NCAA DIV.II ELITE EIGHT TOURNAMENT – CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
No.2-Seed / No.4/8 SOUTHWESTERN OKLA. ST. (35-1, 22-0 Great American)
vs. No.5-Seed / No.24/25 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (31-5, 13-1 Heartland)
Friday, March 29 – 6:00 PM (Central)
Alumni Hall (Columbus, Ohio)
Radio: 100.7 The Score
All-Time Series: Series Even 3-3

END OF THE ROAD
No.24/25 Lubbock Christian University goes for their second NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship in program history (covering a four-year span) Friday facing No. 4/8 Southwestern Oklahoma State University. The contest mark's LCU's third national championship game appearance in program history. In 2006, LCU fell to Union in the NAIA National Championship Game (in Jackson, Tenn.) and claimed the 2016 NCAA Division II National Championship, completing a perfect 35-0 season with a victory over Alaska Anchorage (in Indianapolis). Lubbock Christian University holds 15 national titles, with the 2016 women's basketball title serving as their latest title won. LCU's baseball (2) and softball program have each claimed titles, along with 11 claimed in the combination of their running programs.
 
THE "IF's"
IF LCU WINS: If the Lady Chaps defeats Southwestern Oklahoma State, they will close their season record at 32-5 and will they will improve their NCAA Division II postseason all-time record to 15-1. They would become the ninth team in NCAA Division II history to claim multiple national titles.
 
IF LCU LOSES: If the Lady Chaps fall to the Lady Bulldogs, they will finish the season as the National Runner-Up and their season will end with a record of 31-6. They would have their record drop to 1-2 in national championship games

WEDNESDAY WRITE-UP
LCU was able to overcome 29 turnovers with a 62.5% shooting percentage inside the arc, and the No.24/25 Lady Chaparrals upset No.1 Drury 69-60 to advance to the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Championship Game.  LCU will go for their second NCAA National Title Friday at 6 p.m. (Central) against No.2 Southwestern Oklahoma State University inside Alumni Hall.
 
LCU was able to overcome the defensive obstacles by a Drury squad entering the game forcing 1,079 turnovers on the season. They did with a defense of their own. The Lady Chaps held the Lady Panthers to shoot 36.2% from the field and forced them into 22 turnovers. There were 51 combined turnovers in the game. LCU's 29 were the most since producing 31 at Tarleton State on Nov. 18, 2010. 
 
Drury opened the game 2-of-3 from the field and had a 4-0 lead, but would then go nearly eight minutes without a field goal and closed the quarter making one field goal on the final nine attempts of the quarter. Meanwhile, LCU would go on a 12-0 run, which included LCU having a stretch in which they were 4-of-5 form the field with three of the field goals from Maddi Chitsey. Chitsey tallied six points in the first quarter and LCU led 12-8 at the close of the quarter.
 
Drury converted on turnovers in the second quarter (10-5 scoring advantage in points off turnovers) and LCU was unable to pull away despite 5-of-7 shooting from inside the arc in the arc. LCU did receive production from Olivia Robertson, who tallied eight points in the quarter nd helped LCU to a 27-22 halftime lead.
 
Allie Schulte opened the second half with back-to-back three-pointers and LCU opened the second half making their first five shot attempts. The string of successful makes helped LCU expand the lead to 43-32 with 4:29 left in the quarter. An 8-2 run capped by a Julianne Robertson put-back off her own miss pushed the LCU lead to 47-32 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter.
 
LCU led 50-39 to start the fourth quarter and their lead was quickly tested. An 8-2 run by Drury cut LCU's lead to 52-47 4:31 into the fourth quarter. LCU was able to keep their distance by success from the free-throw line. The Lady Chaps opened the game 15-of-15 from the free-throw line garnered 11 points from the line in the fourth quarter. Drury was unable to get a strong rally going late, closing the game 4-of-17 (23.5%) over the final 6:46 of the game.
 
