FAMILIARITY
No.9 Lubbock Christian University head to the northeast sector of the Lone Star Conference this week, but to familiar destinations that were part of the Heartland Conference footprint. Thursday, they head to Fort Smith, Ark. to face Arkansas – Fort Smith (UAFS) and Saturday the head to Oklahoma City to battle Oklahoma Christian University. Each contest is a LSC non-divisional game. LCU enters the weekend with the third-best conference record, with a 13-3 conference mark. Texas A&M-Commerce (16-0) and West Texas A&M (14-2) sit ahead of them with six games remaining.  
 
GOOD SHOWING
LCU used a 16-1 first-half run to surge past No.10 West Texas A&M 67-43, ending the Lady Buffs 12-game win streak, and then followed Saturday with 26 points from Emma Middleton in a 77-53 win over ENMU, which ended their five-game win streak.  Middleton led the team with an average of 15.0 points per game in the pair of games. Her highlight game was a career-high 26-point outing against ENMU. She was 9-of-11 from the field (81.8%) and posted 16 points in the first half. Overall on the week, she was .688 (11-of-16) from the field and also had two blocks and two steals.

LONE STAR DEBUT
The Lady Chaps are playing in their first season in the Lone Star Conference and are 12-3 this season in conference play. A trio of Lady Chaps are averaging double figures in LSC play, led by Maddi Chitsey, who is averaging 13.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per conference game. Allie Schulte (13.2) and Ashton Duncan (10.7) are each averaging in double figures in conference contests. LCU has the advantage in three-point field goals (127-83), steals (119-107) and blocks (85-44) in LSC games. The Lady Chaps have a scoring margin per-game of 15.6 and are holding opponents to a 33.4% shooting mark in those contests.
 
TICKETS AVAILABLE
Advance tickets for the 2020 Lone Star Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championship are on sale now for Lubbock Christian University Chaparrals and Lady Chaparrals supporters, with all-session passes $15 off the regular price through Mar. 4. Additional avenues to purchase tickets (Ticketmaster and at the Comerica Center box office), but surcharges and additional fees can be avoided by purchasing them through the LCU Athletic Department. Tickets purchased through LCU can be completed online through http://www.lcu.edu/lsctournament . Ticket sales through the link will end at 5 p.m. on Mar. 3. Purchased tickets may be picked up at the LCU Athletic Department offices by Mar. 3 and any unclaimed tickets will be available at Comerica Center's designated "Will Call" area beginning Mar. 5. Ticket purchases may also be made in-person at LCU basketball games scheduled Feb. 20 and Feb. 22 inside Rip Griffin Center.
 
THE MIDDLETON AGES
Lady Chaps junior Emma Middleton had three career three-pointers prior to Jan. 11, but since then is 7-of-9 from three-point range and is now 9-of-14 from long range this season. She has three-pointers in five of the prior 10 games played. 
 
LONG DISTANCE NEWS
Ashton Duncan leads LCU with 59 three-pointers this season (third in the LSC). Duncan leads the LSC shooting 43.1% from long range (ranks 25^th nationally) and ranks second in the LSC with 2.7 three-pointers per game. She has made at least three three-pointers in 12 games this season and has combined for 13 over the prior three games.
 
TOO MUCH MATH INVOLVED
LCU has one individual player in the top-five in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio, and leads the LSC with a team assist/turnover ratio of 1.2, which ranks 17^th nationally. LCU's individual leader is Caitlyn Cunyus, who ranks fourth in the LSC with a 1.67 ratio (ranks 78^th nationally).
 
WHEN AT HOME
LCU went 15-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center. With LCU's 77-53 win over Eastern New Mexico Saturday, LCU extended their active home win streak to 76 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 64 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
76 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
 
NCAA'S ACTIVE-LEADING HOME WIN STREAKS 
75 – LCU (Division II)
52 – Baylor (Division I)
51 – Drury (Division II)
33 – Iowa (Division I)
 
BUT ON THE ROAD…
LCU is 5-3 in road play this season. Maddi Chitsey leads LCU averaging 15.1 points on the road and joins Allie Schulte (12.1) and Ashton Duncan (11.9) as players averaging double figures in points on the road. LCU is shooting 44.4% on the road this season and they are holding opponents to a 34.5% shooting mark.
 
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 marked 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) on Jan. 21. They worked their way to No.8 in the WBCA poll until falling at A&M-Commerce and enter this week remaining No.9 (WBCA) and improving to No.19 in the D2SIDA poll.
 
HOW TOUGH IS IT?
LCU's strength of schedule, of games played, ranks as the fourth toughest schedule of games played in NCAA Division II play. LCU's opponents have combined for a .612 win percentage. They have the toughest strength of schedule of games played of ranked programs. The Lady Chaps have faced four nationally ranked programs and LCU is 2-2 against those foes this season (LCU went 6-1 last season against nationally ranked foes).
 
BLOCK PARTIES ARE BACK
LCU ranks ninth nationally in blocks (118) and 10th in blocks per game (5.4). Maddi Chitsey leads the team with 47 blocks (fourth in the conference and 24th nationally), at a pace of 2.1 per game (fourth in the conference and 26^th 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
The Lady Chaps lead the LSC in free-throw percentage (ranking 20^th nationally) at 78.0%. 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 sixth in the LSC with a 75.8% shooting mark from the line (Caitlyn Cunyus, 41/46 - 89.1% and Madelyn Turner, 30/33 - 90.9% do not qualify with enough attempts).
 
