ST. EDWARD'S (11-6, 7-5) at No.9 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (15-2, 9-2) January 25, 2020 • 1 p.m. Lubbock, Texas • Rip Griffin Center (1,950) LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast WATCH ONLINE: LSC Digital Network (Online or via OTT apps including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Roku devices by searching "LSC Digital Network.") Talent: Chris Due (Play-By-Play) LISTEN: Oldies 97.7 FM Talent: Chris Due (Play-By-Play) LCU Social Media:
	ST. MARY'S HILLTOPPERS (8-7, 7-4) Location: Austin, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: J.J. Riehl (St. Edward's, 2002) Roster | Stats | Preview
	LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN LADY CHAPS (15-2, 9-2) Location: Lubbock, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Steve Gomez (LCU, 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes

COMPLETING THE WEEK OF SAINTS
No.9 Lubbock Christian University completes their week of play hosting St. Edward's University Saturday inside Rip Griffin Center. The contest is a non-divisional Lone Star Conference tilt. LCU enters the game 15-2 overall and 9-2 in the LSC. Division record decides the division standings and automatic berths to the LSC Championships, but seedings for the championship (outside of division winners) is decided by conference records. LCU's 9-2 LSC record has them with the third-best record in the conference. SEU (11-6 overall) is 7-5 in LSC play and tied with St. Mary's for fifth in the conference.
 
BOUNCING BACK
LCU avoided their first three-game losing skid since December of 2016 with a 70-48 home win Thursday over St. Mary's University. The Lady Chaps limited their turnovers (7) and used a 22-4 run in the opening quarter to surge to the win. Maddi Chitsey (17), Allie Schulte (15), Maddi Turner (11) and Channing Cunyus (10 points) all finished in double figures in points. LCU also had 11 three-pointers combined off seven different Lady Chaps connecting from outside.
 
LONE STAR DEBUT
The Lady Chaps are playing in their first season in the Lone Star Conference and are 9-2 so far this season in conference play. A trio of Lady Chaps are averaging double figures in LSC play, led by Maddi Chitsey, who is averaging 14.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per conference game. Allie Schulte (12.3) and Ashton Duncan (10.4) are each averaging in double figures in conference contests. LCU has the advantage in three-point field goals (86-64), steals (83-70) and blocks (62-28) in LSC games. The Lady Chaps have a scoring margin per-game of 15.0 and are holding opponents to a 33.2% shooting mark in those contests.
 
THE MIDDLETON AGES
Lady Chaps junior Emma Middleton has started to break out over the prior seven games, as she is averaging 10.0 points per game over the seven-game span (averaged 3.1 per game in her career prior to the prior six games). Middleton had three career three-pointers prior to Jan. 11, but since then is 6-of-7 from three-point range and is now 8-of-12 from long range this season. Last Thursday at Eastern New Mexico, Middleton posted a career high in points (16) and rebounds (9). 
 
LONG DISTANCE NEWS
Ashton Duncan leads LCU with 41 three-pointers this season. Duncan ranks second in the LSC shooting 39.0% from long range (ranks 64^th nationally) and ranks second in the LSC with 2.4 three-pointers per game. She has made at least three three-pointers in nine games this season.
 
TOO MUCH MATH INVOLVED
Despite having one individual player in the top-five in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio, LCU still leads the LSC with a team assist/turnover ratio of 1.17, which ranks 21^st nationally. LCU's individual leader is Caitlyn Cunyus, who ranks fifth in the LSC with a 1.44 ratio (ranks 111^th nationally).
 
WHEN AT HOME
LCU went 15-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center. With LCU's 70-48 win over StMU Thursday, LCU was able to extend their active home win streak to 73 games, which ranks third all-time in NCAA Division II women's basketball (it actively leads all of NCAA). 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 61 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
73 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
 
NCAA'S ACTIVE-LEADING HOME WIN STREAKS 
73 – LCU (Division II)
49 – Baylor (Division I)
47 – Drury (Division II)
30 – Iowa (Division I)
 
MORE ON THE HOME FRONT
LCU is 8-0 at home this season. Maddi Chitsey leads LCU averaging 15.3 points at home and joins Allie Schulte (12.0) as players averaging double figures in points at home. LCU is shooting 46.8% at home this season and they are holding opponents to a 31.1% shooting mark. They are 85.0% (96/113) from the free-throw line at home and have a 46-11 advantage in blocked shots.
 
