D2CCA TIPOFF CLASSIC AT THE TRAILHEAD No.11 TAMPA (1-1) vs. No.1 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (2-0) November 7, 2021 • 4:15 p.m. (Central) Billings, Mont. • Alterowitz Gymnasium (3,500) TOURNAMENT WEBSITE: Click Here LIVE STATS: Click Here WATCH ONLINE: MSUBsports YouTube Talent: Evan O'Kelly (Play-by-Play) LCU Social Media:
	TAMPA SPARTANS (1-1) Location: Tampa, Fla. Conference: Sunshine State (SSC) Head Coach: Tom Jessee (Bluefield St., 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF)
	LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN LADY CHAPS (1-0) Location: Lubbock, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Steve Gomez (LCU, 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes (PDF)

BIG SKY DEBUT
The defending NCAA Division II Women's Basketball National Champions open their 2021-22 campaign in Billings, Montana, taking part in the D2CCA Tip Off Classic at the Trailhead for a trio of games. LCU opened their season Friday with a 69-55 victory over Montevallo before topping tournament host Montana State Billings 67-61 Saturday. They close their stay with No.11 Tampa Sunday (4:15 p.m. Central). The classic/tournament is the first of four LCU will participate in during the regular season. LCU opens play with their first five games on the road. Next Week, LCU heads to Lakewood, Colo. for the RMAC/Lone Star Conference Tip-Off Classic before their first home game on Nov. 19, as LCU hosts the Lady Chap Invitational. 
 
TOURNAMENT TRENDS

• > Allie Schulte leads LCU in offense, averaging 17.5 per game. She is averaging 14.5 per game in the first half alone. She is 12-of-21 (57.1%) from the field and 5-of-10 (50%) from long range.
• > Ashton Duncan leads LCU with seven three-pointers, averaging 3.5 per game. She had 22 points against MSU Billings, scoring clutch buckets on one-possession-game offensive possessions.
• > LCU opened the season making their first 14 free-throw attempts and are 81.5% (22/27) from the free-throw line.
• > Juliana Robertson leads LCU in plus/minus with a +36 rating for the season, with a per-game rate of +18.
• > Channing Cunyus joins Schulte and Duncan in offensive double-figures, averaging 10.0 points per game.
• > Grace Foster has been an impactful true freshman, leading the team in blocks (2) and averaging 5.0 rebounds per game.
• > LCU is averaging 10 steals per game. Laynee Burr leads the team with six.
• > Saturday night, LCU overcame a 12-point deficit and they went 8-for-8 in scoring on possessions in which they had the ball with a one-possession lead (with points resulting in a two-possession lead). They were 6-of-7 from the field on shot attempts in the scenario, with the one miss resulting in an offensive rebound and eventual free throws made following a foul.

 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT TAMPA
1 > The Spartans played an improvised seven-game schedule last season due to COVID. They won all seven contests and all seven were played at home. They are 1-1 this season after defeating Seton Hill 75-48 and falling 81-67 to Montevallo.
2 > UT is preseason picked to win the Sunshine State Conference. They claimed nine of the 11 first-place votes. They are also nationally ranked No.11 by the WBCA.
3 > Another long-time head coach embarks on Billings, as UT head coach Tom Jessee is in his 20th season coaching the Spartans. He is 373-169 at Tampa and has guided the Spartans to 10 NCAA appearances over the past 15 seasons.
4 > The Spartans No.11 preseason ranking is their highest in program history. It is their fifth time in program history to be in the WBCA preseason rankings.
5 > Tampa's roster is filled with D1 transfers, as they have eight players on roster that transferred from a NCAA Division I program.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST TAMPA
LCU and Tampa have never met. The Lady Chaps are 2-0 all-time against Florida based programs. The Lady Chaps defeated Rollins and Florida Southern during their title run in 2015-16, with a 73-69 win over Florida Southern on Mar. 22, 2016 at the Elite Eight Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. marking their last game against a team from the Sunshine State.