No.2 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (24-1, 13-0)
at ST. EDWARD'S (11-15, 4-9)
Saturday, February 24, 2018 - 1 p.m.
Recreation & Convocation Center (Austin, Texas)
Radio: Online Only
All-Time Series: LCU Leads 10-6
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CLOSING IT OUT
No.2 Lubbock Christian University has already claimed the Heartland Conference regular season title and the No.1-seed for the Heartland Conference Tournament, and Saturday they close the regular season facing St. Edward's University on the road in attempt to complete their third unblemished record in the Heartland Conference. LCU went 20-0 in the Heartland Confernce in 2013-2014 and 18-0 in the conference in 2015-2016. They set 13-0 this season and facing a St. Edward's squad that is playing for a seeding position in the conference tournament. The Hilltoppers will either finish sixth or seventh in the conference depending on Saturday's final scores.
LOOK AT THEIR LAST GAME
Addy Clift became the third opposing player to post at least 30 points against Lubbock Christian University since 2010, but the 35-point performance by the Oklahoma Christian University guard was not enough to take down No.2 LCU, as
Olivia Robertson's career high 22 points led the Lady Chaparrals to a 73-66 Heartland Conference road win Saturday afternoon inside The Eagles' Nest.
Clift knocked down 14 field goals, firing up 25 attempts in the contest. She produced 27 of OC's 40 second half points, going 11-of-16 (68.8%) in the second half and 7-of-9 for 17 points in the fourth quarter. The last player to score at least 30 points against LCU was Texas A&M International's Jessica Prieto, who ended a game on Feb. 28, 2015 with 31 points.
The 17-point fourth quarter for Clift helped OC storm back from a 75-66 deficit in the quarter. LCU's lead was never in doubt, but a pair of 8-2 OC runs, including one to end the game on, made things interesting. Katie Mayo provided OC a field goal with 23 seconds left to cut LCU's lead under double figures (72-64) for the first time since LCU's
Tess Bruffey hit a three-pointer a minute into the second quarter to put LCU up 20-9. Bruffey's trey was the first of a pair of consecutive three-pointers by LCU, as Robertson followed with a "three" for a 6-0 LCU run. LCU, following a 1-of-5 shooting lull from downtown in the first quarter, exploded going 5-of-8 (62.5%) from three-point range in the second quarter. It helped LCU to a 44-26 halftime lead.
Robertson matched a career high with three three-pointers in the contest and was 7-of-11 from the field. She led a trio of Lady Chaps in double figures.
Maddi Chitsey, who registered nine points in the first quarter, provided 15 points and Bruffey completed her 23rd career double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Bruffey, who had six rebounds in the first quarter, also tallied five blocks and four assists. Eight different Lady Chaps tallied at least one assist in the game, led by six from
Delaney Gaddis. LCU assisted on 19 of their 24 field goals (OC assisted on four of their 24 field goals in comparison).
Mayo finished with 12 points for OC to join Clift in double figures. The Lady Eagles became the second team to out-shoot LCU this season, as they were 42.1% (24/57) from the field, aided by a 9-of-14 (64.3%) shooting mark in the final quarter. Despite the occurrence, LCU (40.7%, 24/59) is 2-0 when being out-shot (season-opening opponent Colorado State – Pueblo is the only other opposing team to out-shoot LCU this season).
TITLE TALK
LCU claimed the Heartland Conference regular season title this season. The title is LCU's fifth conference title in program history and the third in the Heartland Conference. LCU has claimed first place for a fourth time since joining the Heartland Conference (LCU was unable to claim the regular season title in 2014-15 due to transitioning to NCAA Division II membership status).
TULSA TIME IS SET
The Heartland Conference Tournament is scheduled for Mar. 1-4 at Union Multipurpose Activity Center (UMAC) in Tulsa, Okla. The No.1 and No.8 seeds have been set and No.1-seed Lubbock Christian will open the tournament Thursday at 7:30 p.m. facing No.8-seed Texas A&M International. Bracket and championship info can be found on www.heartlandsports.org.
SMARTS
Lubbock Christian University's
Tess Bruffey was selected as an Academic All-District Six (NCAA Div. II) recipient by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Bruffey holds a 3.69 GPA in marketing. The Preseason All-Heartland Conference selection, leads LCU in points (14.7) and rebounds (8.7) per game (14.7). In order to be selected to an academic all-district team, a student-athlete must demonstrate success on the playing field and in the classroom, with academic and athletic achievements taken into consideration. The student-athlete must possess a minimum 3.30 cumulative GPA and be at least a sophomore in academic standing. The honor is the second All-District academic honor for Bruffey, and it gives LCU five Academic All-District selections in women's basketball at the NCAA Div. II level in program history. Bruffey will now be nominated to receive Academic All-American accolades.