Maddi Chitsey was one of four Lady Chaps in double figures offensively. She led LCU with 17 points. Olivia Robertson (15 points), Allie Schulte (13 points) and Bobbi Chitsey (11 points) also contributed for the Lady Chaps. Bobbi Chitsey was 9-of-10 from the free-throw line for LCU. LCU was 52.4% from the field. They struggled outside (2-of-10, 20%), but made up for it with their 62.5% shooting inside the arc. LCU also outrebounded Drury 31-28, with Robertson leading LCU with seven rebounds.
 
Drury had their potential dream season end with a 35-1 record. WBCA Division II Player of the Year Hailey Diestelkamp led all scorers with 18 points and also posted seven boards. Paige Robinson also provided the Lady Panthers with 10 points.
 
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. As for the Heartland Conference Tournament title, this season's conference tournament title was LCU's third Heartland Conference Tournament championship and their fourth conference tournament championship in program history. They added more hardware last week claiming their third berth to the Elite Eight Tournament, winning the South Central Region Tournament. Friday, they go for their second national title.
 
ALL-REGION ACCOLADES
Lubbock Christian University women's basketball's Maddi Chitsey and Olivia Robertson each received D2CCA All-South Central Region Team honors for the 2018-19 season.

Chitsey, a junior from Wall, Texas is coming off All-Tournament Team and MVP honors at the Heartland Conference Tournament after setting the program tournament scoring record averaging 20.3 points per contest on 59% (23/39) shooting. She has posted at least 10 points in 17 of the last 18 games (topping 20 in six of the games), which has her averaging 13.6 points per game on the season. She is fifth in the region in blocks (50), eighth in blocks per game (1.4) and ninth in field goals (183). Chitsey was a Heartland Conference preseason and regular season All-Heartland Conference selection this season.

Robertson leads the Lady Chaps in scoring and rebounding this season with an average of 14.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. The Kerrville, Texas native was an All-Tournament Team selection at the Heartland Conference Tournament with an average of 10.3 points and 8.0 rebounds, as she claimed her team-leading fifth double-double in the championship game of the tournament. She has a conference-leading 88.2% free-throw shooting percentage (second in the region and 15th nationally) on the season (127/144), which has her on pace with an 87.9% (282-321) career free-throw shooting percentage to finish second all-time in LCU program history. She is one of five players in the region with at least 425 points and 200 rebounds on the season and leads the region in minutes played (1120 minutes). Friday is set to be Robertson's 124th career game, which would mark a new Heartland Conference record.

Named to the Second Team, Chitsey and Robertson mark the second season since joining NCAA Division II in which multiple Lady Chaps have been recognized. 
 
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
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT (CONFERENCE)
Maddi Chitsey tallied an LCU program single-game high for Heartland Conference Tournament performances with 24 points against Newman Sunday, leading to Conference Tournament MVP honors, as the conference announced the All-Tournament Team honors following LCU's win over Newman in the title game in Tulsa, Okla. Along with Chitsey, LCU's Olivia Robertson (10.3 points, 8.0 rebounds) and Allie Schulte (11.3 points, 3.3 assists) also received All-Tournament Team accreditation.
 
ALL-TOURNAMENT (REGION)
Olivia Robertson was named the South Central Region Tournament Most Outstanding Player after averaging 21.7 points in the trio of games. Maddi Chitsey joined her on the All-Tournament Team with 18.7 points per game.
 
NCAA POSTSEASON ROUNDUP
LCU's third NCAA Division II postseason run is nothing new when it comes to LCU's postseason success under head coach Steve Gomez. Prior to receiving NCAA Division II membership status, LCU made 10 consecutive appearances in the NAIA National Tournament and went 15-10 (all under head coach Steve Gomez). LCU is 14-1 all-time in NCAA postseason play. LCU is 50.9% from the field all-time in NCAA postseason play, with Nicole Hampton serving as their postseason points leader per average (17.8) and Maddi Chitsey (154) tabbed as their current all-time career postseason points leader (she averages 17.1 points per NCAA postseason game). Olivia Robertson has appeared in 11 postseason games and is averaging 12.0 points per game. She has 132 career points in NCAA postseason play.
 
HOME IS WHERE THE STREAK IS
LCU is 15-0 this season inside Rip Griffin Center. With their last home game, which resulted in a 76-70 win over Angelo State on Mar. 16, LCU extended their active home win streak to 65 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 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
65 - 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 52.8 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 sixth nationally. The Lady Chaps produced a 27.7 scoring margin advantage per game in conference play.

