TARLETON STATE (5-2, 0-2) at No.1 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (8-0, 2-0) December 14, 2019 • 5:30 p.m. Lubbock, Texas • Rip Griffin Center (1,950) LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast WATCH ONLINE: LSC Digital Network  (Online or via OTT apps including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Roku devices by searching "LSC Digital Network.") Talent: Chris Due (Play-By-Play) LISTEN: Oldies 97.7 FM Talent: Chris Due (Play-By-Play) LCU Social Media:
	TARLETON STATE (5-2, 0-2) Location: Stephenville, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Misty Wilson (Tarleton, 2002) Roster | Stats | Game Notes
	LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN LADY CHAPS (8-0, 1-0) Location: Lubbock, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Steve Gomez (LCU, 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes

ENTERING THE ACADEMIC BREAK
Lubbock Christian University continues Lone Star Conference play Saturday inside Rip Griffin Center hosting Tarleton State. LCU, 8-0 overall, aims to remain unbeaten in LSC play (2-0), while the Texans are hungry for their first LSC win (0-2) of the season. The contest is the second game of LCU's string in which they play five of seven games at home. LCU has won 19 consecutive games dating back to last season and Saturday's contest marks their lone game of the week, as student-athletes have been completing finals.
 
THIRD SINGLE OF THE SEASON
For the third time this season, the Lady Chaps have had a week consist of one game during the week and all three instances have consisted of an LSC contest. Last week, LCU played one game on the week and it was a home match against Texas Woman's, resulting in an 80-61 LCU win. Schulte helped LCU improve to a 2-0 conference record and an 8-0 start on the season, posting a career-high 21 points against TWU. Schulte was 3-of-5 from long range in the win and posted 12 points in the opening half. She also scored seven points in a fourth quarter (LCU outscored TWU 19-8 in the final quarter). On the defensive end, Schulte had four steals. Along with Schulte, LCU'S Maddi Chitsey posted 14 points on the offensive side and a career-high six blocks on the defensive end. LCU finished as a team with nine blocks. The block totals were the highest by the Lady Chaps since they had 10 at Oklahoma Christian on Jan. 26, 2019, and the highest total at home since they blocked nine Cameron shots on Dec. 16, 2017. Chitsey hit a three-pointer in the contest, which ignited an 11-0 scoring run for LCU in the first quarter and provided the game's final lead change
 
THAT'S NOT ALL
Along with Allie Schulte (points) and Maddi Chitsey (blocks) reaching career marks against TWU, Emma Middleton and Caitlyn Cunyus also had career high marks against the Pioneers. Middleton posted a career-high three assists and Cunyus contributed a career-high three steals.

LONE STAR DEBUT
The Lady Chaps are playing in their first season in the Lone Star Conference and are 2-0 so far this season in conference play. A trio of Lady Chaps are averaging double figures in LSC play, led by Allie Schulte, who is averaging 19.5 points and 3.5 steals per game. Ashton Duncan (17.5) and Maddi Chitsey (13.5) are each averaging in double figures in conference contests. LCU is 85.2% from the line, but has been outscored 30-23 from the free-throw line in LSC contests. They do have the advantage in three-point field goals (18-9), steals (22-9) and blocks (13-4) in LSC games.

WHO IS COUNTING?
LCU's 8-0 start tops their 6-0 start to the 2017-18 season and it is their best start since their memorable 2015-16 season in which they went 35-0. LCU is one of two unbeaten teams in the LSC and there are 14 unbeaten teams in Division II.

CAREER MARKS
Maddi Chitsey, who is one of 65 active NCAA Division II players with over 1,000 career points, recorded six blocks against Texas Woman's, which has her with 113 career blocks. The 113 career blocks has her ranking fifth in program history and she is 10 blocks away from moving past Candace Clenney (122 from 2002-2006) and into fourth in program history.
 
RELAX
Despite posting an 8-0 record, the Lady Chaps can't say they have not faced adversity. LCU has overcome a deficit in each game this season, with a 10-point deficit on Nov. 29 against Southern Nazarene marking their biggest deficit of the season. LCU is 2-0 this season when trailing at the half and 2-0 when trailing after three quarters. LCU went 7-3 last season when trailing at the half and 1-3 in contests they trailed after three quarters.

WHEN AT HOME
LCU went 15-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center. With LCU's 80-61 win over Texas Woman's, LCU was able to extend their active home win streak to 68 games, which ranks third all-time in NCAA Division II women's basketball (it actively leads NCAA Div. II). 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, who also has a 7-0 mark in NCAA postseason play in Lubbock in the mix, has also won 56 consecutive home conference games, with their last conference home loss occurring Jan. 10, 2013 (against Oklahoma City). They completed a 49-0 all-time mark in Heartland Conference home games.

