LUBBOCK, Texas (March 10, 2018) – No.2 and top-seeded Lubbock Christian University overcame a four-point deficit in the final 35 seconds of play with five straight points by Caitlyn Cunyus and her only points of the game were exactly what LCU needed for a 61-59 win over Angelo State University and an advancement to the NCAA Division II South Central Region Championship Game Monday night inside Rip Griffin Center against No.2-seeded West Texas A&M. LCU also dodged an end to the nations longest active home win streak and became the 10^th team in NCAA Division II history to win 49 consecutive home games.
 
It appeared as if LCU's postseason venture was going to come to an end in the semifinals once a questionable foul on Delaney Gaddis was called placing Keanna Kelly to the free-throw line for a trio of attempts with 39 seconds remaining and ASU up 58-55. Kelly ended up missing two of the three attempts and extended the Belles lead to 59-55 with 39 seconds remaining. Cunyus, who had been 0-of-3 from the field, received a screen in the left corner from Tess Bruffey and flung a rainbow to cut the deficit to 59-58 with 34 seconds left. Five seconds later, Bruffey committed a foul placing Kelly back to the line, but she missed both attempts. With the gameclock closing inside 20 seconds, Maddi Chitsey attempted an unsuccessful shot, but out of nowhere came Gaddis with an offensive rebound (her only offensive board of the game). Gaddis fed Cunyus, who drove in and put a shot in off the glass to put LCU up 61-59 with 13 seconds remaining. Marquita Daniels put up a three-pointer with seven seconds left and it came up short creating a pile-up in the paint. Out of the scrum came Ekiya Gray with a put-back attempt, but it was denied by a block from Bruffey with two seconds left.  The deflection ended up in the hands of Gaddis, who was fouled with just over a second remaining. Gaddis made the first free throw and purposely missed the second. Gray gathered the rebound, but the final horn sounded and LCU celebrated the comeback win.
 
Cunyus' go-ahead bucket was the 14^th lead change of the game. The score was tied up 11 occasions (game was tied for nine minutes) and neither team led by more than six points.
 
The largest lead of the game came with 1:01 left in the third quarter, with LCU leading 49-43. Kynese Davis' layup for ASU cut LCU's lead to 49-45 at the end of the quarter, and it started an 8-0 Belles run to take a 51-49 lead. Ekiya Gray made a three-pointer 1:40 into the fourth quarter for a 50-49 lead during the run and it was the last time LCU led until Cunyus' scoring surge late. The Belles largest lead came off a Dezirae Hampton three-pointer with 2:40 to go, placing ASU up 58-53.
 
Nine of the game's lead changes took place in the first quarter. ASU, behind six points each from Daniels and De'Anira Moore, led LCU 17-15 at the end of the first quarter. Daniels connected on a three-pointer in the second quarter to put ASU up 26-21, but LCU responded with a 5-0 run started by Bruffey on an old fashioned three-point play. Hampton closed the half with a three-pointer prior to the horn to tie the gme at 35-35 at the half. Daniels led ASU and all scorers with 17 points in the first half.
 
Bruffey was unable to get in sync, shooting 6-of-17 from the field and 0-of-7 from long range, but she still produced a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. She also had five assists and five blocks. Bruffey eclipsed 1,700 career points and has 1,702 in her career, which ranks sixth all-time in program history. Her five blocks moved her into seventh all-time in NCAA Division II history with 394 career block (passed Aukse Steponaviciute, who had 392 with Abilene Christian from 1994-97). LCU was led by 17 points from Maddi Chitsey.
 
LCU was 42.3% (22/52) from the field, with a mark of 16.7% (3/18) from three-point range. The Lady Chaps opened the game missing their first six attempts from three-point range. LCU was 55.9% (19/34) inside the arc and went 6-of-7 inside the arc in the second quarter.
 
ASU was 12-of-21 from the free-throw line (57.1%). Moore, who finished with 16 points, was 6-of-7 from the stripe and Gray was 2-of-2, but the rest of the team went a combined 4-of-12 (33%). Daniels led ASU with 17 points, but was 0-of-4 from the field during the second half.
 
LCU improved to 30-1 with the win, while ASU has their season end at 23-7. The 30 wins (third highest single-season wins mark in program history) marks the third time in program history they have hit the 30-win plateau.
 
TURNING POINT
While LCU finished the game on a 6-0 run, ASU was ineffective offensively late. They went the final 2:40 without a field goal and made one of their last seven field goal attempts.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBER
The 14 lead changes was a season high for the Lady Chaps this season and the highest tally under head coach Steve Gomez' coach tenure. The prior high on the season was six against Colorado State – Pueblo in LCU's season opener. LCU trailed 17-15 at the conclusion of the first quarter, marking the first time LCU has trailed at home at the end of a quarter this season and for the first time since LCU was outscored 10-9 to St. Edward's on Feb. 25, 2017.