TEXAS - PERMIAN BASIN (6-6, 3-3, 1-1) at No.1 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (12-0, 6-0, 2-0) January 4, 2020 • 1:00 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:
	TEXAS - PERMIAN BASIN FALCONS (6-6, 3-3, 1-1) Location: Odessa, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Rae Boothe (Brenau, 2007) Roster | Stats | Preview
	LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN LADY CHAPS (12-0, 6-0, 2-0) Location: Lubbock, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Steve Gomez (LCU, 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes

BREAKING IN THE NEW YEAR
Lubbock Christian University closes their first week of play, since returning from the Christmas Break, Saturday hosting Texas – Permian Basin (Saturday at 1 p.m.) inside Rip Griffin Center for a Lone Star Conference divisional contest. LCU, riding a 23-game win streak, has an overall 12-0 record this season, with a 6-0 mark in LSC play. They have played two (2-0) divisional contests this season, and Thursday's 64-40 win over Western New Mexico came during their first divisional home contest.
 
BACK FROM THE BREAK
The No.1 nationally ranked Lady Chaparrals returned from the Christmas Break Thursday and claimed a 64-40 victory over Western New Mexico behind an 18-point performance from Maddi Chitsey and a 13-0 run in the opening quarter (eight of the points by Chitsey). LCU had a season-high 42 points in the paint, as they outscored WNMU 42-16 in the lane. Laynee Burr also chipped in 10 points for the Lady Chaps. The 40 points allowed was a season low.

LONE STAR DEBUT
The Lady Chaps are playing in their first season in the Lone Star Conference and are 6-0 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 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Ashton Duncan (12.0) and Allie Schulte (11.3) are each averaging in double figures in conference contests. LCU has the advantage in three-point field goals (45-36), steals (49-35) and blocks (40-11) in LSC games.

WHO IS COUNTING?
LCU's 12-0 start tops their 6-0 start to the 2017-18 season and it is their best start since their memorable 2015-16 season in which they went 35-0. LCU is one of two unbeaten teams in the LSC and there are nine unbeaten teams in Division II.

2019 IS IN THE BOOKS
The 2019 calendar year was a good one for the Lady Chaps. In the year LCU claimed their second national title, the Lady Chaps went 22-1 (95.7%) in games played during the 2019 calendar year.  LCU had a 29-5 record (85.3%) for all games played in 2018, and they went 26-5 (83.9%) in 2017, 29-10 (74.4%) in 2016 and 24-4 (85.7%) in 2015.
 
RELAX
Despite posting an 12-0 record, the Lady Chaps can't say they have not faced adversity. LCU has overcome a deficit in 10 of their 12 games this season, with a 10-point deficit on Nov. 29 against Southern Nazarene marking their biggest deficit of the season. LCU is 3-0 this season when trailing at the half and 2-0 when trailing after three quarters. LCU went 7-3 last season when trailing at the half and 1-3 in contests they trailed after three quarters. On Dec. 21 at Midwestern State, LCU overcame a nine-point deficit in the third quarter.

WHEN AT HOME
LCU went 15-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center. With LCU's 64-40 win over Western New Mexico Thursday, LCU was able to extend their active home win streak to 70 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 58 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
70 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->

MORE ON THE HOMEFRONT
LCU is 5-0 at home this season. Maddi Chitsey leads LCU averaging 16.8 points at home and is LCU's only player averaging over 10 points a home. LCU is shooting 45.6% at home this season and they are holding opponents to a 31.9% shooting mark. They are 82.9% (63/76) from the free-throw line at home and have a 31-8 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. The fifth national in-season rankings came out this week and LCU remained No.1 in the WBCA and No.2 in D2SIDA polls.

BLOCK PARTIES ARE BACK
LCU ranks fifth nationally in blocks (73) and fifth in blocks per game (6.1). Maddi Chitsey leads the team with 34 blocks (second in the conference and eighth nationally), at a pace of 2.8 per game (leads the conference and seventh 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 10^th 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 63-of-76 (82.9%) from the free-throw line at home this season, with Madelyn Turner (10-of-10), Maddi Chitsey (10-of-12) and Caitlyn Cunyus (7-of-8) combining for a 90.0% free-throw shooting mark at home. The Lady Chaps lead the LSC in free-throw percentage (ranking 30^th nationally) at 76.5%. 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. Caitlin Cunyus leads LCU and the LSC (19^th nationally) with a 90.3% shooting mark from the line (Turner does not qualify with enough attempts but is shooting 94.1% from the line).

