No.2 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (20-1, 9-0)
at TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL (2-19, 0-7)
Saturday, February 3, 2018 - 1 p.m.
TAMIU Kinesiology & Convocation Building (Laredo, Texas)
Radio: Online Only
All-Time Series: LCU Leads 10-1
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END OF THE ROAD(TRIP)
No.2 Lubbock Christian University closes out a four-game geographically filled road trip Saturday in Laredo, Texas facing Texas A&M International. LCU is 6-0 on the road, as they make their southernmost stop of the season Saturday. LCU sits atop the Heartland Conference standings with a 9-0 conference record (20-1 overall). LCU's magic number sits at "2" in regards to claiming at least a share of the regular season title. No matter what takes place Saturday, there is no viable circumstance in which LCU could clinch at least a share of the conference regular season title. LCU can cut the magic number to "1," but Arkansas – Fort Smith plays a non-conference opponent Saturday.    
 
LOOK AT THEIR LAST GAME
No.2 Lubbock Christian University outscored St. Mary's University 24-4 in points off turnovers and Tess Bruffey chipped in 18 points to lead the Lady Chaparrals to a 64-39 Heartland Conference road win Thursday evening at Bill Greehey Arena.
 
LCU cruised from the start, opening the game on a 7-0 run, with Bruffey opening the game 4-of-4 from the field and leading LCU with nine points in the opening quarter. StMU did not receive their first field goal until 2:29 into the opening quarter. One of Bruffey's four first quarter field goals came with 4:39 left in the quarter to put LCU up 15-6, before StMU responded with a 6-0 run to cut the LCU to 15-12. Twenty seconds later, Bobbi Chitsey nailed a three-pointer and helped LCU go on an 8-0 run.  Six of the eight points closed out the opening quarter for a 21-12 lead heading into the second quarter.  The Rattlers responded with another 6-0 run, cutting the LCU lead to 26-20 with 5:26 left in the second quarter, but they would hit a wall. LCU went on a 9-0 run highlighted with another Chitsey three-pointer.  Chitsey had five points in the quarter and ended the half co-leading the Lady Chaps (with Bruffey) with 10 points to help LCU to a 35-22 halftime lead. LCU had a 16-4 advantage in points off turnovers in the first half.
 
The Lady Chaps opened the second half 0-of-7 from the field and did not received their first field goal of the half until Delaney Gaddis' layup 5:21 into the third quarter. StMU had opened the half on a 6-0 run, but once LCU ended the Rattlers run, they never looked back. LCU, hitting four straight shots after opening the half 0-of-7 from the field, outscored the Rattlers 29-11 over the final 16:04 of the game. Included in the offensive sure for LCU was a 13-5 run capped by a jumper from Chitsey to put LCU up 48-33 with 1:50 left in the third quarter. Bruffey registered five points in the third quarter to give LCU a 48-35 lead heading into the fourth quarter. StMU was 2-of-13 (15.4%) from the field in the fourth quarter. LCU was 6-of-9 inside the arc in the fourth quarter and 7-of-12 (58.3%) overall in the final frame. LCU closed the game on a 14-2 run.
 
Bruffey led all scorers with 18 points. She also added a team leading four rebounds and contributed a season high six assists. Chitsey (12 points) and Olivia Robertson (10 points) joined Bruffey in double figures. Soteria Banks (11 points) and Hannah Wilson (10 points) led the St. Mary's offense.
 
MARGINS
LCU leads the Heartland Conference in is rebounding margin (27th nationally), with an average of 7.0 more rebounds per game over their opposition, and they rank ninth nationally in scoring margin (average a win margin of 19.7 points per game).
 
