ARKANSAS – FORT SMITH (5-11, 2-1 Heartland)
at LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (13-4, 3-0 Heartland)
Saturday, January 19 - 1:00 PM
Rip Griffin Center (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: 100.7 The Score
All-Time Series: LCU leads 10-1

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
Lubbock Christian University closes their opening week of Heartland Conference games at home Saturday, hosting Arkansas-Fort Smith at 1 p.m. inside Rip Griffin Center. Thursday, LCU played their first conference home game and it resulted in a 71-50 win over Rogers State University to provide LCU a 13-4 overall record and places their conference record at 3-0. While LCU was home Thursday, UAFS was in Fort Smith, Ark. facing St. Edward's, who they defeated 60-51. The Lady Chaps have won their last six games and UAFS has won two of their last three games.   

THURSDAY TRIBUNE
Lubbock Christian University, led by a 13-point performance from Allie Schulte, opened their Heartland Conference home schedule with four players in double figures and matched their second-best shooting performance of the season (53.1% from the field) to defeat Rogers State University 71-50 Thursday night inside Rip Griffin Center.

The Lady Chaps eclipsed 50% shooting from the field for a fourth time this season, and the shooting was consistent in the contest. LCU shot at least 50% in each of the four quarters, shooting a high of 58.3% (7-of-12) in the second quarter.

LCU dominated the boards, out-rebounding RSU 34-14. The 20-rebound advantage is a season high and the highest rebound margin since out-rebounding Tarleton State (44-24) on Mar. 9, 2018. The 14 rebounds allowed is the fewest since holding Lyon College to 14 rebounds on Dec. 29, 2012.

RSU (8-8, 1-2) was led by Desiree Nelson, who converted on her first five three-point field goal attempts and finished 5-of-6 from long range with 15 points. Schuldt finished with 11 points. The Hillcats shot 38.5% from the field and struggled from the free-throw line, going 3-of-9 (33.3%). The 33% shooting mark from the line was the worst by a Lady Chaps opponent since Texas A&M International went 33% (3-of-9) on Dec. 17, 2015.

The Lady Chaps had no problems from the free-throw line, going a perfect 11-of-11 (%100) from the line. The mark was a season high and was their best performance from the line since a 22-of-22 performance from the charity stripe on Feb. 15, 2018 against Newman.

Schulte was 5-of-6 from the field in her 13-point outing. Bobbi Chitsey, Caitlyn Cunyus and Juliana Robertson each contributed 12 points. The four players in double figures combined to go 73.9% (17/23) from the field. LCU was 53.1% (26/49) from the field, and the numbers matched their performance on Nov. 23 against Kutztown.

LCU claimed their 12th straight victory in the all-time series against RSU.

ON THE PLUS SIDE
Saturday at StMU, Bobbi Chitsey recorded a plus/minus of +33 Saturday. The mark is the highest plus/minus mark by a Lady Chaps member this season, topping a +32 by Kailin Davis on Nov. 17 against Texas - Permian Basin. It is also the highest plus/minus mark in a single game since Maddi Chitsey notched a +35 in 20 minutes of play on Feb. 10, 2018.

NO FOUL PLAY
The Lady Chaps rank 16th in the nation in fouls per game, with a conference-leading average of 14.5 fouls per game. Fouls have led LCU to outscoring their opponents 13.0 – 9.8 in points a game from the free-throw line. The Lady Chaps have shot over 80% from the free-throw line in seven games this season and rank 25^th nationally with a mark of 75.4% on the season (second in the Heartland Conference). Olivia Robertson leads the team (of qualified attempts), shooting 84.1% (58/69) from the line to rank second in the conference. 

FROM THE FIELD
Lubbock Christian continues to rank in the top-20 nationally in shooting, ranking 13th nationally with a 46.7% field goal shooting percentage. LCU has shot at least 41.9% in all but three games this season and have hit the .500 plateau on four occasions. They are shooting 47.1% this season in home contests.

