LUBBOCK., Texas (January 27, 2021) – A career-high six steals couldn't steal the spotlight away from Allie Schulte's biggest achievement of the night. The senior guard had 20 points, which helped her surpass 1,000 career points as a member of the Lady Chaps, and No.2 Lubbock Christian University used a strong second half surge to defeat Midwestern State 84-54 in a West Division meeting in the Lone Star Conference. Ashland Duncan also added 20 points to help LCU claim its 84^th consecutive home win inside Rip Griffin Center (72^nd consecutive conference home win).
 
Schulte, entering the game needing 16 points to hit the 1,000-point mark, converted a free-throw to complete a three-point play with 8:23 remaining in the contest for her 16^th point of the game and the 1,000^th of her career. Her accomplishment marks the third consecutive season a Lady Chap has hit the mark.  Olivia Robertson completed the task in March of 2019 and Maddi Chitsey hit the 1,000-point mark in November of 2019 in San Antonio, Texas.
 
Eight of her points were valuable in the second quarter, as LCU had to hold off a Midwestern State surge of momentum. LCU opened the game on a 9-0 run, but Midwestern State responded with a 6-0 run once their first field goal went in four minutes into the game. MSU outscored LCU 14-6 over the final six minutes of the first quarter and LCU edged MSU 15-14 heading into the second quarter. Schulte had six of LCU's first eight points of the second quarter, with her first field goal regaining the LCU lead after Frances King nailed a three-pointer to tie the game at 17-17 36 seconds into the quarter. LCU's defense held MSU without a field goal for over a four-minute span, while Ashton Duncan ignited a 14-2 run by scoring five of the first seven points of the run. Duncan and Schulte combined for 13 points in the quarter and LCU took a 37-27 lead into the half. LCU was 9-of-13 (69.2%) from the field in the second quarter and they were 7-of-8 inside the arc in the frame.
 
MSU was held to one scoring run in the third quarter. After a 4-0 run answered an LCU 5-0 run, LCU outscored MSU 11-6 in the quarter. All 11 of LCU's points were scored by Emma Middleton (6) and Schulte (5).
 
LCU's offense surged in the fourth quarter. Duncan opened the quarter with a three-pointer for a 58-41 lead. The three-pointer was the first points of an eventual 19-3 LCU run to build the lead to 74-44, matching the largest lead of the game. Duncan (8) and Schulte (7) combined for 15 points in the fourth quarter.
 
LCU finished the game 54.5% (30/55) from the field. Duncan and Schulte each finished the game with 20 points. Duncan was 8-of-12 from the field with a 4-of-7 mark from outside. Schulte was 8-of-13 from the field and also added six assists and a career-high six steals. Middleton finished with 14 points and posted three blocks and a +31 plus/minus.
 
Defensively, LCU held MSU to 38.9% shooting from the field. LCU outscored MSU 42-22 in the paint (42 points is a season high in paint scoring) and 24-11 in points-off-turnovers, as they had 13 steals and forced MSU into 20 turnovers. The 13 steals marks the seventh time (nine games played) in which LCU has swiped at least 10 steals in a game this season. LCU moved to 3-0 in the West and 9-0 in conference play and overall.
 
MSU, making their second trip to Lubbock Christian since 1994, had three players finish in double figures, with King leading the Mustangs with 12 points. Morgan Lenahan and Hannah Reynolds each had 10 points, with Lenahan's points all scored in the fourth quarter. The Mustangs fell to 7-3 overall, 6-3 in conference play and 1-2 in the West Division.   
 
TURNING POINT
From the time 3:33 remained in the third quarter, until 2:27 remained in the game, LCU was 13-of-19 from the field (68.4%). Inside the 19 field goal attempts was a string of seven consecutive made field goals, with Emma Middleton (3 field goals), Ashton Duncan (2 field goals) and Allie Schulte (3) combining to complete the task.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
LCU was 94.4% from the free-throw line in the game, making 17 of 18 attempts. Juliana Robertson (6-of-6) and Emma Middleton (4-of-4) combined to go 10-of-10 from the line. LCU has not missed more than three free-throws in a game this season, and they are 44-of-47 in their prior two combined games (93.6%).
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Lady Chaps and Mustangs complete their home-and-home divisional series Saturday in Wichita Falls, Texas. Tip-off inside Ligon Coliseum is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.