THAT'S FOUL
LCU has moved into eighth nationally in fouls per game with a low of 14.1 fouls per contest. The fouls have led to LCU having a 14.5 - 9.2 scoring advantage over their opponents from the free-throw line. Tess Bruffey leads LCU averaging 3.8 points per game from the free-throw line. On the road, LCU has a 16.7 - 8.2 scoring advantage, with Bruffey averaging 4.7 points per game from the line. Caitlyn Cunyus (17/18), Olivia Robertson (20/22) and Bobbi Chitsey (14/16) have all taken advantage of their free-throw opportunities on the road, combining for a 91.1% (51/56) free-throw shooting mark on the road.
 
SECOND QUARTER SURGING
In LCU's 20 wins, they have faced deficits in 11 of them and their largest deficits in all 11 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 19 wins.  LCU has overcome the deficits and have surged in the second quarters of games. The Lady Chaps are averaging 21.8 points per game in the second quarter over their prior eight games and averaging a point advantage of 20.9 - 10.8 against their opponents in the span. On Jan. 18, LCU held St. Edward's to one point the entire second quarter, outscoring the Hilltoppers 25-1 in the quarter.
 
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. 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 seventh nationally in field goal percentage, shooting 4712% from the field. LCU also leads the nation in field goal defense, holding the opposition to 32.1% shooting on the season. Their allowance of 51.8 points per game ranks second in the nation.
 
PERIMETER PLAY
Despite ranking fifth in the Heartland in three-point field goal attempts, LCU leads the conference in three-point field goals made per game (7.0), as they have the 15th best three-point shooting percentage in the nation at 37.2%. On the other end, LCU is holding opponents to a 28.5% shooting percentage from long range.
 
BLOCKING IT OUT
Tess Bruffey, who ranked second nationally last season in blocks per game (3.9), leads the nation with 86 blocks on the season. Her 86 blocks (ranks tied for fourth highest single-season mark in program history) come at a rate of 4.1 per game (second nationally) and she has more blocks than all but 45 NCAA Div. II teams (301 teams in Div. II). The Lady Chaps, as a team, rank second in the nation with 136 blocks. In her career, Bruffey has a program and conference record 358 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 (1,557, 13th), field goals (570, ninth) and double-doubles (22, 19th).  
 
ROAD WARRIORS
LCU is 6-0 in road play this season and have produced some defensive minded performances. In five of the six 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 67.8 - 48.5 on the road this season, holding the home team to a 31.2% shooting mark. The Lady Chaps have a 100-49 advantage in points from the free-throw line on the road as well. Tess Bruffey leads LCU on the road averaging 18.7 points per game, with Caitlyn Cunyus contributing 10.2 points per game on the road.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TAMIU
• The Dustdevils are 2-19 on the season and 0-1 in conference play this season. They are 2-5 and seeking to end an overall 11-game losing streak.
• The Heartland Conference Preseason Poll selected TAMIU to finish seventh. They are currently 0-7 this season in conference play following a 74-58 loss at home to St. Edward's on Jan. 27.
• Passionate Amukamara leads the squad and is second in the conference with 43 steals.
• TAMIU's Tantashea Giger leads the conference in free-throws per game, with 127 attempts on the season (36th nationally).
• Giger also racks up field attempts, ranking 35th nationally in field goal attempts with 321 (15.6 per game).
 
THE SERIES AGAINST TAMIU
LCU leads the all-times series 10-1 against TAMIU. The Lady Chaps won the first five and the prior five series meetings. Their prior meeting, which was in Lubbock, Texas, resulted in a 73-53 LCU win on Jan. 4. LCU is 8-1 against TAMIU since joining the Heartland Conference and 3-1 in Laredo in that span.
 
PRIOR MEETING VS. TAMIU
Jan. 4, 2018 (Lubbock, Texas): LCU 73 - TAMIU 53
No.3/5 Lubbock Christian University used a 27-point second quarter and Tess Bruffey led a foursome of Lady Chaparrals in double figures with 17 points to lead LCU past Texas A&M International 73-53 in Heartland Conference play inside Rip Griffin Center.
 
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 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.