CANYON, Texas (January 18, 2020) – No.25 West Texas A&M registered an astonishing 13 blocks and No.1 Lubbock Christian University struggled from the field in the second half, as the Lady Buffs upset the Lady Chaparrals 64-56 in a Lone Star Conference divisional contest and Rivalry on the Range series match-up inside First United Bank Center Saturday afternoon.
 
The 13 blocks by the Lady Buffs was the fourth-most in their program history and the most against the Lady Chaps under the leadership of Steve Gomez, who is in his 17^th season coaching the Lady Chaps. The prior high against LCU, under Gomez, was by Columbia College (Mo.), who had 12 on Mar. 17, 2011 in the NAIA National Tournament. Team records prior to 2002 do not contain game-by-game highs for LCU opponents.
 
High block numbers by an LCU opponent is something they are not accustomed to seeing (LCU opponents this season averaged 1.8 blocks per game prior to Saturday's contest). The last time an LCU opponent had more than six blocks in a game was Mar. 19, 2012. Saturday's game had the appearance in which every shot WT contested was a block and every shot LCU contested was a foul. The fouls led to WT capitalizing at the line. The Lady Buffs, entering the game 10^th in the LSC in free-throw shooting, connected well above their average, shooting 80.8% from the line (21-of-26). The 21 points at the line is the most allowed by LCU this season (the most since Central Missouri had 22 against LCU at the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tournament on Mar. 19, 2018) and the 26 attempts matches a season high by an LCU opponent.  
 
As much as the blocks and points from the free-throw line benefited WT, it was shooting struggles late in the second quarter and much of the second half, which doomed the Lady Chaps. Starting with the final minute of the first half, LCU went a span of 10:37 without a field goal and missed 12 consecutive field goal attempts over the span. LCU was 6-of-29 (20.7%) from the field over the game's final 23:04.
 
With 8:18 remaining in the second quarter, LCU led 19-11 following a jumper from Emma Middleton. Halfway into the second quarter, WT went 6-of-8 from the field and went into the halftime break leading 27-25. Six of LCU's first eight points of the second half were tallied at the free-throw line, but most followed a 16-1 run to start the half by WT to build a 43-26 lead. LCU was able to close the quarter on a 10-2 run, with half the points coming from the free-throw line. The two teams combined for 14 points from the free-throw line in the quarter (eight by WT), as WT led 45-36 to start the fourth quarter.
 
The free-throw shooting contest continued in the fourth quarter. Middleton matched a career high with two three-pointers in the game, and her second jumpstarted an 8-3 run and LCU was able to cut their deficit to 50-46 with 4:24 remaining. The Lady Chaps then went a span of over four minutes without a field goal, but they were able to get eight points from line in the span. LCU trailed 56-52 with 45 seconds remaining, but they could not get any closer. Megan Gamble, who led WT with 17 points, had eight points in the final quarter and went 5-of-8 from the free-throw line. Toss in Braylyn Dollar (5-of-6 from the line in the quarter) and the pair combined for 10 points from the line in the quarter. Each had four free-throw makes in the final 44 seconds of the game to preserve the win.
 
Of LCU's 31 points in the second half, 18 were from the free-throw line. The Lady Chaps were a miserable 35.3% from the field, for their worst shooting mark since shooting 28.9% on Dec. 30, 2017 against Eastern New Mexico.
 
The Lady Chaps struggled with rebounds for a second consecutive game. They were out-rebounded 44-30 (biggest margin by an LCU opponent since St. Mary's out-rebounded LCU 52-37). WT collected 14 offensive rebounds, leading to a 9-2 scoring advantage in second-chance-scoring (they had seven points off their four offensive boards in the second half following two points off 10 offensive boards in the first half).
 
Gamble led all scorers with 17 points, going 4-of-5 from three-point range. She combined with Delaney Nix to go 7-of-13 from long range, while the rest of the team was a combined 0-of-6 from three-point range. Tiana Parker and Dollar combined for 13 points. Dollar notched 11 of her 13 points from the line, where she was 11-of-12. Parker led WT with seven blocks.
 
Allie Schulte led LCU in the loss with 15 points. She also co-led the team in rebounds with five. Middleton followed with 14 points and Madelyn Turner contributed 13 points. The trio combined to go 17-of-19 from the free-throw line, as Schulte (5-of-5) and Middleton (4-of-4) were perfect and Turner was 8-of-10.
 
WT improved to 16-3 on the season and 9-1 in LSC play. They remained atop the division, improving their division record to 6-0. LCU, dropping to 0-2 all-time in Canyon, fell to WT for the first time since Nov. 16, 2001. Their record dips to 14-2 overall, 8-2 in conference and 4-2 in conference.
 
TURNING POINT
As LCU hit their dry spell offensively in the second quarter, WT went on a 24-3 run. Gamble had three treys in the mix, as WT was 5-of-7 from three-point range during the frenzy. Her last three-pointer of the game was huge as well. Two minutes into the fourth quarter Middleton connected on a three-pointer, which was part of their 8-3 run. The three for WT during the run was a three-pointer by Gamble. Exclude her "three" and LCU's deficit would have been by one point.  
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Combined with the LCU men's basketball team falling to West Texas A&M Saturday, it marked the first time since Feb. 11, 2017 in which LCU's men's and women's basketball teams lost on the same date in a doubleheader against the same institution. The Lady Chaps have also dropped consecutive conference games for the first time since losing at St. Mary's and Texas A&M International on Feb. 26, 2015 and Feb. 28, 2015, which was their last two games of the 2014-2015 season (their last season not eligible for postseason play).
 
WHAT'S NEXT
LCU returns home Thursday to host St. Mary's University for a Lone Star Conference non-divisional game inside Rip Griffin Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and the game will be televised locally in Lubbock on Fox 34 News Now.