No.6 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (23-3, 17-3, 6-2) at TEXAS-PERMIAN BASIN (10-16, 7-3, 3-5) February 27, 2020 • 5:15 p.m. Odessa, Texas • UTPB Gym / Falcon Dome (1,000) 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.") LISTEN: 100.7 FM "The Score" Talent: Chris Due (Play-By-Play) LCU Social Media:
	TEXAS - PERMIAN BASIN FALCONS (10-16, 7-3, 3-5) Location: Odessa, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Rae Boothe (Brenau, 2007) Roster | Stats | Preview
	LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN LADY CHAPS (23-3, 17-3, 6-2) Location: Lubbock, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Steve Gomez (LCU, 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes

PACK YOUR BAGS
No.6 Lubbock Christian University closes out the regular season with a pair of road games, heading to Odessa, Texas Thursday to face Texas-Permian Basin (5:30 p.m. tip) and Silver City, N.M. Saturday to face Western New Mexico (3 p.m. Central tip). LCU (23-3 overall) enters the week tied with West Texas A&M in the conference standings (each are 17-3). If they end the regular season with the same record, WT would have the tiebreaker (WT defeated Texas A&M-Commerce). UTPB enters the week in a four-way tie for 12^th place in the conference (top 12 earn a berth to the LSC Championship.
 
DEFENSE ON DISPLAY
Lubbock Christian went 2-0 last week with home wins over Texas A&M International (71-36) and Texas A&M – Kingsville (71-29) in which they held their opponents to a combined 55 points off 21.1% shooting. TAMUK was held to 17.2% shooting from the field.
 
Emma Middleton helped LCU to a dominant 2-0 week on the offensive side. She opened the week with 16 points against TAMIU, in a performance in which she posted 10 of her points in the game-opening 17-0 run for the Lady Chaps. She finished the game 8-of-11 from the field in 21 minutes of work, with five rebounds and a block. Middleton followed with nine points, two blocks, two assists and six rebounds in 17 minutes of work against TAMUK. She posted an average per game plus/minus of +21 on the week.
 
Maddi Chitsey averaged 18.5 minutes on the floor and led LCU with a per-game plus/minus average of +31.5, as LCU scored 90 points while she was on the floor and allowed 27 in her total time of 38 minutes of action on the week. She contributed nine rebounds in 20 minutes of play against TAMIU and followed with 15 points (10 in the first half) and four rebounds in 17 minutes against TAMUK. The Javelinas shot 17.2% from the field in the game and the LCU defense deterred them into 25 consecutive missed field goals.
 
LONE STAR DEBUT
The Lady Chaps are playing in their first season in the Lone Star Conference and are 17-3 this season in conference play. A trio of Lady Chaps are averaging double figures in LSC play, led by Maddi Chitsey, who is averaging 13.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per conference game. Allie Schulte (12.5) is also averaging in double figures in conference contests. LCU has the advantage in three-point field goals (159-98), steals (152-130) and blocks (101-58) in LSC games. The Lady Chaps have a scoring margin per-game of 18.0 and are holding opponents to a 32.8% 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.
 
LONG DISTANCE NEWS
Ashton Duncan leads LCU with 66 three-pointers this season (third in the LSC). Duncan leads the LSC shooting 43.1% from long range (ranks 22^nd nationally) and ranks third in the LSC with 2.6 three-pointers per game. She has made at least three three-pointers in 14 games this season and made at least one three-pointer in her last 27 games played.
 
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 1.16, which ranks 21^st nationally. LCU's individual leader is Caitlyn Cunyus, who ranks fourth in the LSC with a 1.67 ratio (ranks 71^st nationally).
 
WHEN AT HOME
LCU went 15-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center. With LCU's 71-29 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday (closed out a 13-0 home record this season), LCU extended their active home win streak to 78 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 66 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
78 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
 
NCAA'S ACTIVE-LEADING HOME WIN STREAKS 
78 – LCU (Division II)
54 – Baylor (Division I)
52 – Drury (Division II)
35 – Iowa (Division I)
 
BUT ON THE ROAD…
LCU is 7-3 in road play this season. Maddi Chitsey leads LCU averaging 15.6 points on the road and joins Allie Schulte (11.4), Ashton Duncan (11.1) and Emma Middleton (10.3) as players averaging double figures in points on the road. LCU is shooting 45.5% on the road this season and they are holding opponents to a 35.3% 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, but have bounced back to move to No.6 in this week's polls. The D2SIDA poll currently has them at No.13.
 
