No.6-seed ANGELO STATE (18-9) vs. No.6 (No.3-seed) LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (25-3) March 5, 2020 • 12:00 p.m. Frisco, Texas • Comerica Center (4,000) 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.") Talent: David Saltzman, Neil Horn, Roger Wallace ADDITIONAL ONLINE VIEWING: EverythingLubbock.com will also carry an online feed and select Nexstar affiliates will also air select games over-air in select markets through a conference agreement (Click For Stations) LISTEN: 100.7 FM "The Score" Talent: Chris Due (Play-By-Play) LCU Social Media:
	ANGELO STATE BELLES (18-9) Location: San Angelo, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Nate Harris (Montana Tech, 2007) Roster | Stats | Preview
	LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN LADY CHAPS (25-3) Location: Lubbock, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Steve Gomez (LCU, 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes

THE POSTSEASON BEGINS
No.6 Lubbock Christian University opens their postseason play in the Lone Star Conference Championship in the Quarterfinals Thursday at noon as the No.3-seed Lady Chaparrals and tipping off against no.6-seed Angelo State. The Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Championship Game are scheduled inside Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas. This is LCU's first season to participate in the Lone Star Conference Championships after competing the past four seasons in the Heartland Conference Tournament in Tulsa, Okla., where they won three tournament titles.
 
THE "IF's"
IF LCU WINS: If the Lady Chaps defeat ASU, they will improve to 26-3 on the season and will advance to the Semifinals to face either West Texas A&M or St. Edward's Saturday at noon.

IF LCU LOSES: If the Lady Chaps fall to the Belles, their record will drop to 26-4, they will be eliminated from the tournament and will await an at-large bid for the NCAA South Central Region Tournament. The NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Selection Show will air Sunday, Mar. 8 at 9 p.m. on NCAA.com.

CLOSED STRONG
LCU closed the regular season last week with LSC divisional road wins at Texas-Permian Basin and Western New Mexico. Maddi Chitsey leading the way offensively for LCU with an average of 12.5 points per game. She played 24 minutes in each game and led LCU with an average plus/minus of +30 in each game. Chitsey opened the week with 11 points and five rebounds at UTPB and followed with 14 points at WNMU.
 
The defensive side was fueled by the play of Juliana Robertson. The junior forward averaged 8.0 defensive rebounds on the week and posted average plus/minus of +24.5. She led the team with a 40-minute plus/minus pace of +69. Robertson posted eight points and six rebounds in a win at UTPB and followed with 10 rebounds and two steals at WNMU. LCU held opponents to a 23.9% shooting percentage on the week.
 
CHITSEY WAS THE LONE STAR IN AWARDS
Lubbock Christian University senior Maddi Chitsey made Lone Star Conference history Wednesday, becoming the first Lone Star Conference player to ever receive the conference's Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Academic Player of the Year honors in the same season. LCU's Allie Schulte joined Chitsey on the All-Academic team and was also a Second Team All-Conference selection. Lady Chap guards Caitlyn Cunyus (Second Team) and Ashton Duncan (Third Team) were also All-Conference selections.

Chitsey, a post player from Wall, Texas, became a three-time All-Conference selection (prior two were in the Heartland Conference). The returning D2CCA All-Region Selection leads LCU in scoring (14.0), ranking seventh in the LSC. She also ranks third in the LSC in field goal percentage (48.8%), sixth in blocks (51) and blocks per game (1.8), seventh in defensive rebounds per game (4.7) and field goals made (143) and ninth in free-throw percentage (75.2%). Chitsey leads LCU with a per-game plus/minus rate of +16.5 (+17.5 in conference) and is part of a Lady Chaps defense that leads the nation holding opponents to a 31.8% shooting mark on the season. She becomes LCU's first recipient of the individual honors since joining the LSC. Chitsey is LCU's first honoree of the conference Player of the Year award since Tess Bruffey in 2018 and first Defensive Player of the Year award winner since Kellyn Schneider claimed the honor in 2016. Chitsey is the first LSC player to win the Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season since Jasmine Prophet (Angelo State) in 2017.

Schulte, a junior from Nazareth, Texas, is a first-time All-Conference recipient. A 2019 All-Heartland Conference Tournament Team selection, Schulte is second on the squad in scoring (12.4 points) and assists (82, 2.9 per game). She leads the team in steals with 65, ranking third in the conference. Schulte also ranks eighth in the conference in field goals made (137) and assists. She was the first player in the LSC this season to receive Player of the Week honors on both the offensive and defensive side. Last season's national leader in three-point shooting percentage currently does not qualify with enough attempts, but is shooting .474 from long range (36/76). Earlier this season, Schulte claimed CoSIDA All-District honors.