SISTER CHRISTIAN
On Nov.10, the Lady Chaps game against 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, and Dec. 8 marked the first game this season in which all three sets of sisters played in the same game. Dec. 10 at Texas A&M International, marked the first time all six sisters contributed at least a point in the same contest. Thursday, all six scored at least one point, marking the first time the occurrence occurred at home.

LENDING A HELPING HAND
LCU has three players with at least an average of 2.0 assists per game, with Bobbi Chitsey. Allie Schulte leads the team with 57 assists (3.4 per game), with Caitlyn Cunyus (2.7) and Olivia Robertson (40, 2.4) also playing a role in the ball distribution. LCU averages 15.4 assists (third in the Heartland Conference) on 24.9 field goals per game. LCU has 262 assists (leads conference), ranking 24th nationally in the category.

HOMELAND SECURITY
LCU completed their home schedule going 16-0 last season and are 8-0 at home this season. Thursday's win over Rogers State extended their active home win streak to 58 games, which ranks sixth all-time in NCAA Division II women's basketball (it actively leads NCAA Div. II). If LCU extends the streak to 62, they would tie Emporia State (Feb. 27, 1997-Jan. 13, 2001) for the fifth-longest win streak in NCAA Division II history. The record is 87 consecutive home victories by Nebraska-Kearney, who completed the task from Jan. 31, 1995 - Nov. 24, 2001. LCU's last home loss came on Jan. 1, 2015 against Oklahoma City University. LCU has also won 50 consecutive home conference games, with their last conference home loss occurring Jan. 10, 2013 (against Oklahoma City). They are 44-0 all-time in Heartland Conference home games.

WHAT ABOUT BOBBI
Bobbi Chitsey has been in a scoring rhythm for the Lady Chaps.  Chitsey, who averaged 5.3 points per game over a six-game stretch prior to Dec. 8, is averaging 13.7 points per game in the past seven games (beginning Dec. 8) and has posted double figures in each of the past five games. She has led LCU in scoring in two of the last four games.

HOME COURT
LCU is 8-0 inside Rip Griffin Center this season. The Lady Chaps have been led in scoring at home by Allie Schulte (12.6 points per home game), with Olivia Robertson (12.6 points per game) not far behind. Robertson also averages 7.1 rebounds at home this season. LCU has a 75-44 advantage in three-pointers this season at home, with Allie Schulte knocking down three-pointers at a rate of 54.8% (17/31) and Madelyn Turner 7-of-7 from long range at home this season.
 
HAVING HEART
LCU is the only 3-0 team in the Heartland Conference this season (Newman is second in the standings at 2-0). The Lady Chaps 3-0 start in conference has been led by Bobbi Chitsey, who has an average of 11.7 points per conference game. Ashton Duncan and Olivia Robertson are each averaging 10.3 points per conference game and Allie Schulte is averaging 10.0 points to give LCU four players averaging double figures in conference play. LCU has a 45-32 advantage in turnovers in conference contests, leading to a 56-37 scoring advantage in points-off-turnovers. The Lady Chaps are shooting 50.0% from the field in conference and shooting 43.7% from three-point range, with a 31-11 advantage in three-pointers. Opponents are 32.9% from the field and 31.4% from three-point range. LCU's defense has a 30-6 advantage in steals in conference games, with Allie Schulte leading the team with nine (3.0 per game).
 
ADDING THE NUMBERS
Lubbock Christian women's basketball head coach Steve Gomez will eclipse a milestone Saturday inside Rip Griffin Center. Saturday's game marks his 500^th career game to coach the Lady Chaparrals, which is the most in program history. Gomez, the former Chaparral cager in his 16^th career season, enters Saturday's game with an all-time coach record of 378-121 (75.8%).  

BOARD GAMES
The Lady Chaps rank seventh in the Heartland Conference in rebounds per game (33.6, which ranks 280^th of 301 Division II programs), but they lead the Heartland Conference in rebounding margin with a mark of 5.6 (50^th nationally). Olivia Robertson leads LCU with 110 rebounds (6.5 per game). LCU has only been out-rebounded once over the prior 14 games.