HOW TOUGH IS IT?
LCU's strength of schedule, of games played, ranks as the 10th toughest schedule of games played in NCAA Division II play. LCU's opponents have combined for a .571 win percentage. They have the toughest strength of schedule of South Central Region teams. 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). To put it into comparison with the top team in the conference, Texas A&M – Commerce's strength of schedule ranks 255^th nationally.
 
BLOCK PARTIES ARE BACK
LCU ranks 12th nationally in blocks (134) and 11th in blocks per game (5.2). Maddi Chitsey leads the team with 50 blocks (fifth in the conference and 32^nd nationally), at a pace of 1.9 per game (fifth in the conference and 34^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 18^th nationally) at 78.1%. 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 fourth in the LSC with a 76.9% shooting mark from the line (Caitlyn Cunyus, 45/51 - 88.2% and Madelyn Turner, 31/35 - 88.6% do not qualify with enough attempts).
 
BE DEFENSIVE
The Lady Chaps ranks second in the LSC and rank third nationally, holding opponents to a 32.4% shooting mark on the season. Of their 31 contests, LCU has held the opponent to under a 30% shooting mark 10 times and the highest shooting percentage they have allowed in a game was 43.1% by UAFS, which was one of only two times an LCU opponent has shot over 40.0% this season. Saturday against Texas A&M-Kingsville, LCU held the Javelinas scoreless in the third quarter, which marked the second time in program history they have held a team scoreless in a quarter. LCU also ranks 10^th nationally in defensive scoring, holding the opposition to an average of 54.0 points a game.
 
COURAGEOUS HONOR
Lubbock Christian University women's basketball forward Whitney Cox had a special moment in the preseason, as she was able to compete against her older sister, Lauren, as LCU faced Baylor in Waco on October 30, 2019. Tuesday, the two were individually notified and informed they will see each other at the NCAA Women's Final Four in New Orleans, as co-recipients of the Pat Summitt Award for Courage by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
 
Lauren was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of seven and has been a model and an unofficial spokesman towards the awareness of T1D. Her younger sister, Whitney, was diagnosed at the age of 17, and now both players have aimed to inspire others with T1D.
 
Whitney is in her first season with the Lady Chaps and has appeared in 12 games this season. She is coming off a career-high four-rebound performance against Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday. Whitney is a Humanities major and a member of LCU's Honor College.
 
REGIONAL REVIEW
The NCAA released their second South Central Regional Rankings of the season Wednesday and the Lady Chaps are ranked second in the regional standings. The No.1 seed in the final rankings released after the conference tournaments will serve as host (unless refused) of the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament, and only the top eight teams qualify for the tournament.

1. Texas A&M-Commerce
2. Lubbock Christian
3. West Texas A&M   
4. Colorado Mesa      
5. Western Colorado  
6. Westminster (Utah)
7. Angelo State
8. Tarleton
9. Eastern New Mexico
10. St. Edward's
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT UTPB
1 > The Falcons enter the contest 10-16 following a 79-63 road win at Western New Mexico, which ended a three-game losing skid. UTPB is coming off a 4-24 season in 2018-19, finishing last (11th) 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 10-16 in conference play and 3-5 in divisional play.
3 > UTPB leads the LSC and is seventh nationally in steals (334) and leads the conference (ranks seventh nationally) in steals per game (12.8). Holly Hemmeline has 62 steals and ranks 53rd nationally (third in the LSC) in steals. 
4 > Steals lead to turnovers forced and UTPB has their share of turnovers forced, ranking 16th nationally and second in the LSC in the average amount of turnovers forced per game (21.9).
5 > Hemmeline is the pulse of the Falcons, as the team-leading scorer (13.2 points per game) leads the team in three-point attempts (186, fourth in the LSC) and field goal attempts (329, fourth in the LSC).