NO FOUL PLAY
The Lady Chaps rank 15th in the nation in fouls per game, with a conference-leading average of 14.3 fouls per game. Fouls have led LCU to outscoring their opponents 13.1 – 9.9 in points a game from the free-throw line. On Mar. 7 at the conference tournament, LCU allowed two free-throw attempts to Texas A&M International, 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 13 games this season and they have a mark of 74.4% on the season (second in the Heartland Conference). Olivia Robertson leads the team (of qualified attempts), shooting 88.2% (127/144) from the line to lead the conference (15^th nationally). 

FROM THE FIELD
Lubbock Christian continues to rank in the top-10 nationally in shooting, ranking fourth nationally with a 49.0% field goal shooting percentage. LCU has shot at least 41.9% in all but four games this season and have hit the .500 plateau on 15 occasions, including 12 of their last 20 games. They are shooting 51.7% 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 106 assists (2.9 per game), with Caitlyn Cunyus (91, 2.9), Olivia Robertson (84, 2.3) and Bobbi Chitsey (72, 2.1) also playing a role in the ball distribution. LCU averages 16.2 assists (leads the Heartland Conference and ranks 20^th  nationally) on 26.2 field goals per game. LCU has 584 assists (leads the conference), ranking eighth nationally in the category.

MAD HOUSE
Inside player Maddi Chitsey has had the hot-hand for LCU, posting at least 10 points in 18 of the last 19 games (averaging 16.8 points per game over the last 19 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. The shooting numbers continued into the postseason and in Tulsa, where she set LCU's Heartland Conference Tournament single-tournament scoring average mark with an average of 20.3 points. Chitsey is also averaging 6.1 rebounds per game over the prior 17 games and is a combined 16-of-32 (50.0%) over the past 13 games from three-point range.

NEUTRALIZING THINGS
The Lady Chaps are 8-1 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 going 6-0 in postseason neutral site games (3-0 at the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa). Three Lady Chaps average at least 10 points a game in neutral site play, with Maddi Chitsey (17.2) and Olivia Robertson (13.6) leading the way.

BOARD GAMES
The Lady Chaps rank seventh in the Heartland Conference in rebounds per game (34.5, which ranks 258^th of 301 Division II programs), but they lead the Heartland Conference in rebounding margin with a mark of 6.9 (27^th nationally). Olivia Robertson leads LCU with 227 rebounds (6.3 per game). LCU has only been out-rebounded three times over the prior 33 games.

DOWNTOWN
The Lady Chaps rank eighth nationally with 285 three-pointers on the season and is third with a shooting mark of 39.6% from long range. Allie Schulte leads the team, hitting three-pointers at a pace of 51.8% on the season (59/114), with 59 three-pointers ranking fifth in the conference.
 
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 topped 1,000 career points on Mar. 15 and has 1,083 career points in 123 games, with 538 career rebounds. Chitsey has appeared in 121 career games and has 882 career points, with 410 boards. The pair of seniors, who are each All-Conference selections this season, have a four-year record of 116-17 (87.2%), which includes a closing out a 57-5 conference record, and they went 58-0 in home games.
 
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SWOSU
- Southwestern Oklahoma State is 35-1 after claiming a 66-57 win over Indiana (Pa.) in the Elite Eight semifinals Wednesday. The win extended their win streak to 35 consecutive games.
- The Lady Bulldogs went 26-5 last season, with an 11-3 mark in Great American Conference (GAC) play. They qualified for the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament, where they fell in their opening game to Fort Hays State. This season's journey to Columbus included a win at Fort Hays State in the region championship game.
- SWOSU owns five NAIA national titles in women's basketball, with the latest coming in 1990. This season marks their first Elite Eight appearance and their 35 win is a single-season program record.
- The Lady Bulldogs lead the nation in free throws made (642) and free-throws taken (842). The trips to the line has them ranked 18^th in free-throw percentage (76.2%).
- LCU goes from facing the program first in the nation in turnover margin (Drury), to facing the team ranked third in turnovers per game, as SWOSU holds a 9.92 turnover margin.

