HEARTLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT – CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
No.2-Seed NEWMAN (21-9, 10-4 Heartland)
vs. No.1-Seed / No.25 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (24-5, 13-1 Heartland)
Sunday, March 10 – 12 PM
UMAC (Tulsa, Okla.)
Radio: 100.7 The Score
All-Time Series: LCU leads 10-3

TULSA TITLE TIME
No. 25 Lubbock Christian University returns to the Heartland Conference Tournament Championship Game for a fourth consecutive season and they seek their third conference tournament title Sunday, as they face Newman with a noon tip at Union Multipurpose Activity Center (UMAC).
 
THE "IF's"
IF LCU WINS: If the Lady Chaps defeat NU, they will improve to 26-5 on the season and will claim their third Heartland Conference Tournament title and improve to 3-1 all-time in the conference tournament championship game. They would also clinch an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament. It would mark LCU's third NCAA postseason appearance in program history.
 
IF LCU LOSES: If the Lady Chaps fall to the Jets, their re­cord will drop to 25-6, they will be eliminated from the tournament and will await an at-large bid for the NCAA South Central Region Tournament. The NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Selection Show will air Sunday at 9 p.m. on NCAA.com.

SATURDAY SUMMARY
Maddi Chitsey supplied LCU with 17 points and top-seeded Lady Chaparrals moved into Sunday's championship game of the Heartland Conference Tournament with a 62-46 win over No.5-seed St. Edward's Saturday afternoon in semifinal action inside Union Multipurpose Activities Center (UMAC).

The Lady Chaps overcame a sluggish first half of play in which they were 36.7% (11/30) from the field. Fortunately for the Lady Chaps, their defense was presenting the Hilltoppers with the same problems.

LCU trailed 16-11 late in the opening quarter, but Chitsey was able to tip in a put-back as the horn sounded to close the first quarter with LCU trailing 16-13. Turnovers were a problem in the opening quarter, as LCU was outscored 10-4 in points off turnovers. They committed six turnovers in the quarter, but they settled down and committed only two turnovers over the remaining 30:35 of the game.

Chitsey's tip-in led to LCU going on a 6-0 run to tak a 17-16 lead. It was one of 11 lead changes in the opening half. Bobbi Chitsey hit LCU's final jumper of the first half, and despite going scoreless the final 2:06 of the half, LCU led 26-22 at the break. Maddi Chitsey led LCU with seven points in the second quarter and they outscored SEU 13-6 in the quarter, but they shot 27.8% (5-of-18) in the quarter. Their defense held SEU to 2-of-10 (20%) shooting from the field in the quarter. LCU also forced SEU into six turnovers in the quarter.

The offense turned around in the second half for LCU. They were 55.2% (16/29) from the field in the half, netting eight field goals in each quarter. Lexi Cunningham opened the second half with a three-pointer for SEU, cutting LCU's lead to 26-23, but LCU responded with a 9-2 run to take a 35-25 advantage. SEU book-ended the third quarter with three-pointers and Maryam Wilcher's three-ball cut the Hilltoppers deficit to 45-38 heading into the final quarter.

LCU kept their distance in the final quarter. They held SEU to eight points in the quarter and held the Hilltoppers without a field goal for the final 6:52, while ending the game on an 8-1 run over the final 5:32.

SEU, who leaves Tulsa with a 16-14 record, shot 32.6% from the field (14/43). Wilcher led SEU with 16 points, with Cunningham and Bailey Hill also contributing 10 points each. Isabel Hernandez, SEU's scoring and rebounding leader was held scoreless with two rebounds in the game.

Maddi Chitsey tied a carer high with 17 shot attempts in the contest. She made seven of the attempts to finish with 17 points. The junior All-Conference selection also added seven rebounds, three blocks and two assists. Olivia Robertson missed a double-double by a rebounds, as she supplied the Lady Chaps with 12 points and nine rebounds. LCU relied on 58.5% (24/41) inside shooting, as they were an ugly 3-of-18 (16.7%) from three-point range.
 