NCAA DIVISION II'S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS 
87 - Neb.-Kearney Jan. 31, 1995-Nov. 24, 2001
85 - West Tex. A&M Jan. 9, 1987-Dec. 6, 1991
68 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->

MORE ON THE HOME FRONT
LCU is 3-0 at home this season. Maddi Chitsey leads LCU averaging 16.7 points at home, with Allie Schulte (12.0) and Ashton Duncan (11.3) also averaging double figures in points. LCU is shooting 45.9% at home this season, while holding opponents to a 31.7% shooting mark.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
Based on the preseason rankings for the 2019-20 season (D2SIDA, WBCA along with Lone Star Conference), the Lady Chaparrals carry the highest expectations in program history to start a season. D2SIDA placed the defending national champions No.1 and the WBCA ranked LCU No.2 despite the Lady Chaps receiving 14 of the 23 first place votes. Each ranking is their highest preseason ranking in program history. The LSC preseason ranked LCU No.1 in their preseason rankings. The fourth national in-season rankings came out this week and LCU remained No.1 in the WBCA and No.2 in D2SIDA polls.

BLOCK PARTIES ARE BACK
LCU ranks 10th nationally in blocks (46) and ninth in blocks per game (5.8). Maddi Chitsey leads the team with 22 blocks (second in the conference and tied for 10^th nationally), at a pace of 2.8 per game (leads the conference and 10th nationally). LCU has ranked in the top-10 nationally in blocks each season since the 2015-16 season, which was their first season eligible to have statistics included among NCAA leaders. They ranked 10^th in total blocks last season (155), second in 2017-18 (202, ranking fourth with a pace of 6.1 per game), fourth in 2016-17 (170, leading the nation with 5.7 per game) and led NCAA Division II in 2015-16 with 235 blocks (6.7 per game).

CHARITY WORK
LCU are 43-of-52 (82.7%) from the free-throw line at home, which includes Madelyn Turner (8-of-8), Caitlyn Cunyuss (7-of-8) and Maddi Chitsey (7-of-8) combining for a 22-of-24 (91.7%) mark from the line at home. The Lady Chaps lead the LSC in free-throw percentage (ranking 17^th nationally) at 78.7%. In each season LCU has been eligible to have team statistics included among NCAA Division II leaders (2015-15), the Lady Chaps have finished in the top-three in their conference in free-throw shooting. They led the Heartland Conference in 2017-18 with a 76.2% mark from the line, ranking 33rd nationally. Their highest national ranking is 32nd (75.0%) from the 2015-16 season. Caitlin Cunyus leads LCU and ranks second in the LSC and 18^th nationally with a 92.0% shooting mark from the line (Turner does not qualify with enough attempts but is shooting 92.9% from the line).

BE DEFENSIVE
The Lady Chaps lead the LSC and rank eighth nationally, holding opponents to a 32.3% shooting mark on the season. Of their eight contests, LCU has held the opponent to under a 30% shooting mark three times and the highest shooting percentage they have allowed in a game was 37.9% by Texas Woman's last Saturday.
 
D-NOTES
The Lady Chaps rank second in the LSC in defensive rebounds a game with a mark of 28.4 per contest, which ranks 67^th nationally. Their team leader in defensive rebounds per game is Caitlyn Cunyus, who ranks seventh in the LSC with 5.3 per contest.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT TSU
1 > The Texans are 5-2 this season and have not played since a 60-57 loss at Angelo State on Dec. 5. They are coming off a 22-9 campaign in 2018-19, finishing third in the LSC with a 14-6 record. The Texans qualified for the NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament, where they fell to LCU in Grand Junction, Colo. during the opening round.
2 > TSU is preseason picked fifth in the LSC Preseason Poll. The Texans are 0-2 so far in LSC play after an overtime home loss to Texas Woman's (Nov. 23) and a road loss at ASU.
3 > Tarleton ranks 27^th nationally in scoring defense, allowing an average of 56.1 points per game (third in the LSC). They also rank 27^th in rebound margin, averaging a 9.6-rebound advantage over their opponents this season. 
4 > Mackenzie Hailey ranks in the top-eight in 11 career statistical categories in the Texans record books. She ranks third all-time in double-doubles (27) defensive rebounds (495) and field goal attempts (1178), and she needs 33 defensive rebounds to move into second place among TSU's career list. Hailey has 1,528 career points, which is the fifth-best active mark in NCAA Division II. She is third in the LSC this season averaging 16.1 points per contest.
5 > Alexa Hoy leads TSU in conference play, averaging 15.0 points per conference contest. She is 4-of-9 (44.4%) from long range and averages 3.0 steals per game in conference competition.

