HEARTLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT - QUARTERFINALS
No.8-Seed TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL (0-26, 7-6 Heartland)
Vs. No.1-Seed / No.25 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (23-5, 13-1 Heartland)
Thursday, March 7 – 5 PM
UMAC (Tulsa, Okla.)
Radio: KTTU Double-T 97.3 FM
All-Time Series: LCU leads 14-1

BACK TO T-TOWN
This season is the final season of the Heartland Conference and therefore the final edition of the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. Lubbock Christian University is making their fourth appearance in the tournament and they seek their third tournament title. Their quest in "The 918" begins Thursday in the eight-team tournament quarterfinals facing Texas A&M International, with tip-off scheduled for 5 p.m. inside Union Multipurpose Activity Center (UMAC).
 
 
THE "IF's"
IF LCU WINS: If the Lady Chaps defeat TAMIU, they will improve to 24-5 on the season and will advance to the semifinals to face either Rogers State or St. Edward's Saturday at noon.
 
IF LCU LOSES: If the Lady Chaps fall to the Dustdevils, their re­cord will drop to 23-6, 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, MaR. 10 at 9 p.m. on NCAA.com.

SATURDAY SUMMARY
LCU closed out their Heartland Conference era going 49-0 at home in Heartland Conference play with a 72-44 victory over St. Edward's University Saturday afternoon inside Rip Griffin Center. The Lady Chaps conclude the regular season with a 23-5 record and they extend their NCAA Division II active-leading home win streak to 64 games, which is tied for the third-longest in NCAA Division II history.

The Lady Chaps had a slow start to the game, hitting just on of their first five field goal attempts, but then went on a massive run. They closed the first half 12-of-18 (67%) from the field. LCU had an 11-0 run carry over from the first to second quarter, which was part of a 29-4 scoring run for LCU. Lubbock Christian ended the first half making their last eight two-point field goal attempts and led 38-13 at the break. They held SEU to 16% shooting from the field (4/25) in the first half, while LCU was 56.5% (13/23) from the field in the half. Maddi Chitsey, who led LCU with 17 points, had 15 points in the first half off 5-of-7 shooting (2-of-2 from three-point range).

LCU was able to cruise in the second half. Despite shooting 33.3% (6/18) in the third quarter, LCU still managed to outscore SEU in the quarter 17-12 and built their lead to 55-25 heading into the final quarter.

Every Lady Chap played at least three minutes in the second half and no player played over 12 minutes of the half. Ten different Lady Chaps produced at least two points in the half. Each of the 13 Lady Chaps members scored at least two points in the game, 12 different Lady Chaps had at least one rebound (LCU out-rebounded SEU 40-24) and nine different LCU members had at least one assist (eight had at least two assists as LCU assisted on 22 of their 26 field goals).

Chitsey was LCU's lone player in double figures in points. Olivia Robertson led all players with eight rebounds and tied a game-high in assists with four.

SEU, led by Lexi Cunningham's 15 points, had not allowed more than six three-pointers in a game since allowing seven in each of their first two games of the season. Saturday, LCU lit up the perimeter with 10 three-pointers. Chitsey (2-of-2), Allie Schulte (2-of-4) and Caitlyn Cunyus (2-of-5) were each responsible for two three-pointers and made up three of LCU's seven players with at least one three-pointer in the game.
 
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.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE TALK
Lubbock Christian University women's basketball head coach Steve Gomez claimed his third Heartland Conference Coach of the Year honor, and Olivia Robertson (First Team), Maddi Chitsey (First Team) and Bobbi Chitsey (Honorable Mention) each received All-Heartland Conference Women's Basketball Team honors. The announcement was made at the Pre-Tournament Awards Social.

Gomez has the Lady Chaparrals on the verge of their third NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament appearance in a four-year span after completing a regular season in which they went 23-5 and 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. Gomez has guided a Lady Chaps squad that lost All-American and last season's Heartland Conference Player of the Year Tess Bruffey and All-Conference recipient Delaney Gaddis. The 16th-year head coach has a 388-122 (76.1%) all-time coaching record and completed an all-time Heartland Conference record at 92-8 (92%), which included a 49-0 mark at home (part of 64 consecutive home victories). This season's squad will mark the ninth under Gomez to suffer less than 10 losses (seventh in last eight seasons). The 2016 WBCA NCAA Div. II National Coach of the Year claims his third Heartland Conference Coach of the Year honor in a four-year span, and it is his fourth Coach of the Year Honor at a conference level in his coaching career (also claimed Sooner Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2005-2006).