DOWNTOWN
The Lady Chaps rank 16th nationally with 130 three-pointers on the season and is second with a shooting mark of 40.8% from long range. Allie Schulte is in the top-10 nationally, hitting three-pointers at a pace of 51.9% on the season (28/54), with 28 three-pointers ranking fifth in the conference.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT UAFS
- The Lady Lions are 5-11 overall on the season and is sitting 2-1 in conference play after home wins over Oklahoma Christian and St. Edward's.
- UAFS completed the 2017-18 season with a 20-11 mark and they qualified for the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament, where they fell 81-66 to West Texas A&M in Lubbock. They went 10-4 in conference last season and are preseason picked No.3 in this season's conference preseason poll.
- Arkansas - Fort Smith is in their first season with Tari Cummings at the helm. She replaces Elena Lovato, who left to take an assistant coaching job with Mississippi State. Cummings, who arrives from University of Tulsa, is the first former Lady Lion to coach at UAFS.
- Saturday's game pits the conference's top two field goal shooting teams squaring off, as UAFS ranks second on the conference and 60^th nationally with a 43% shooting mark from the field. They have shot over 41% from the field in their previous two road games.
- Mariah Green enters the week leading the Heartland Conference with 547:49 minutes of play this season (59^th nationally). Thursday, she played a season-low 26 minutes.
 
SERIES HISTORY WITH UAFS
LCU has won the last three meetings and has a 10-1 all-time advantage over UAFS. All meetings have been since joining the Heartland Conference. The two squads met three times last season, with LCU claiming a trio of wins, including a 69-61 win Mar. 4, 2018 at the Heartland Conference Tournament Championship Game in Tulsa, Okla.
 
PREVIOUS MEETING VS. UAFS
Mar. 4, 2018 (Tulsa, Okla.): LCU 69 - UAFS 61
Olivia Robertson matched a career high with 22 points and Delaney Gaddis posted a career high 19 points, and the 41 combined points helped No.2 Lubbock Christian University overcome an 11-point deficit on 10-for-10 shooting in the final frame for a 69-61 win over Arkansas – Fort Smith to claim their second Heartland Conference Tournament title in program history.
 
With 9:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, LCU trailed UAFS 55-44. Kailin Davis nailed a jumper and to begin the first of 10 straight LCU points and it eventually turned into a 20-2 run. Gaddis and Robertson combined for 18 points in the fourth quarter, with Gaddis tallying 11 points in the quarter. LCU was 10-for-10 in the fourth quarter and outscored UAFS 25-8 in the quarter.
 
LCU had only trailed after the first quarter, halftime and the third quarter once this season and the occasion had come during their only loss of the season. UAFS had led for 24:52 of Sunday's game (62.2%).  Despite seven points from Tess Bruffey and six points from Robertson in the first quarter, UAFS led 17-15. The Lady Lions went on a 9-0 run in the second quarter behind four straight made field goals and led 26-17 with 7:39 left in the first half. Ellie Lehne had seven points in the second quarter and UAFS led 36-29 at the half. UAFS went the opening half of the third quarter without a field goal and LCU opened the second half on an 8-1 run to tie the game at 37-37, but they were unable to take the lead. The Lady Lions outscored LCU 14-5 to close the third quarter.
 
Along with Robertson and Gaddis offensive performances, the Lady Chaps also received 17 points from Tess Bruffey, who eclipsed 800 career rebounds with six Sunday (803 in her career). Bruffey also had three blocks to match Kellyn Schneider (2014-15) for the highest single season blocks record in program and Heartland Conference history.
 
Gaddis was 8-of-10 from the field and matched a season high with seven assists. LCU was 16-of-23 (69.6%) from the field in the second half, going 12-of-14 (85.7%) inside the arc. They finished the game 57.8% (26/45) from the field.
 
Micayla Haynes scored 16 points to lead UAFS. Ellie Lehne (14 points) and Taya Taylor (13 points) also supplied the UAFS offense with points.