THE SERIES AGAINST UTPB
LCU is 22-0 all-time against the Falcons. They are 7-0 against UTPB in Odessa, where the two teams have not met since a Feb. 20, 2016 (109-56 LCU win) Heartland Conference meeting (the two teams ended a Heartland Conference relationship four seasons ago). LCU is also 7-0 all-time against the Falcons all-time as conference opponents (1-0 against the Falcons in conference postseason play). The meeting is the second of the season, as LCU defeated the Falcons 94-49 in Lubbock on Jan. 4, 2020.

ACTIVE LEADERS VS. UTPB
Here is a look at the top active Lady Chaps career leaders against UTPB:
Ashton Duncan / 3 games (12.7 pts. avg., 10/15 3-pt FGs)
Allie Schulte / 3 games (11.0 pts. avg., 4/6 3-pt FGs)
Channing Cunyus / 2 games (8.0 pts. avg., 7/9 FG)

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. UTPB
Jan. 4, 2020 (Lubbock, Texas) - LCU:94 - UTPB:49
Ashton Duncan's 21 points led a balanced performance on both ends of the floor for No.1 Lubbock Christian University, who used a 17-0 first-half run to cruise past University of Texas of the Permian Basin 94-49 in Lone Star Conference division play inside Rip Griffin Center.

The Lady Chaps had a solid first half, combining for 56 points in the half (29 in the second quarter). Their balanced attack started early, with seen different Lady Chaps chipping into the scoring in the opening quarter. LCU had a 10-0 run capped by a Madelyn Turner three-pointer, and then followed later in the quarter with a 7-0 run to close the quarter for a 27-12 LCU lead. LCU had a 6-1 advantage in turnovers in the quarter, leading to a 10-0 scoring advantage in points-off-turnovers.

The 7-0 run carried over into the second quarter and eventually built into a 17-0 run. The Lady Chaps ended up going to the free-throw line for a sequence of nine consecutive points from the line. The sequence came to an end with a field goal from Channing Cunyus prior to the halftime horn. It was the second field goal to end a quarter for Cunyus, who nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to end the first quarter. Her field goal to end the first half gave LCU a 56-25 halftime lead.

Duncan was 4-of-5 from three-point range in the first half and led LCU with 14 points in the first half. Allie Schulte, who had nine points in the half, produced a +26 plus/minus in the half.

The Lady Chaps hot play continued in the second half, with the lone hurdle was turnovers. After seven turnovers in the entire first half, LCU stumbled into eight turnovers in the third quarter alone. Despite the turnovers, LCU was able to score eight of the final 12 points of the quarter (six of the eight points by Schulte) to extend their lead to 74-38.

Nine different players appeared on the floor for LCU in the fourth quarter, with Duncan serving as the only starter to hit the floor in the quarter (played one minute). Seven different Lady Chaps produced at least one point in the quarter. Whitney Cox drained a field goal attempt with 2:42 remaining to give LCU their largest lead at 92-44 (2:42 remaining).

LCU showed consistency throughout the game. They hit field goals at a rate of 57.6% (34/59) in the game (LCU shot 58% the last time the two teams faced each other). LCU shot at least 55.6% in each of the quarters, shooting a high of 61.5% (8/13) from the field in the second quarter. Spanning from the mark 3:38 remained in the first quarter until 1:37 remained in the third quarter, LCU was 21-of-32 (65.6%) from the field.

Of the 13 players to participate for LCU, 12 recorded at least one point. Duncan, who matched a career-high with five three-pointers, netted five of LCU's nine three-pointers in the game (9-of-18, 50%). Schulte aided Duncan and the Lady Chaps with 17 points off 8-of-9 shooting. Channing Cunyus posted a career-high 12 points in the game. LCU had a season-high 42 points in the paint for a second consecutive game, as they outscored UTPB 42-6 in the paint.

The Lady Chaps also excelled defensively, out-rebounding UTPB 41-28. Eight different Lady Chaps had at least three rebounds, but no Lady Chaps had more than five rebounds. Turner tied a career high and Laynee Burr set a career high, as each co-led the team with five rebounds. Burr also posted career highs in assists (5) and steals (3).

UTPB was held to a 25.8% (7/24) shooting mark in the contest, which is the lowest this season by an LCU opponent and the lowest since LCU held St. Edward's to a 22.2% shooting mark Mar. 2, 2019. Rory Carter was the Falcons lone player in double figures, tallying 17 points. She had 14 of UTPB's 25 points in the first half.