Robertson is LCU's scoring and rebounding leader this season, ranking fifth in the conference in points per game (14.1) and rebounds per game (6.3). She ranks 24th nationally from the free-throw line and is second in the conference with an 87.2% (95/109) success rate from the line. The senior from Kerrville, Texas is on pace to finish in the top-five in program history in career free-throw percentage. The honor is her first All-Conference honor. Last season, Robertson claimed All-Tournament honors at the Heartland Conference Tournament. Robertson, who claimed CoSIDA Academic All-District honors this season, enters the Heartland Conference Tournament 42 points away from reaching 1,000 in her career.

Maddi Chitsey, the lone Lady Chaps member this season to claim All-Heartland Conference honors in the preseason and postseason, closed the regular season posting double figures in scoring 10 of the final 11 games to average 11.7 points a contest (12th in the conference). The junior from Wall, Texas ranks fourth in the conference in blocks (37) and tied for 10th in rebounds per game (5.5). The honor labels Maddi as a two-time All-Conference selection, as she claimed Second Team honors last season.

Senior Bobbi Chitsey claims her first All-Heartland Conference honor. The 2016-17 All-Heartland Conference Tournament Team selection is averaging 9.4 points per game this season (18th in the conference). Bobbi, a native of Wall, Texas, ranks seventh in the Heartland Conference with 24 blocks this season. She is shooting 43.4% from long-range with 36 three-pointers on the season.

Sisters Maddi and Bobbi claiming All-Conference honors marks the first time a pair of sisters have claimed the honor for LCU since Nicole Hampton and Brittany Roberts (Hampton) each claimed All-Sooner Athletic Conference honors in 2011-12.
 
TULSA TIME
LCU is 8-1 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. They are 1-0 all-time in the tournament against TAMIU.
 
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. Mary's
 
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 52.5 per game overall this season, which ranks seventh nationally. The defensive efforts have led to LCU averaging a margin of victory of 19.8 points per game, which ranks 11^th 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 12.4 – 10.0 in points a game from the free-throw line. The Lady Chaps have shot over 80% from the free-throw line in 10 games this season and they have a mark of 73.1% on the season (second in the Heartland Conference). Olivia Robertson leads the team (of qualified attempts), shooting 87.2% (95/109) from the line to rank second in the conference (24^th nationally). 

FROM THE FIELD
Lubbock Christian continues to rank in the top-10 nationally in shooting, ranking fifth nationally with a 48.2% 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 10 occasions, including seven of their last 12 games. They are shooting 46.1% 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.

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 85 assists (3.0 per game), with Caitlyn Cunyus (61, 2.7), Olivia Robertson (64, 2.3) and Bobbi Chitsey (59, 2.2) also playing a role in the ball distribution. LCU averages 16.5 assists (leads the Heartland Conference and ranks 21^st nationally) on 25.9 field goals per game. LCU has 461 assists (leads the conference), ranking 24^th nationally in the category.

MAD HOUSE
Inside player Maddi Chitsey has had the hot-hand for LCU, posting at least 10 points in 10 of the last 11 games (averaging 14.3 points per game over the last 11 games). In their last three-game road swing, Maddi produced a 17.0-point and 6.7-rebounding average. She returned home for the regular season finale and posted 17 points. Chitsey is also averaging 6.3 rebounds per game over the prior nine games and is a combined 6-of-10 (60%) over the past five games from three-point range.

NEUTRALIZING THINGS
The Lady Chaps are 2-1 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). Four Lady Chaps average at least 10 points a game in neutral site play, with Bobbi Chitsey (14.5) and Olivia Robertson (13.0) leading the way.

BOARD GAMES
The Lady Chaps rank seventh in the Heartland Conference in rebounds per game (34.5, which ranks 262^nd of 301 Division II programs), but they lead the Heartland Conference in rebounding margin with a mark of 7.1 (29^th nationally). Olivia Robertson leads LCU with 176 rebounds (6.3 per game). LCU has only been out-rebounded twice over the prior 25 games.

