCU, but SFU had 10 points off nine LCU turnovers and outscored LCU 21-18 in the quarter to take a 38-33 halftime lead.
 
Bobbi Chitsey was 8-of-9 from the field, 3-of-4 from three-point range, and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line in her career-high 26-point performance. Maddi had 17 points and Robertson added 12 points, including her third double-double of the season. The trio shot a combined 22-of-25 from the free-throw line. LCU was 48.8% (21/43) from the field, shooting 58.6% (17/29) inside the arc. They struggled from outside, shooting 28.6% from long range.
 
SFU (5-4), the only Canadian based NCAA program, received 15 points from Jessica Jones, who hit five three-pointers. Taylor Drynan added 14 points for the Clan and she had three three-pointers to combine with Jones to produce eight of Simon Fraser's 11 three-pointers (11/25, 44.2%).
   
LCU improved to 9-4 with the victory and they won both (2-0) of their contests at the Holiday Hoops Classic. They also moved to 1-1 all-time against SFU, who they were seeing for the first time since a meeting in Plainview, Texas during the 1998-99 season.
 
TURNING POINT
Bobbi Chitsey nailed back-to-back three-pointers with 3:11 left, turning a 56-54 lead into a 59-54 advantage and extending a 59-55 lead to 62-55. Her three-pointers were part of an 8-1 run to push LCU's lead to 64-55 with 1:26 left in the game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Bobbi Chitsey's 8-of-9 shooting performance was the sixth-best shooting performance (field goal percentage) by a Lady Chap since the 2009-10 season. The last time a Lady Chap had as hot of a hand as Chitsey was on Feb. 19, 2015, as Bailey Haist was 9-of-10 from the field against St. Edward's.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
LCU now hits the Christmas Break and will not return to the hardwood until New Year's Eve (Dec. 31), as the Lady Chaps will be inside Rip Griffin Center for a 3 p.m. tip against Eastern New Mexico.