REGIONAL REVIEW
The NCAA released their second South Central Regional Rankings of the season Wednesday and the Lady Chaps are still atop the list. The No.1 seed in the final rankings released Mar.4 will serve as host (unless refused) of the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament, and only the top eight teams qualify for the tournament.
1 Lubbock Christian
2 West Texas A&M
3 Colorado State-Pueblo
4 Angelo State
5 MSU Denver
6 Arkansas-Fort Smith
7 Black Hills State
8 Fort Lewis
9 Eastern New Mexico
10 Tarleton State
MARGINS
LCU leads the Heartland Conference in is rebounding margin (29th nationally), with an average of 6.5 more rebounds per game over their opposition, and they rank sixth nationally in scoring margin (average a win margin of 20.1 points per game).
FIRST THINGS FIRST
In LCU's 24 wins, they have faced deficits in 13 of them and their largest deficits in all 13 occasions have come in the first quarter. Despite the stat, LCU has not trailed at the end of the first quarter in any of their 23 wins.
THAT'S FOUL
LCU moved into seventh nationally in fouls per game with a low of 14.1 fouls per contest. The fouls have led to LCU having a 15.0 - 9.6 scoring advantage over their opponents from the free-throw line (15.5 - 8.5 advantage in conference games).
Tess Bruffey leads LCU averaging 3.7 points per game from the free-throw line.
NATIONALLY KNOWN
Updated national rankings came out Tuesday afternoon, and the Lady Chaparrals remained at No.2 in both the D2SIDA and WBCA NCAA Div. II Women's Basketball Top-25 Poll for a fifth consecutive week. The only team they are behind is No.1 Ashland, who is the only team to defeat LCU this season. The No.2 ranking matches their best ranking this season in each poll.
PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES
LCU leads the Heartland Conference and ranks 10th nationally in field goal percentage, shooting 46.8% from the field. They have shot at least 50% 10 times this season. Their allowance of 51.8 points per game leads in the nation.
SENIOR SALUTE
Saturday's final regular season game will serve as the final regular season games for LCU's
Tess Bruffey,
Caitlyn Buttram and
Delaney Gaddis. Bruffey and Buttram have spent all four of their seasons as part of the Lady Chaps and Gaddis is in her second season. For Bruffey and Buttram, the two have been part of a 52-2 (96.3%) record in home games and a Heartland Conference record of 58-7 (89.2%) since they joined the Lady Chaps.
BLOCKING IT OUT
Tess Bruffey, who ranked second nationally last season in blocks per game (3.9), ranks third in the nation with 100 blocks on the season. Her 100 blocks (third highest single-season mark in program history) come at a rate of 4.0 per game (third nationally). The Lady Chaps, as a team, rank fourth in the nation with 158 blocks. In her career, Bruffey has a program and conference record 372 blocks, marking her as the NCAA Div. II's active career leader (second among all levels) and its the eighth highest rate all-time in NCAA Div. II history (21 away from moving into seventh). She also ranks on the NCAA Div. II's active career leader charts in points (1,597, 14th), field goals (581, 13th) and double-doubles (23, 22nd).
ROAD WARRIORS
LCU is 8-0 in road play this season and have produced some defensive minded performances. In six of the eight road games, LCU has held the home team to a shooting percentage less than 35% (under 23% in two of the games). They held Texas A&M Commerce to a 21.7% from the field on Nov. 13 and Rogers State to a 22% shooting mark on Jan. 10. LCU has outscored opponents by average of 68.6 - 50.4 on the road this season, holding the home team to a 32.3% shooting mark. The Lady Chaps have a 138-71 advantage in points from the free-throw line on the road as well.
Tess Bruffey leads LCU on the road averaging 17.3 points per game, with
Olivia Robertson contributing 12.0 points per game on the road.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SEU
• The Hilltoppers are 11-15 overall and 4-9 in conference play this season. They are seeking to end a five-game conference losing skid.
• The Heartland Conference Preseason Poll selected SEU to finish third despite winning the regular season and tournament title last season. They are currently 4-9 this season in conference play (tied for sixth) and went 13-3 in conference play last season.
• The Hilltoppers lead the Heartland Conference in offensive rebounds per game with an average of 12.0 per game.
• SEU sits right behind LCU in the conference in scoring defense, as they have held opponents to a pace of 59.8 points per game this season (44th nationally).