BE DEFENSIVE
The Lady Chaps lead the LSC and rank fourth nationally, holding opponents to a 32.8% shooting mark on the season. Of their 22 contests, LCU has held the opponent to under a 30% shooting mark eight times and the highest shooting percentage they have allowed in a game was 42.9% by UT Tyler, which has been the only time an opponent shot over 40% in a game this season against LCU.
 
D-NOTES
The Lady Chaps enter the week ranking second in the LSC in defensive rebounds a game with a mark of 27.7 per contest, (ranks 71^st nationally). Their team leaders in defensive rebounds per game is Maddi Chitsey, who ranks eighth in the LSC with 4.9 per contest.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT UAFS
1 > The Lady Lions are coming off a 10-18 season in 2018-19, which came to an end with an opening round loss in the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. last season. They went 8-5 at home last season and are 5-3 this season at Stubblefield Center.
2 > UAFS was preseason picked 11th in the LSC Preseason Poll. They are 12-10 overall this season with a 9-7 conference record and a 3-3 divisional record.
3 > The best statistical category nationally for UAFS is turnovers forced, as they rank sixth in the conference and 51^st nationally by averaging 19.6 forced turnovers per game. They have forced opponents into at least 20 turnovers the prior four games.
4 > Tamara Gulley leads the LSC in defensive rebounds per game with a mark of 5.9 per game. Overall, she ranks seventh in the LSC in rebounds per game (7.5), with teammate Mar'Shalia Lollie ranking eighth (7.4). Lollie is second in the LSC with 3.5 offensive boards per contest.
5 > Hannah Boyett is fourth in the LSC in three-pointers (56), three-pointers per game (2.55) and attempts (164).

THE SERIES AGAINST UAFS
LCU has won the last five meetings and has a 12-1 all-time advantage over UAFS. All meetings have been since joining the Heartland Conference. LCU swept the season series last season, winning their last trip to Fort Smith 65-29 (Feb. 14, 2019) to improve to 5-1 all-time inside Stubblefield Center.

ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. UAFS
Here is a look at LCU's top three active leaders career vs. UAFS:

Maddi Chitsey 6GP 9.2 pts/g, 6.0 reb/g
Ashton Duncan 2GP 7.5 pts/g, 4/6 3-pt-FG
Caitlyn Cunyus 7GP 6.4 pts/g, 4.0 assists/g

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. UAFS
Feb. 14, 2019 (Fort Smith, Ark.) - LCU:65 - UAFS:29
No.22 Lubbock Christian University's inside play, behind a season-high 16 offensive rebounds, and defensive play stole the spotlight off a combined 33 points from Maddi Chitsey (17) and Olivia Robertson (16), as the Lady Chaparrals claimed a 65-29 road victory over Arkansas - Fort Smith (UAFS) at Stubblefield Center.

Following Saturday's 88-19 home win over Texas A&M International, LCU's win Thursday marked the first time in program history in which LCU held their opponent under 30 points in consecutive games. LCU held UAFS, entering the game ranking third in the conference in shooting percentage, to a Lady Lions program-low 29 points off 24.5% shooting. While the Lady Chaps held TAMIU Saturday to one two-point field goal, Thursday they held RSU without a three-point field goal (0-of-5... the first time LCU held a team without a three-pointer since Rogers State was without one on Feb. 9, 2017). LCU produced 10 steals in the game (marking the first time this season they have had at least 10 steals in consecutive games this season) and forced UAFS into 19 turnovers, leading LCU to outscore the Lady Lions 11-4 in points off turnovers.

LCU's defensive presence arrived early in the game, as the Lady Lions went the opening 8:03 without a field goal. Meanwhile LCU was on a 12-0 run to jump out to a 12-2 lead. The Lady Chaps were 54.5% (6-of-11) from the field in the opening quarter and held UAFS to 1-of-12 (8.3%) shooting for a 17-4 lead. Chitsey was 4-of-4 from the field in the second quarter, leading to an eight-point quarter and helped LCU lead 32-15 at the halftime break.

Ashton Duncan had closed the first half with a three-pointer and Robertson opened the second half with a three-pointer to help spark a 10-2 LCU run. Robertson was 2-of-3 from three-point range in the third quarter and LCU was 53.8% (7-of-13) from the field in the quarter, leading to a 23-point-quarter for a 55-25 lead through three quarters. Laynee Burr buried a three-pointer three minutes into the fourth quarter to cap a 15-0 LCU run. The quarter's offense was fairly stagnant, as LCU (2-of-12) and UAFS (2-of-11) combined for four field goals and 17.4% from the field.

Robertson, who had 10 points in the second half, and Chitsey were the lone Lady Chaps in double figures in points. Chitsey missed her second double-double by one rebound. LCU had at least one rebound grabbed by 12 of their 13 players and finished with 42. Their season-high 16 offensive rebounds were the most since Jan. 4, 2018 (vs. TAMIU) and it led to a 19-2 scoring advantage in second-chance scoring.