Cunyus is one of two seniors on the squad and claims her second All-Conference award in her LCU career (2017-18 All-Heartland Conference). The Canyon, Texas native ranks fourth in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio (1.66), helping LCU rank 23rd nationally in the category. She also ranks eighth in the LSC in assists (88) and assists per game (3.3). Cunyus led LCU with a +18 plus/minus in conference play.

Duncan, a junior from Lubbock, Texas, claims her first All-Conference honor. The guard leads the LSC in three-point shooting percentage (41.3%, 31st nationally). Duncan had a string of three-pointers made in 28 consecutive games played and is fourth in the LSC with an average of 2.46 per game. She has 69 made three-pointers, which is fifth in the conference. Duncan claimed LSC Offensive Player of the Week honors in November.

LONE STAR DEBUT
The Lady Chaps are playing in their first season in the Lone Star Conference and went 19-3 this season in conference play. A pair of Lady Chaps averaged double figures in LSC play, led by Maddi Chitsey, who is averaged 13.5 points and 6.4 rebounds per conference game. Allie Schulte (12.4) also averaged in double figures in conference contests. LCU had the advantage in three-point field goals (171-108), steals (175-145) and blocks (107-63) in LSC games. The Lady Chaps had a scoring margin per-game of 19.1 and are held opponents to a 32.0% shooting mark in those contests.

LONG DISTANCE NEWS
Ashton Duncan leads LCU with 69 three-pointers this season (fourth in the LSC). Duncan leads the LSC shooting 42.3% from long range (ranks 27th nationally) and ranks third in the LSC with 2.6 three-pointers per game. She has made at least three three-pointers in 15 games this season and made at least one three-pointer in her last 28 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 23^rd nationally. LCU's individual leader is Caitlyn Cunyus, who ranks fourth in the LSC with a 1.66 ratio (ranks 70th nationally).

NOBODY IS HOME
LCU went 15-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center and completed their home slate with a 13-0 mark this season to extend 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)
55 - Baylor (Division I)
54 - Drury (Division II)
36 - Iowa (Division I)

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 rank 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 14th toughest schedule of games played in NCAA Division II play. LCU's opponents have combined for a .563 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-seeded team in the LSC Championship, Texas A&M - Commerce's strength of schedule ranks 268th nationally.

BLOCK PARTIES ARE BACK
LCU ranks 14th nationally in blocks (140) and 14th in blocks per game (5.0). Maddi Chitsey leads the team with 51 blocks (sixth in the conference and 36^th nationally), at a pace of 1.8 per game (sixth in the conference and 40th 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 22nd nationally) at 77.9%. 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 ninth in the LSC with a 75.2% shooting mark from the line (Caitlyn Cunyus, 45/51 - 88.2% and Madelyn Turner, 37/41 - 90.2% do not qualify with enough attempts).

BE DEFENSIVE
The Lady Chaps lead the nation, holding opponents to a 31.8% shooting mark on the season. Of their 28 contests, LCU has held the opponent to under a 30% shooting mark 12 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. On Feb. 22 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 eighth nationally in defensive scoring, holding the opposition to an average of 53.0 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 third South Central Regional Rankings of the season Wednesday and the Lady Chaps are ranked atop the regional standings. The No.1 seed in the final rankings released after the conference tournaments (Sunday night) 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. Lubbock Christian
2. West Texas A&M
3. Texas A&M-Commerce
4. Colorado Mesa
5. Western Colorado University
6. Westminster (Utah)
7. Angelo State
8. Tarleton State
9. Eastern New Mexico
10. St. Edward's

FIVE THINGS ABOUT ASU
1 > The Belles are coming off a 26-6 campaign in 2018-19, as they were regular season co-champions of the LSC with a 17-3 record. They went 7-1 on a neutral floor last season and are 1-0 in road tilts this season. The Belles qualified for the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament last season, leading to a regional championship game in which they fell to LCU 76-70. ASU has had their season end with losses to LCU the past two seasons and three of the past four seasons.
2 > ASU was preseason picked third in the LSC Preseason Poll. They received one first-place vote. They completed the regular season tied for fifth place.
3 > Angelo State is 18-9 overall this season, with a 14-8 conference record. The Belles are 6-1 in their last seven games and claimed their third consecutive win Tuesday with an LSC Championship Opening Round win at home over Midwestern State (81-70).
4 > Nate Harris is in his first season at the helm of the Belles. Harris was an assistant coach last season for the Belles following an assistant coaching stint at Montana State.
5 > De'Anira Moore is an All-Conference First Team selection. She leads the LSC in field goal percentage (54.1) and is second in free-throw attempts with 167. She posted 28 points, nine rebounds and six blocks Tuesday against MSU.