THE SERIES AGAINST TSU
The Texans have dominated the all-time series 21-6, but LCU has won four of the prior five meetings. The two teams split last season's play. LCU won 84-53 in Grand Junction, Colo. At the NCAA Div. II South Central Region tournament (Mar. 15, 2019). TSU won the previous regular season meeting 67-56 (Nov. 21, 2018), which was LCU's largest margin of defeat last season. LCU is 3-7 against TSU in Lubbock, with the previous meeting in Lubbock (Mar. 9, 2018) resulting in a 78-46 LCU win during the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament.
 
ACTIVE LEADERS VS. TSU
Here is a look at the top-three active Lady Chaps career leaders against Tarleton State:
Maddi Chitsey / 4 games (13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds)
Allie Schulte / 4 games (8.3 points, 2.3 assists)
Caitlyn Cunyus / 4 games (6.0 points, 4.0 assists)
 
PREVIOUS RECAP VS. TSU
Mar. 15, 2019 (Grand Junction, Colo.) – LCU:84 - TSU:53
Olivia Robertson (18 points) and Allie Schulte (15 points) combined for 33 points in the opening half and No. 24/25 Lubbock Christian University, behind a 61.2% shooting performance, advanced to the Semifinals of the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament with an 84-53 win over No.6-seed Tarleton State University inside Brownson Arena. Robertson finished with 23 points, surpassing 1,000 points in her LCU career.
 
LCU's 61.2% shooting from the field was a season-high and their best shooting performance since ironically shooting 62.7% on Nov. 21, 2017 against Tarleton State. By the way the game started, a top-notch shooting performance didn't appear to be a possibility.
 
The Lady Chaps opened the game 1-of-4 from the field, while Tarleton State opened the game 5-of-6 from the floor. Kylie Collins' jumper 3:11 into the opening quarter built Tarleton's lead to 7-2. Schulte connected on a three-point field goal with 6:28 remaining and it ignited LCU's offense. They made six consecutive field goals, with three drained from long range, and the string of shots led to a 17-9 scoring surge for LCU, which placed them with a 19-16 lead with 90 seconds left in the first quarter.
 
Both LCU (63.6%) and TSU (60%) shot over 60% in the first quarter, but LCU was saving their best for the second quarter. LCU opened the second quarter 8-of-10 from the field, with back-to-back three-point field goals by Robertson mixed in (five three-pointers were made in the 10-shot span). The Lady Chaps finished with a 73.3% (11/15) shooting mark in the second quarter, while Tarleton State was 4-of-11 (36.4%) in the quarter. Kailin Davis had a +18 plus/minus rating in the quarter. A 13-2 LCU run in the quarter and a 12-point output by Robertson and nine by Schulte in the frame allowed LCU to take a 50-28 lead into the half.
 
LCU made sure they kept the game out of reach in the third quarter. They shot 66.7% (8-of-12) from the floor in the quarter and outscored TSU 25-15 in the quarter. Maddi Chitsey contributed nine points in the quarter and LCU led 79-43 at the quarter's close. LCU was an accumulative 68.4% (26/38) from the field through three quarters.
 
The bench flooded the floor through most of the fourth quarter and LCU held firm to their lead. The Lady Chaps had a 17-9 scoring advantage from their bench.
 
Seven different Lady Chaps had at least one three-pointer in the game. Schulte led LCU going 3-for-3 from three-point range and LCU finished the game 11-of-18 (61.1%) from beyond the arc. The 61.1% outside shooting was LCU's best since shooting 61.9% from long distance on Feb. 10, 2018 against Rogers State.
 
The Lady Chaps received a game-high 23 points from Olivia Robertson, who tied a program NCAA postseason game-high going 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. LCU also received 17 points from Schulte and 15 points from Chitsey. They received a career-high six assists from Caitlyn Cunyus.
 
Tarleton had their season end with a 22-9 mark. Mackenzie Haley was TSU's lone player in double figures with 22 points. It is their second season in row to fall in the quarterfinals to LCU. The 31-point margin of victory was a point shy of their 32-point win margin against Tarleton in their quarterfinal meeting at Rip Griffin Center in 2018.