RIVALRY ON THE RANGE TIME
The 2020-21 regular season hits a climax to close out the regular season, as No.1 Lubbock Christian University closes the regular season with a home-and-home Lone Star Conference West Division series with No.16 West Texas A&M. The Rivalry on the Range series opens in Lubbock Thursday (5:30 p.m.) and then moves to Canyon, Texas Saturday (2 p.m.) for the regular season finale. Despite LCU's 13-0 overall record, 11-0 conference record and 5-0 division record, and WT's 14-3 overall record, 13-3 conference record and 5-1 mark in division play, the conference regular season title and divisional title is based on the LSC's point rating system. LCU is ranked first in the point system in the overall standings and second in the division point system (through Feb. 21). WT sits in fifth in overall point system standings and third in the division point system standings.

FALCON CREST
LCU is coming off a two-game series sweep of UT Permian Basin, winning 74-43 Friday in Odessa, Texas and 72-48 in Lubbock Sunday. Ashton Duncan averaged 18 points in the two games. On Friday in Odessa, Duncan's first points of the game put LCU on the scoreboard and ignited a 13-3 LCU run. Eleven (11) of the points in the run were from Duncan, who connected on three consecutive three-point attempts. She ended up with 18 in the half and finished with 25 in the game (one point from matching a career high), featuring a 6-of-8 outside shooting performance in the game (she was 5-of-6 from three-point range in the opening half). Sunday, LCU had trouble breaking away from UTPB until Duncan's three-pointer to open the second half scoring opened a 7-0 run. She finished with 11 points in the game, as she was part of a Senior Day performance in which 80% of LCU's 45 points in the second half were from the senior class. Combined for a 7-of-15 (46.7%) outside shooting performance on the week, while also swiping five steals. Emma Middleton also had a productive series leaning towards the defensive end. Friday, Middleton had six rebounds, three steals and 13 points, and then she followed with a 4-of-6 shooting performance in the lane en route to a 14-point Senior Day performance Sunday. She also had six rebounds and three steals in the home win as well. Middleton completed the weekend with a +41 plus/minus, which included a +28 in the road win.

QUICK LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
The Lone Star Conference Championships will have a different look than the standard tournaments of the past. Instead of qualifying teams meeting for a single elimination tournament in Frisco, Texas, eight qualifying teams (based on point system and meeting minimum games played standards) will have a single elimination format beginning with Quarterfinals on the campus sites of the top four seeds. If LCU qualifies as one of the top four seeds, they will host Tuesday evening. Along those lines, if both LCU's men's and women's basketball teams are hosting Tuesday, the women will play at 5 p.m. and the men will play at 7:30 p.m. If only one of the programs are hosting, the game will start at 7 p.m. Tickets (if hosting) go on sale Monday at 8 a.m. (online only at http://www.lcuchaps.com/tickets) and the Rip Griffin Center will be at 50% capacity limits for LSC Championship contests. Chap Pass season pass holders will have to purchase tickets in advance, as passes will not be allowed. Tickets will cost $7.

STEALING THE SHOW
LCU enters the week ranked 12^th in steals per game (12.0). The Lady Chaps have had at least 10 steals in 11 of their 13 games. Allie Schulte leads the team in steals (38) and averages 2.9 per game to lead the LSC (16^th nationally).
 
LONG DISTANCE CALLS
Despite playing 13 games (LCU is tied for seventh in the conference in games played), LCU ranks second in the LSC in three-point field goals (114), averaging a conference-best 8.8 average per game (21^st in the nation). They average 10.3 three-pointers per game on the road and 8.1 at home. The Lady Chaps success rate of 38.1% shooting from outside is 13th nationally. Ashton Duncan leads LCU with 41 three-pointers (32^nd nationally and leads the LSC), ranking seventh nationally with a conference-best rate of 3.15 per game. Schulte sits just below the minimums in three-point shooting percentage, and has a mark of 51.3%, and Duncan leads the conference at 47.7%. Twelve (12) different Lady Chaps have at least one three-pointer on the season.