THE SERIES AGAINST SWOSU
LCU is 3-3 all-time against SWOSU, with last season's meeting marking the first between the two programs in Lubbock. They met earlier this season in Weatherford, Okla., with LCU falling 77-75. They lost a 12-point lead in the contest, which is one of three games LCU has lost a double-figure lead and lost the game since Jan. 1, 2015. The first two all-time meetings were each neutral site contests, with SWOSU winning in Wichita Falls, Texas on Dec. 5, 1992 (87-53) and LCU winning in Plainview, Texas on Nov. 25, 2000 (79-63). LCU is 1-1 in neutral site meetings.
 
PREVIOUS MEETING VS. SWOSU
December 3, 2018 (Lubbock, Texas): LCU 77 – SWOSU 75
Southwestern Oklahoma State was able to keep their 20-game home win streak inside Pioneer Cellular Events Center alive, as they forced No.15/18 Lubbock Christian University into 27 turnovers and overcame a 12-point fourth quarter deficit with a 10-2 run to end the game for a 77-75 win over the Lady Chaps Monday despite a 25-point performance for Olivia Robertson.

The Lady Chaps led 66-54 with 9:19 remaining, and never appeared shaken until leading 73-67 with 2:11 left in the contest. SWOSU, who had just completed a span of seven straight misses over a span of 4:35, was able to connect on consecutive field goals, and a three-pointer by Hayden Priddy with 1:31 remaining cut LCU's lead to 73-72. Each team came up empty handed on their ensuing possessions before Robertson put up a jumper to place LCU with a 75-72 lead with 45 seconds left. Hailey Tucker made free throws for SWOSU on the other end and LCU called a timeout to advance the in-bounds with 35 seconds left leading 75-74. LCU turned over the inbounds and SWOSU took advantage with a field goal from Bethany Banks to take a 76-75 lead with 17 seconds left. LCU committed another turnover on the following possession and were forced to foul. They sent Tyra Aska to the line, who made one of two free-throws placing the SWOSU at 77-75 with 11 seconds left. LCU grabbed the rebound and transitioned up the court, but Maddi Chitsey ended up having to take an off-balance three-point attempt, which was not close.

LCU's 27 turnovers marked a season high and it was the most since producing 28 on Nov. 24, 2017 against Ashland. They were outscored 36-11 in points-off-turnovers. The -25 in the point differential was not as much as their -28 discrepancy earlier this season (33-5 on Nov. 21 at Tarleton State), but the 36 points allowed off turnovers is the most since specialty game-by-game statistics were kept on file (starting the 2008-09 season).

The Lady Chaps had a promising start despite the turnovers. They led 17-14 after the first quarter, shooting 63.6% (7/11) from the field, and then 64.3% (9/14) in the second quarter for a 38-33 halftime lead. Maddi Chitsey led the Lady Chaps with nine points in the first half.

LCU, shooting 64% (16/25) in the first half, opened the second half 3-of-4 from the field and Bobbi Chitsey's three-pointer with 7:59 remaining in the third quarter had LCU sitting 19-of-29 (65.5%) from the field. They went 7-of-23 (30.4%) the rest of the way. Robertson had five of the seven field goals as part of an 18-point second half performance.

The Lady Chaps 50% (26/52) shooting performance topped SWOSU's 37.3% (25/67) shooting night. The Lady Bulldogs were 8-of-30 (26.7%) from three-point range. Priddy was 5-of-10, placing the rest of the Bulldogs 3-of-20 (15%) from long range. With 36 points coming off turnovers, it accounted of 46.8% of their total scoring. SWOSU, improving to 6-1 on the season, received 25 points from Hailey Tucker, who was 0-of-9 from three-point range. They also received 23 from Priddy and 10 points from Aska.

LCU, 85% (17-of-20) from the free-throw line, received their third consecutive performance of at least 20 points from Olivia Robertson. She was 9-of-18 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, as she matched a career high with her 25-point output. Maddi Chitsey (14 points) and Kailin Davis (11 points) also contributed offensively for the Lady Chaps.