SUMMARIZING THE TITLE TALK
On Feb. 16, LCU claimed their second consecutive Heartland Conference regular season title (sixth conference title overall in program history and fourth in the Heartland Conference). It also marked the fifth time LCU has finished with at least a share of first place in the Heartland Conference. LCU had a first-place finish during the 2013-2014, when they were not permitted to claim the title label as part of their transition from NAIA.
 
LCU ALL-CONFERENCE CONVERSATION
The All-Heartland Conference Women's Basketball Team honors were announced prior to the opening day of play at the Heartland Conference Tournament at the Pre-Tournament Awards Social. Here is a glance at LCU's award winners:

Steve Gomez – Coach of the Year
Olivia Robertson – First Team
Maddi Chitsey – First Team
Bobbi Chitsey – Honorable Mention
 
TULSA TIME
LCU is 10-1 all-time in Heartland Conference Tournament play. Olivia Robertson (2018) and Bobbi Chitsey (2017) are current Lady Chaps members who have claimed All-Tournament honors in the prior tournaments. Bobbi Chitsey has played in all nine prior LCU games in Tulsa and averages 7.8 points per game. LCU has appeared in the championship game of the tournament in each of the three prior appearances, going 2-1 in those contests. As for the 2019 campaign, Maddi Chitsey is averaging 18.5 points a game and is 10 points away from breaking Nicole Hampton's single-season-tournament mark of 46 points from the 2016 tournament. Allie Schulte is also averaging 10.5 points per game. They are 1-0 all-time in the tournament against Newman, as the Lady Chaps topped the Jets 63-57 in the quarterfinals of the 2017 tournament (Mar.3).
 
REGIONAL REVIEW
The NCAA released their third South Central Regional Rankings of the season Wednesday and the Lady Chaps are ranked second in the regional standings. The No.1 seed in the final rankings released Mar.10 will serve as host (unless refused) of the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament, and only the top eight teams qualify for the tournament.
 
1          West Texas A&M                   
2          Lubbock Christian                  
3          Colorado State           
4          Angelo State  
5          Tarleton State                        
6          Westminster (Utah)               
7          Eastern New Mexico
8          Texas A&M-Commerce         
9          Newman         
10        St. Marys
 
NOBODY'S HOME
Heartland Conference Tournament games are in Tulsa, Okla., which is away from the Rip Griffin Center, where LCU went 14-0 this season. With their last home game, which resulted in a 72-44 win over St. Edward's Saturday, LCU extended their active home win streak to 64 games, which ranks tied for 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 has also won 55 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
64 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
64 - Glenville St. Jan. 16, 1999-Dec. 1, 2004
64 - Delta St. Jan. 27, 2007-Nov. 12, 2011

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Lubbock Christian held opponents to 47.7 points per game in conference play and they are holding opponents to 52.0 per game overall this season, which ranks fifth nationally. The defensive efforts have led to LCU averaging a margin of victory of 20.6 points per game, which ranks ninth nationally. The Lady Chaps produced a 27.7 scoring margin advantage per game in conference play.

NO FOUL PLAY
The Lady Chaps rank 12th in the nation in fouls per game, with a conference-leading average of 14.0 fouls per game. Fouls have led LCU to outscoring their opponents 12.5 – 9.8 in points a game from the free-throw line. Thursday, LCU allowed two free-throw attempts to TAMIU, which was the lowest amount during the 16-year coaching tenure of Steve Gomez at LCU. The Lady Chaps have shot over 80% from the free-throw line in 11 games this season and they have a mark of 73.5% on the season (second in the Heartland Conference). Olivia Robertson leads the team (of qualified attempts), shooting 87.6% (99/113) from the line to lead the conference (22^nd nationally). 

FROM THE FIELD
Lubbock Christian continues to rank in the top-10 nationally in shooting, ranking fifth nationally with a 48.3% 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 11 occasions, including eight of their last 14 games. They are shooting 47.9% this season in neutral site 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. On Jan. 17 against Rogers State, all six scored at least one point, marking the first time the occurrence happened at home. Both Chitsey sisters also claimed All-Conference honors this season.

