HONOLULU (November 26, 2021) – Allie Schulte (22) and Ashton Duncan (18) combined for 40 points (all from the field) and 10 three-pointers, and Juliana Robertson produced a career-high 13 rebounds, as No.2 Lubbock Christian University closed their play in the Oahu Thanksgiving Classic with a 73-52 win over Hawai'i Pacific inside The Shark Tank.
 
LCU, who opened Thursday's victory over Minnesota Crookston with a 16-0 run, nearly completed a similar run in the opening quarter Friday. After HPU's Julia Razo scored the game's opening bucket 45 seconds into the game, Schulte scored the next five points to spark a 13-0 LCU run. The run lasted 4:43, as LCU held HPU without a field goal for 5:29. The Sharks had consecutive turnovers followed by nine consecutive missed field goal attempts, as LCU led 13-2.
 
Duncan nailed a pair of three-pointers in the quarter, for six points in the quarter, and Schulte added seven, as LCU led 20-12 at the close of the first quarter. The Lady Chaps had a 5-0 scoring advantage in second-chance scoring in the frame.
 
LCU did not score a field goal in the final 2:36 of the first quarter. The sequence carried 1:58 into the second quarter and ended with a Duncan three-pointer to halt a 6-1 HPU run. It was also the first of four straight three-pointers from the Lady Chaps, who bolted out to a 32-15 lead off the long-distance surge. Schulte, who led LCU with eight points in the quarter and 15 points in the half, hit a shot in the paint at the horn to send LCU into the halftime break leading 41-22, as LCU outscored the Sharks 21-10 in the quarter.
 
With 5:33 remaining in the third quarter, Channing Cunyus put LCU up 52-31 with a field goal for their largest lead of the quarter. LCU went nearly the following four minutes without a point and HPU responded with a 10-0 run to cut LCU's lead to 52-41 with 2:01 left in the quarter. Robertson ended the dry spell with a first of three consecutive field goals made by the Lady Chaps, who closed the quarter on a 7-0 run for a 59-41 lead. Channing Cunyus led LCU with six points in the quarter. The Lady Chaps had to withstand HPU's three offensive rebounds in the quarter, which all resulted into second-chance field goals.
 
HPU opened the fourth quarter with a pair of free-throws to cut the Lady Chaps lead to 59-43, but the 16-point deficit would be as close as the Sharks would get. Duncan hit a three-pointer and LCU scored the seven of the game's following nine points for a 69-45 lead with 3:05 left. The Sharks were 2-of-13 (15.4%) from the field in the final quarter, while LCU kept their distance on 5-of-10 shooting (50%) from the field.
 
LCU (8-1) finished the game shooting a season-high 55.1% (27/49), along with a mark of 50% (11/22) from long distance. LCU shot at least 50% from the field in each of the four quarters. The Lady Chaps had a 34-32 advantage in rebounds, with Robertson coming down with 13 rebounds to edge her prior career high of 12 rebounds.
 
Schulte matched a career high with nine field goals off 9-of-14 shooting, and she was two points shy of a career high with her 22 points. She was 4-of-7 from three-point range. Duncan nailed six three-pointers (6-of-11) with all 18 of her points tallied from beyond the arc. Neither player shot a free-throw in the game. Schulte also added six assists and swiped five steals. Her and Cunyus co-led LCU with a +25 plus/minus.
 
HPU (3-2) was held to 31.6% shooting (31.6%) and 21.4% (6-of-28) from three-point range. The Sharks received 16 points from Avery Cargill and 10 points from Allison Ross in the loss.
 
TURNING POINTS
LCU was 8-of-13 (61.5%) from the field in the second quarter, going 5-of-7 (71.4%) from three-point range. Four of the three-pointers were tallied on consecutive field goals attempts, as LCU went on a 14-0 run, which turned a 20-15 lead into a 34-15 lead. Duncan (2-of-2) and Schulte (2-of-3) were a combined 4-of-5 from long distance in the quarter.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Since the start of the 2017-18 season, HPU was 44-4 at home entering Friday's game. LCU's win snapped HPU's 19-game home win streak. Their last home loss was Nov. 27, 2019 against national ranked Sioux Falls (79-77).
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Lady Chaps take a break and do not have any action until Tuesday, December 7, as they will host West Texas A&M at 6 p.m. for a non-conference contest inside Rip Griffin Center.