• Saturday is "Senior Day" at SEU and four seniors will play their final game in Austin (Greta Kairyte, Haley Joly, Saundra Guillory (inactive) and Severija Narkute).
THE SERIES AGAINST SEU
LCU has won nine of the last 11 meetings and leads the all-time series lead at 10-6. The two teams split the regular season series (home team won each meeting) last season before SEU clinched a NCAA Division II South Central Region berth with a 52-44 win over LCU at the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa. The two teams have played in the championship game of the conference tournament the past two seasons. LCU is 4-5 all-time against SEU in Austin. LCU will go for the regular season series sweep after a 64-31 LCU win in Lubbock on Jan. 18.
PRIOR MEETING VS. SEU
Jan. 18, 2018 (Lubbock, Texas): LCU 64 - SEU 31
No.3 Lubbock Christian University held St. Edward's University to seven points in the first half and closed the half on a 25-0 run to bolt out to a 64-31 Heartland Conference win behind a 15-point performance from
Bobbi Chitsey Thursday night inside Rip Griffin Center. LCU became the 15th program in NCAA Division II history to reach 44 consecutive home wins, with the victory, which also extended their streak of consecutive conference home wins to 46 wins (40-0 all-time in Heartland Conference home wins).
LCU held the defending Heartland Conference champs to two field goals and seven points in the opening half of play. The seven points was the fewest allowed in a half by LCU since holding Dallas Christian to six points in the first half on Nov. 4, 2008. In the second quarter, SEU was 0-of-12 from the field and was outscored 25-1 in the quarter. The one point allowed by LCU was the fewest allowed in a quarter by LCU since the NCAA adopted quarters last season. The prior low was three tallied by Lenoir-Rhyne in the third quarter of a meeting on Nov. 26, 2016.
Overall, SEU was held to 11 field goals in the game. Seven of the 11 were two point field goals. It marks the second consecutive game in which the opposition has been held to 11 field goals. Prior to LCU holding Rogers State to 11 field goals (Jan. 10), the Lady Chaparrals had not held a team to 11 field goals since holding Texas – Permian Basin to 11 on Mar. 3, 2016. LCU held RSU to six two-point field goals and held SEU to seven two-point field goals.
Despite the Hilltoppers shooting woes early, the game started off close, as LCU was 2-of-7 from the field to start the game. LCU did build a 9-1 lead, but SEU made a pair of field goals after missing their opening 10 attempts to cut the deficit to 9-6. The two field goals would be SEU's only field goals of the half. They opened the second quarter with a free throw from Abby Hopper to cut LCU's lead to 9-7, but LCU responded with a 25-0 run to close the half. LCU was 9-of-13 (69.2%) from the field during the run. Six Lady Chaps contributed to the run, led by six points from Chitsey.
SEU missed 15 consecutive field goal attempts and was 2-of-27 (7.4%) from the field in the first half. Meanwhile, LCU, shooting 60% (9-of-15) in the second quarter, was 52% (13/25) from the field in the half and was led by nine points from
Maddi Chitsey.
A different SEU team showed up in the second half. The Hilltoppers went on a 4-of-5 shooting stretch, which included a pair of three-pointers. Lexi Cunningham, who had eight points in the third quarter, hit a three to bring SEU within 19 (34-15), but it is as close as they would get. LCU outscored SEU 11-8 in the remainder of the quarter and took a 45-23 lead into the final quarter.
Freshmen
Ashton Duncan (six points) and
Madelyn Turner (four points) combined for 10 points in the fourth quarter, as LCU went to their bench for most of the fourth quarter. LCU had a stretch making six of eight shots to lead as much as 36 points (64-28). Cunningham hit a long three-pointer inside the final 15 seconds to put SEU over the 30-point mark in the game.
Making three of their last six shot attempts helped place SEU over the 20-percent shooting mark, as they finished the game 20.8% (11/53) from the field. The 31 points was the lowest SEU has produced since Angelo State held them to 26 points in a 53-26 loss on June 7, 2007. The points were also the fewest allowed by LCU since holding Arlington Baptist to 30 on Nov. 20, 2012.
LCU received three-pointers from six different individuals in the game and finished the game 10-of-19 (52.6%) from downtown.
Bobbi Chitsey finished the game with a season high 15 points. She (2-of-2) combined with
Caitlyn Cunyus (3-of-3) and Duncan (2-of-2) to go 7-of-7 from long range. Cunyus was 5-of-5 overall from the field to finish with 13 points. The Lady Chaps also received a solid night on the boards. With a 45-28 rebounding edge, LCU's +17 rating marked the fourth consecutive game in which LCU has produced a rebound margin of at least +13.