LENDING A HELPING HAND
LCU has four players with at least an average of 2.0 assists per game. Allie Schulte leads the team with 92 assists (3.1 per game), with Caitlyn Cunyus (66, 2.6), Olivia Robertson (67, 2.2) and Bobbi Chitsey (62, 2.1) also playing a role in the ball distribution. LCU averages 16.5 assists (leads the Heartland Conference and ranks 19^th nationally) on 26.1 field goals per game. LCU has 494 assists (leads the conference), ranking 15^th nationally in the category.

MAD HOUSE
Inside player Maddi Chitsey has had the hot-hand for LCU, posting at least 10 points in 12 of the last 13 games (averaging 15.0 points per game over the last 13 games). In their last three-game road swing of the regular season, Maddi produced a 17.0-point and 6.7-rebounding average. She returned home for the regular season finale and posted 17 points. In Tulsa, she is 14-of-25 (56%) from the field with her 18.5 points per game tournament average. Chitsey is also averaging 5.9 rebounds per game over the prior 11 games and is a combined 7-of-15 (46.7%) over the past seven games from three-point range (she was 7-of-11 in a streak of six straight games with a three-pointer prior to Saturday).

NEUTRALIZING THINGS
The Lady Chaps are 4-1 this season in neutral court play.  They went 1-1 at the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Classic in San Antonio, Texas and then defeated Simon Fraser at the Holiday Hoops Classic in Bellingham, Wash. (Dec. 18, 2018) before arriving to Tulsa. Four Lady Chaps average at least 10 points a game in neutral site play, with Maddi Chitsey (14.2) and Olivia Robertson (11.6) leading the way.

BOARD GAMES
The Lady Chaps rank seventh in the Heartland Conference in rebounds per game (34.6, which ranks 256^th of 301 Division II programs), but they lead the Heartland Conference in rebounding margin with a mark of 7.0 (29^th nationally). Olivia Robertson leads LCU with 189 rebounds (6.3 per game). LCU has only been out-rebounded twice over the prior 27 games.

DOWNTOWN
The Lady Chaps rank 31^st nationally with 241 three-pointers on the season and is fourth with a shooting mark of 39.3% from long range. Allie Schulte leads the team, hitting three-pointers at a pace of 50.5% on the season (50/99), with 50 three-pointers ranking fifth in the conference. She needs one attempt to qualify among single-season leaders in program history. Schulte (12-of-24, .500), Olivia Robertson (5-of-11, .455) and Caitlyn Cunyus (5-of-12, .417) lead LCU from beyond the arc this season in neutral site games.
 
SENIOR SALUTE
Seniors Olivia Robertson and Bobbi Chitsey are playing in their final postseason as members of the Lady Chaps. Each member are the last remaining active members off LCU's 2015-16 NCAA Division II National Championship squad. Robertson enters Sunday with 117 games played and 976 career points, with 500 career rebounds. Chitsey has appeared in 114 career games and has 838 career points, with 343 boards. The pair of seniors, who are All-Conference selections this season, have a four-year record of 110-17 (86.6%), which includes a closing out a 57-5 conference record and a 57-0 home record (never losing a home game).
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NU
- The Jets enter Sunday 21-9 overall and they went 10-4 in Heartland Conference play. They have won their prior seven games and nine of their last 10 contests. Newman defeated Oklahoma Christian and St. Mary's to get into Sunday's championship game.
- NU finished the 2017-18 season with a 17-12 record. They went 8-6 in conference and their season ended with an opening round loss to Oklahoma Christian at the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. They opened this season with a No.4 Heartland Conference Preseason Poll ranking.
- Sunday's game is the final meeting with LCU and Newman having the same conference association. While LCU is heading to the Lone Star Conference, Newman is heading to become an associate member of the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).
- The Jets don't mind the outside shot, ranking 19th nationally in three-point field goal attempts (774). They average 8.4 makes a game from long range, ranking 22^nd nationally. Kaitlyn Potter leads the conference in three-point attempts (269, ranking fourth nationally), three-pointers made (102, leads the nation) and three-pointers per game (3.4, second nationally). The Jets attempts this season have ranged from 16-43 on the season, with makes per game ranging from 4-19.
- Newman leads the Heartland Conference in turnover margin, with a mark of 3.6 per game. They average 14.7 turnovers per game, ranking second in the conference.

