TULSA, Okla. (March 9, 2019) – Maddi Chitsey supplied No.25 Lubbock Christian University 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). LCU goes for their third Heartland Conference Tournament championship Sunday at noon against No.2-seed Newman.
 
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.
 
LCU (25-5), now 10-1 all-time at the Heartland Conference Tournament. They have clinched a berth to the conference tournament championship game in each of the four seasons they have been eligible to compete in the tournament since making the move to NCAA Division II. They won the tournament in 2016 and 2018 and fell in 2017. LCU has three conference tournament titles in program history.
 
TURNING POINT
Maddi Chitsey's tip-in at the horn to end the first quarter at a spark and provided LCU a pulse. They went on a 6-0 run, but they also settled down with the ball security. They forced three turnovers in the opening 2:11 of the second quarter and ended up with a 6-0 advantage in turnovers forced in the quarter.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
SEU entered the game forcing opponents into 17.8 turnovers per game, and forced LCU into 16 turnovers on Mar. 2 in Lubbock. Saturday in Tulsa, they forced LCU into eight turnovers, which was a season-low mark the Hilltoppers have forced.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Sunday, LCU and Newman go for the Heartland Conference Tournament title, with the winner obtaining an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament. Tip-off in Tulsa is set for noon and will be aired on the Heartland Conference Digital Network and on 100.7 The Score.