BE DEFENSIVE
The Lady Chaps lead the LSC and rank eighth nationally, holding opponents to a 32.8% shooting mark on the season. Of their 12 contests, LCU has held the opponent to under a 30% shooting mark four 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 has over 38% in a game this season against LCU.
 
D-NOTES
The Lady Chaps rank fourth in the LSC in defensive rebounds a game with a mark of 27.5 per contest, which ranks 93^rd nationally. Their team leader in defensive rebounds per game is Caitlyn Cunyus, who ranks seventh in the LSC with 5.2 per contest.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT UTPB
1 > The Falcons enter the contest 6-6 following a 74-45 loss Thursday at Angelo State, which was the Falcons second consecutive loss. UTPB is coming off a 4-24 season in 2018-19, finishing last (11^th) in the LSC with a 1-19 LSC record.
2 > Texas – Permian Basin is preseason picked 17th in the LSC Preseason Poll. The Falcons are 3-3 in conference play and 1-1 in divisional play.
3 > UTPB is second in the LSC (led prior to Thursday) and is 10th nationally in steals (161) and leads the conference (ranks fifth nationally) in steals per game (14.6). Holly Hemmeline has 29 steals and ranks 50^th nationally (fourth in the LSC) in steals. 
4 > Steals lead to turnovers forced and UTPB has their share of turnovers forced, ranking 11^th nationally and second in the LSC in the average amount of turnovers forced per game (24.0).
5 > Hemmeline is the pulse of the Falcons, as the team-leading scorer (12.3 points per game) leads the team in three-point attempts (76, fourth in the LSC), field goal attempts (132, eighth in the LSC) and assists (36, 13^th in the LSC).

THE SERIES AGAINST UTPB
LCU is 21-0 all-time against the Falcons. LCU has faced UTPB the past three seasons in Lubbock (part of the Arbor Hotels Classic), winning 82-39 last season (Nov. 17. 2018). This is UTPB's fourth season in the Lone Star Conference, as the two teams ended a Heartland Conference relationship four seasons ago. LCU is 13-0 all-time at home against UTPB and 6-0 all-time against the Falcons all-time as conference opponents (1-0 against the Falcons in conference postseason play).
 
ACTIVE LEADERS VS. UTPB
Here is a look at the top active Lady Chaps career leaders against UTPB:
Ashton Duncan / 2 games (8.5 pts. avg., 5/8 3-pt FGs)
Allie Schulte / 2 games (8.0 pts. avg., 4/6 3-pt FGs)
Emma Middleton / 2 games (7.5 pts. avg., 3.5 reb. avg.)
 
PREVIOUS RECAP VS. UTPB
Nov. 17, 2018 (Lubbock, Texas) – LCU:82 - UTPB:39
LCU drained 16 three-pointers and held University of Texas of the Permian Basin to 30% shooting, as they cruised to an 82-39 victory in the closing game of the Arbor Hotels Classic inside Rip Griffin Center.

The 16 three-pointers were two shy of a program single-game record and are tied for 10th in Heartland Conference history.

LCU was 58% (29/50) from the field, which was their best shooting mark since shooting 62.7% (Nov. 21, 2017) last season against Tarleton State. The Lady Chaps made 16 three-pointers and 13 two-point field goals, marking the first time LCU has had more "threes" than "twos" since Feb. 18, 2017 (vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State) when LCU set a program single-game record with 18 three-points and 13 two-point field goals.

All LCU starters played under seven minutes in the second half and none played in the fourth quarter. The bench was still able to outscore UTPB 18-12 in the fourth quarter.

LCU had point production from 11 of their 12 active players, with four completing the game in double figures. Allie Schulte led LCU with four three-pointers (4-of-6) and had a game-high 16 points, with Olivia Robertson (11), Kailin Davis (10) and Ashton Duncan (10) each in double figures. Even with the outside shoot success, LCU out-scored UTPB 22-10 in paint scoring. LCU also had a 20-12 scoring advantage in points-off-turnovers and a 35-17 (+18) advantage in rebounds.

UTPB, who was held with a second-chance point, did not have any players in double figures. The Falcons (1-3) finished 15-of-50 (30%) from the field.