THE SERIES AGAINST ASU
LCU leads the series with a 12-3 all-time mark. LCU swept the regular season meetings. The previous postseason meeting was in Lubbock (Mar. 19, 2019) in last season's South Central Region Tournament (76-70 LCU win) and it marked the third straight LCU win in a NCAA postseason game against ASU. The two teams have not met in a neutral site game since Dec. 5, 1980 (ASU won 82-42). The two teams have met seven times since 2012, but had not met since Nov. 30, 2001 prior to that. The last ASU win in the series was their victory on Dec. 29, 2000.

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

Maddi Chitsey 4GP 17.3 pts/g, 6.8 Reb.
Ashton Duncan 3GP 11.0 pts/g,7/16 3pt-FG
Allie Schulte 4GP 11.0 pts/g, 7/16 3pt-FG

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. ASU
Jan. 11, 2020 (Lubbock, Texas) - LCU:69 - ASU:52
Angelo State's Sawyer Lloyd (21 points) and De'Anira Moore (17 points) combined for 38 points, but it was not enough to take down No.1 Lubbock Christian University, as Allie Schulte's 12 points in the second half led LCU to a 34-22 scoring advantage in the second half to lead the Lady Chaparrals to a 69-52 Lone Star Conference divisional victory Saturday afternoon inside Rip Griffin Center. The victory improved LCU to 14-0 overall, 8-0 in conference, 4-0 in their division and extended LCU's home win streak to 72 games, which actively leads all levels of NCAA women's basketball.
 
Lloyd and Moore accounted for 73% of ASU's offense and combined for 14 of the Belles 18 field goals. While the tandem was a combined 14-of-26 (53.8%) from the field, while the rest of the Belles were a combined 4-of-35 (11.4%) from the field. Placed together, LCU's defense held ASU to 29.5% (18/61) from the field, marking the fourth consecutive game in which LCU has held their opponent to a shooting mark less than 31%.
 
The Belles struggled from the field out of the gate, going 2-of-16 (12.5%) from the field in the first quarter (opened the game missing their first six shot attempts). Meanwhile, rare three-pointers by Juliana Robertson and Emma Middleton in the opening quarter for LCU helped them out-score ASU 20-8 in the quarter, which included a 12-0 LCU run. Maddi Chitsey and Middleton each had seven points to co-lead LCU in scoring in the quarter.
 
Fouls were a big factor in the game, and a trio of fouls called on Chitsey in the half led to limited minutes. The Belles took advantage of LCU's foul trouble and six turnovers in the second quarter with a 6-0 and 10-0 run off 52.9% shooting, which cut LCU's lead to 32-30 inside the final minute of the half. Schulte, her first field goal of the game, connected on a three-point shot with thirty seconds left in the half to give LCU a 35-30 halftime lead.
 
Lloyd and Moore combined for 23 points in the first half. The Lady Chaps were 48.3% (14/29) from the field in the first half, with a 7-of-12 (58.3%) shooting mark from long distance (three pointers from six different players in the half for LCU).
 
Moore had the opening bucket of the second half to cut LCU's lead to 35-32, but then ASU missed their next five attempts and 12 of their next 13 attempts. LCU responded over the stretch going on a 17-4 run. Six different Lady Chaps had a field goal in the quarter and LCU took a 52-41 lead into the final frame.
 
Chitsey received her fourth foul in the opening minute of the fourth quarter and it opened the door for ASU with her off the floor. ASU went on a 5-0 run and LCU's lead was quickly cut to 52-46. Middleton hit a career-high second three-pointer in the game to interrupt ASU's run and it started an 11-2 LCU run. Schulte had eight of her 15 points in the fourth quarter, and ASU made two of their final 11 field goal attempts, which combined to allow to pull away with their 25^th consecutive victory.
 
Schulte had a game-high seven assists and also matched a career high with two blocks. She led a trio of Lady Chaps in double-figures with her 15 points, as Chitsey (13 points) and Middleton (12 points) had solid contributions to the LCU offense. The Lady Chaps connected on 10 three-pointers (10-of-24, 41.7%), with Ashton Duncan hitting a trio of three-pointers.
 
ASU had a 12-5 scoring advantage from the free-throw line, as they had an 18-6 advantage in free-throw attempts off a 16-9 difference in fouls in the Belles favor. The Belles struggled from three-point range, shooting 4-of-24 from long range. Lloyd was 3-of-4, while the rest of the team was a combined 1-of-20. ASU was 0-of-7 from three-pointers from the top of the key.