SAN ANTONIO, Texas (November 29, 2019) –
Maddi Chitsey surpassed 1,000 career points as a Lady Chaparral and
Allie Schulte notched 14 points and a career-high nine rebounds to help No.1 Lubbock Christian University overcome a 10-point deficit to defeat Southern Nazarene 56-47 Friday in the opening game of the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic inside Bill Greehey Arena.
The contest was not easy on the eyes, as LCU, held to 28 points through three-quarters, produced a 28-point outburst in the fourth quarter and that was without a field goal in the game's final 2:52. The Lady Chaps entered the fourth quarter trailing SNU 33-28, and even fell behind 37-31, before rallying back.
Caitlyn Cunyus scored her first points of the game with a three-pointer and followed with a pair of free-throws for five straight points during a 7-1 LCU run to tie the game at 38-38 with 6:13 remaining. Cunyus would connect on two more free-throws to continue what would eventually be a 17-3 LCU run. The run for LCU was capped by an
Ashton Duncan three-pointer, which not only provided LCU with a 48-40 lead (2:52 remaining), but it would be LCU's final field goal of the game. LCU scored their final eight points of the game from the free-throw line to seal the victory.
Both teams struggled producing any offense throughout the game. SNU missed their opening eight field goal attempts, while LCU opened the game 1-of-7 from the field. The Crimson Storms first two field goals made were three-points by Sonia Sarda. The first three-pointer by Sarda was made 6:34 into the game and the second gave SNU a 7-6 lead, as LCU was held to two field goals the entire first quarter. SNU led 11-6 after the first quarter.
LCU had four field goals on their opening 24 attempts (16.7%) and finished the first half 5-of-25 (20%) from the field. LCU's starters were 3-of-19 (15.8%) in the first half. SNU was not much better (they were 8-of-31 (25.6%) in the first half), but they did have a 22-14 lead behind Sarda's 12 points in the first half.
The Lady Chaps offense found a bit of a pulse in the third quarter. Chitsey and Schulte made consecutive shot attempts a minute into the half (LCU's first series of successful shot attempts), but LCU would still be held to four field goals in the quarter. It progressed into a 54.5% shooting mark (6-of-11) in the fourth quarter, as LCU was 10-of-23 (43.5%) from the field in the second half. They did have a stretch a 10-of-19 (52.6%) shooting stretch during the second half, while holding SNU to a 31.0% (9-of-29) shooting mark in the second half.
SNU did receive nine points from Kennedy Gillette in the second half and all here in the third quarter. She was 3-of-4 shooting in the quarter, while the rest of the Crimson Storm were a combined 0-of-9 in the quarter. Gillette finished with 9 points and 10 rebounds in the contest. SNU finished the game 28.3% from the field. Sarda led SNU with 14 points and combined with Gillette to produce 9 of SNU's 17 field goals. SNU, entering the game third nationally in blocks per game (7.0) recorded one block in the contest.
Schulte, with eight points in the fourth quarter and 12 in the half, led LCU with 14 points. She was 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. She becomes the eight Lady Chap to be perfect from the line with at least eight attempts since Nicole Hampton went 14-of-14 on Jan. 16, 2014 (no one has been 9-of-9 or better since Hampton's mark). LCU went 18-of-20 (90%) from the free-throw line in the second half and made their last 13 free-throw attempts (13-of-13 in the fourth quarter). A big positive for the Lady Chaps, who were 8-of-15 (53.3%) before the 13 straight makes from the line. LCU outscored SNU 21-7 at the line.
Chitsey, LCU's only other player in double figures (12 points), entered the game with 998 career points and surpassed the 1,000-point mark in the opening quarter. LCU's last player to hit the 1,000-point mark was
Olivia Robertson in March of last season. Chitsey also finished with a plus/minus of +18.
Caitlyn Cunyus and Schulte each had career marks with nine rebounds, with Cunyus notching the mark for the second time in a three-game stretch. Her sister
Channing Cunyus was vital, scoring seven points off a 2-of-2 three-point shooting performance and notching a block in 10 minutes of work.
The Crimson Storm, who led as much as 22-12 with a minute left in the first half, led for over 25 minutes (25:07) in the contest. LCU overcame their first halftime deficit of the season and moved to 2-0 when trailing after three quarters. Their 10-point deficit to overcome was their largest of the season and it matched a 10-point deficit they faced in last season's Division II championship game win over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
The Lady Chaps, who have now won eight of their last 10 all-time meetings against former Sooner Athletic Conference foe Southern Nazarene, are not 14-35 all-time against SNU (12-12 with Gomez at the helm). LCU improved to 6-0 on the season, while SNU (4-1) suffered their first loss of the season. SNU is receiving votes in the WBCA Top-25 poll.
TURNING POINT
LCU's 17-3 run in the fourth quarter was the difference. The Lady Chaps (6-of-8 from the field to start the fourth quarter) opened the fourth quarter 3-of-5 from long distance (two by
Ashton Duncan). They were 2-of-13 (15.4%) from three-point range prior to the run.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
LCU won the contest despite shooting a season-low 31.3% from the field (15/48). It was their worst shooting performance in a win since shooting 28.9% in a road win at Eastern New Mexico on Dec. 30, 2017. LCU's season-low shooting mark last season was 36.7%, in a game ironically also at the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic (loss to Central Missouri). The 56 points scored by LCU matched their lowest points produced in each of the last two seasons. LCU, improving to 3-1 in the contests they've had lows of 56 points, scored 56 points in a win at Colorado Mesa last season (Mar. 16, 2019), in a win over West Texas A&M on Mar. 12, 2018) and a loss at Tarleton State (Nov. 21, 2018). The wins over CMU and WT were in NCAA postseason contests.
WHAT'S NEXT
The schedule does not get any easier, as they face Central Oklahoma Saturday at 4 p.m. in San Antonio. The Bronchos, who are receiving votes in the WBCA Top-25 poll, improved to 6-1 with a 78-71 win Friday over St. Mary's.