DOWNTOWN
The Lady Chaps rank 34^th nationally with 230 three-pointers on the season and is fourth with a shooting mark of 39.7% from long range. Allie Schulte leads the team, hitting three-pointers at a pace of 51.1% on the season (47/92), with 47 three-pointers ranking fifth in the conference. Schulte (9-of-17, .529), Olivia Robertson (4-of-7, .571) and Bobbi Chitsey (3-of-5, .600) 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 Thursday with 115 games played and 958 career points, with 487 career rebounds. Chitsey has appeared in 112 career games and has 827 career points, with 335 boards. The pair of seniors, who are All-Conference selections this season, have a four-year record of 108-17 (86.4%), 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 TAMIU
- Texas A&M International is seeking their first win of the season, as they have gone 0-26 this season. Dating back to last season, the Dustdevils are on a 28-game losing streak. Of this season's 26 losses, only two have been by a single-digit margin. Their average loss margin is by 29.3 points, which is last (301st) in NCAA Div. II.
- The Dustdevils went 3-26 last season, with a 1-13 record in the Heartland Conference. Their season came to an end with an opening round loss to LCU at the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. TAMIU was preseason picked to finish last in the Heartland Conference this season.
- They are 0-3 all-time in Tulsa at the Heartland Conference Tournament.
- Texas A&M International's top statistic in the conference in three-point field goal attempts, ranking fifth with a mark of 544 on the season. Vanessa Oyola ranks fifth in the conference with 159 attempts.
- Ciera Walker averages 2.0 offensive rebounds a game (third in the conference) and averages 6.3 overall rebounds per game.

THE SERIES AGAINST TAMIU
LCU leads the all-times series 14-1 against TAMIU. The Lady Chaps won the first five and the prior nine series meetings. LCU swept the regular season series last season, winning 73-53 on Jan. 4 in Lubbock and 69-46 in Laredo on Feb. 3, before claiming a 78-42 win at the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. They swept the regular season series this season as well, winning 89-39 in Laredo (Jan. 10) and 88-19 (Feb. 9) in Lubbock. LCU is 12-1 against TAMIU since joining the Heartland Conference.


PREVIOUS MEETING VS. TAMIU
February 9, 2019 (Lubbock, Texas): LCU 88 - TAMIU 19
Lubbock Christian University had its best defensive performance in program history, as they set a program single-game record in holding Texas A&M International to 19 points and allowing six field goals (tied a program single-game record) in an 88-19 Heartland Conference victory.

The 19 points scored by TAMIU was their fewest in program history and the points allow topped the prior LCU single-game record of 21 points allowed on two prior occasions (LCU allowed 21 points to National Christian on Dec. 8, 2001 and to Dallas Christian College on Nov. 4, 2008). TAMIU was a brisk 6-of-48 from the field (12.5%), which was the fewest field goal total by an LCU opponent since Dallas Christian was held to 6-of-49 (12.2%) shooting on Dec. 31, 2009, which also marked the last time LCU had a win margin of at least 69 points (defeated DCC 110-23).

LCU's statistics were staggering. They outscored TAMIU 39-0 in points off turnovers, 36-0 in paint scoring and 14-0 in second chance scoring. The Lady Chaps had 14 steals, forced 26 turnovers and had a 46-19 rebound advantage, leading to their largest rebound margin (+27) since a +34 on Jan. 28, 2016 against Oklahoma Panhandle State.

TAMIU made only one field goal inside the arc, as they were 1-of-30 (3.3%) inside the arc. Five of the Dustdevils six field goals were three-pointers, and they were two-of-four from the free-throw line. The Dustdevils went the opening 4:30 of the game without a point, the opening 5:25 of the second quarter without a point and they went scoreless the entire third quarter, marking the first time LCU has shut a team out in a quarter since quarters were adopted in women's basketball in 2015-16 (the Dustdevils combined for one field goal in the two combined middle quarters). TAMIU went a span of 15:32 of the game without a point (from 4:35 left in the second quarter until 57 seconds into the fourth quarter), missing 22 consecutive shot attempts in the gap. Meanwhile, LCU went on a 31-0 run during the TAMIU drought.

LCU led 66-10 heading into the fourth quarter and the Dustdevils started to get an offensive pulse, going 3-of-8 over a stretch, which included back-to-back three-pointers, but they closed the final 2:47 without a point.

LCU was 52.3% (34/65) from the field and mixed in 12 of their 13 players into the offensive mix. Not one Lady Chap played more than 21:26 (the time non-starter Madelyn Turner played) and every Lady Chap played at least 12 minutes. Emma Middleton (!2 points) and Channing Cunyus (8 points) each had career-high point performances. They co-led the Lady Chaps with seven career-high rebounds.

Allie Schulte had a near perfect statistical line, leading all scorers with 17 points behind a 6-of-6 shooting performance, which included a 4-of-4 line from three-point range. She completed the stat line and had a +41 plus/minus in a span of 15:44 playing time. Caitlyn Cunyus was also +41 (same amount of playing time as Schulte), which is the highest plus/minus the team has recorded since the stats have been kept on file since 2010.

TAMIU's best performance came from Kendall Alsup, who had seven rebounds and six points. The 69-point deficit was their second-worst in program history.