NATIONALLY KNOWN
Based on the preseason rankings for the 2019-20 season (D2SIDA, WBCA along with Lone Star Conference), the Lady Chaparrals carry the highest expectations in program history to start a season. D2SIDA placed the defending national champions No.1 and the WBCA ranked LCU No.2 despite the Lady Chaps receiving 14 of the 23 first place votes. Each ranking is their highest preseason ranking in program history. The LSC preseason ranked LCU No.1 in their preseason rankings. LCU held their debut rankings for seven-in-season rankings, until dropping to No.9 (WBCA) and No.21 (D2SIDA) this week.
 
BLOCK PARTIES ARE BACK
LCU ranks sixth nationally in blocks (95) and eighth in blocks per game (5.6). Maddi Chitsey leads the team with 41 blocks (third in the conference and 17th nationally), at a pace of 2.4 per game (second in the conference and 17th nationally). LCU has ranked in the top-10 nationally in blocks each season since the 2015-16 season, which was their first season eligible to have statistics included among NCAA leaders. They ranked 10th in total blocks last season (155), second in 2017-18 (202, ranking fourth with a pace of 6.1 per game), fourth in 2016-17 (170, leading the nation with 5.7 per game) and led NCAA Division II in 2015-16 with 235 blocks (6.7 per game).
 
CHARITY WORK
LCU is 96-of-113 (85.0%) from the free-throw line at home this season, with Madelyn Turner (12-of-12), Laynee Burr (12-of-13), Maddi Chitsey (24-of-27) and Caitlyn Cunyus (10-of-12) combining for a 90.6% shooting mark at home. The Lady Chaps lead the LSC in free-throw percentage (ranking 18^th nationally) at 77.7%. In each season LCU has been eligible to have team statistics included among NCAA Division II leaders (2015-15), the Lady Chaps have finished in the top-three in their conference in free-throw shooting. They led the Heartland Conference in 2017-18 with a 76.2% mark from the line, ranking 33rd nationally. Their highest national ranking is 32nd (75.0%) from the 2015-16 season. Maddi Chitsey leads LCU and is eighth in the LSC with a 76.1% shooting mark from the line (Caitlyn Cunyus, 34/38 - 89.5% and Madelyn Turner, 26/29 - 89.7% do not qualify with enough attempts).
 
BE DEFENSIVE
The Lady Chaps lead the LSC and rank fifth nationally, holding opponents to a 32.5% shooting mark on the season. Of their 17 contests, LCU has held the opponent to under a 30% shooting mark six times and the highest shooting percentage they have allowed in a game was 40.0% by Cameron (Dec. 19), which has been the only time an opponent shot over 38% in a game this season against LCU.
 
D-NOTES
The Lady Chaps rank third in the LSC in defensive rebounds a game with a mark of 27.8 per contest, which ranks 70^th nationally. Their team leader in defensive rebounds per game is Caitlyn Cunyus, who ranks ninth in the LSC with 4.9 per contest.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT SEU
1 > The Hilltoppers completed last season with a 16-14 record and finished tied for third place in the Heartland Conference (7-7). They had their season end with a semifinal loss to LCU at the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla.
2 > SEU is preseason picked ninth in the LSC Preseason Poll. They are 11-6 overall this season with a 7-5 conference record. They fell at Angelo State 85-72 Thursday, which ended a two-game win streak.
3 > The 'Toppers have a three-point perimeter defense that is third in the LSC and is 37^th nationally, as they have held their opponents to a 27.5% shooting mark beyond the arc. No opponent has made more than eight three-pointers as a team against SEU this season.
4 > Deijah Blanks leads the LSC averaging 20.8 points per game and she leads the conference in field goals with 129, which is 18^th nationally. She posted 35 points Thursday at ASU.
5 > Along with providing an offensive spark, Blanks provides defense qualities for SEU, ranking 11^th in the conference in steals with 32.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST SEU
LCU has won 13 of the last 15 meetings and leads the all-time series lead at 14-6. The Lady Chaps swept the regular season series last season before eliminating them in the Heartland Conference Tournament 62-46 on Mar. 9, 2019 in Tulsa, Okla. The prior meeting marked the third season in which the two teams met in the conference tournament (LCU 2-1 in those encounters).  LCU is 7-0 all-time against SEU in Lubbock.
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. SEU
Here is a look at LCU's top three active leaders career vs. SEU:
 
Maddi Chitsey 6GP 11.2 pts/g, 56.3%-FG
Allie Schulte 5GP 6.2 pts/g, 5/13 3pt-FG
Caitlyn Cunyus 7GP 5.9 pts/g, 8/23 3pt-FG
 
PREVIOUS RECAP VS. SEU
Mar. 9, 2019 (Tulsa, Okla.) - LCU:62 - SEU:46
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 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.