SERIES HISTORY WITH NU
The two programs have met 13 times and all as Heartland Conference foes. LCU leads the all-time series 10-3. The Lady Chaps had a five-game win streak in the series end Feb. 21, as Newman won 69-67 in Wichita, Kan.

PREVIOUS MEETING VS. NU
February 21, 2019 (Wichita, Kan.): LCU 67 - NU 69
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain... No.20 Lubbock Christian University was whistled for a season-high 23 fouls and they turned the ball over 22 times to overshadow a 60% shooting performance on the floor, and the Lady Chaparrals had their 29-game conference win streak end with a 69-67 road loss at Newman despite a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double from Olivia Robertson.

With LCU up 67-66 with less than 10 seconds remaining, Allie Schulte was whistled for a push-off during the LCU inbounds. The foul resulted in Newman inbounding underneath the basket. Newman's Bria DeGrate drove in with the potential winning shot attempt, but bowled over LCU's Caitlyn Cunyus and was whistled for a charge. Prior to the ensuing LCU inbounds, the officials decided to review the play and decided to to overturn the original call on the court, which resulted in a block-foul on Cunyus and placed DeGrate to the free-throw line. DeGrate made the two free-throws. LCU, trailing 68-67, rushed into the front court and Robertson made a runner to give LCU the lead with two seconds left, but it was negated and traveling was called.

LCU entered the game ranked 10th nationally in fewest fouls per game (13.8 fouls per game) and the 23 fouls were the most since LCU was called for 24 fouls on Nov. 20, 2015. Nine of the fouls were whistled in the fourth quarter, with four called against Bobbi Chitsey.

Despite the humanity of whistles against them, the Lady Chaps did their part to let the game come down to the authorities. LCU, opening the game shooting 62.5% in the first quarter (10-of-16), built a 15-point lead in the first quarter and led 25-12 at the quarter's close. LCU let the big lead slip away in the second quarter, as they attempted seven shots due to nine turnovers in the quarter. Newman, who had an 8-1 scoring advantage in the first half from the charity stripe, out scored LCU 15-6 in the quarter to cut the Lady Chaps lead to 31-27 entering the half.

Lady Chaps entered the fourth quarter leading 52-45. Cunyus had a layup to give them a 63-56 lead with 1:40 to go. The final 1:26 included a Newman 13-4 run, with eight points from the line (by the Jets). LCU committed two turnovers and was whistled for five fouls in the final 1:26. They also missed two free-throws, as LCU was a miserable 11-of-20 (55%) from the line, while Newman was 19-of-24 (79.2%).

LCU was 24-of-40 from the field, and the 60.0% shooting mark was LCU's highest on the road since shooting 61.2% at St. Mary's on Dec. 19, 2015 and the highest in a losing effort ever under 16th-year head coach Steve Gomez. Robertson notched her fourth double-double of the season with a team-leading 20 points and 10 rebounds. Maddi Chitsey posted 14 points and sister Bobbi Chitsey contributed 11 points. LCU was 8-of-12 (66.7%) from three-point range, with Bobbi Chitsey (3-of-4) and Madelyn Turner (2-of-2) combining for fiveof the treys.

Newman, taking advantage of LCU's turnover woes with a 27-10 scoring advantage in points-of-turnovers, received 26 points from DeGrate and 25 points from Faith Mason-Vestal. DeGrate was 2-of-8 inside the arc and 6-of-8 beyond the arc.