ALLIE CAT
The sharp shooting of Allie Schulte is registering nationally. Schulte leads the LSC and ranks fourth nationally in field goal percentage with a mark of 63.5%. From long range, she is shooting 51.3% (she was fourth nationally before falling under the minimum statistical requirements). In 13 games this season, she has two-or-less missed shots in nine of the games.

THROWING STONES
A look at upcoming milestones on the horizon for Lady Chap members:
-Allie Schulte ranks eighth nationally in Division II active players in career games played with 113.
-Is 12 assists away from 300 career assists.
-Actively ranks 30^th in career assists with 288 assists.
-Ashton Duncan needs 30 three-pointers to move into the top-5 in LCU's career three-point field goal leaders (has 158 and needs 188).

NATIONALLY KNOWN
This week marks LCU's third week as the "No.1" team in NCAA Division II women's college basketball, as both the WBCA and D2SIDA each released their weekly Top-25 Polls Tuesday with Lubbock Christian University remaining as the top team.
 
Prior to the current three-week stretch, LCU last held the No.1 ranking in January of 2020, coming off the 2019 NCAA Division II national championship season. With no basketball championships held last season due to Covid-19, LCU remains as the reigning national champions. They are 13-0 this season and one of four teams in NCAA Division II that have not suffered a loss, and one of two teams of the four with at least a 10-0 mark (Lander is 15-0).
 
WHEN AT HOME
LCU went 13-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center. The Lady Chaps, who will host West Texas A&M Thursday, are 9-0 this season at home and with their active home win streak sitting at 87 games, which matches the record of 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 73 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 (they are 20-0 in LSC home games).
 
NCAA DIVISION II'S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS
87 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
87 - Neb.-Kearney Jan. 31, 1995-Nov. 24, 2001
85 - West Tex. A&M Jan. 9, 1987-Dec. 6, 1991

NCAA'S ACTIVE-LEADING HOME WIN STREAKS 
87 – LCU (Division II)
35 – North Georgia (Division II)
32 – Messiah (Division III)
 
MORE ON THE HOME FRONT
Ashton Duncan leads LCU at home this season, averaging 13.4 points per game. Allie Schulte (12.9) and Emma Middleton (12.0) also averages double figures at home. LCU has a 48-10 advantage in blocks at home and they have held opponents to 31.4% shooting. The Lady Chaps are shooting 49.2% on the Rip Griffin Center floor this season, with a 38.2% shooting mark from outside. Duncan is shooting 54.3% from outside at home. She is 30-of-55 at home this season from outside.
 
AND ON THE ROAD
Saturday will mark LCU's fifth road game of the season (4-0 in road play on the season). Allie Schulte leads LCU in road play with an average of 16.5 points per game. Ashton Duncan and Emma Middleton each average 11.0 points on the road this season. LCU has a 21-3 advantage in blocks and they average 5.5 more rebounds per game on the road. Schulte is 13-of-22 (59.1) from three-point range in road contests.
 
BLOCKS ARE BACK
Since their first season as official NCAA Division II members (2015-16), LCU has ranked at least 12^th or better in total blocks (led the nation in 15-16 and ranked second in 17-18) in each season of play and have ranked in the top-14 in four of the five seasons in blocks per game (led the nation in 15-16 and 16-17). This season, LCU looks as if they may keep the trend continuing. They ranked in the top-10 until several game postponements have them currently ranking 21^st in blocks (69) and are ninth in blocks per game (5.3), leading the LSC in the per-game category. Emma Middleton (23, third in the conference and 39^th nationally), Whitney Cox (13, seventh in the LSC) and Juliana Robertson (10, 13^th in the conference) place LCU with three players in the top-13 in the LSC in blocks. Middleton also leads the LSC and 34^th nationally with 1.77 blocks per game.
 
DISTRIBUTION
With a mark of 1.26, LCU ranks eighth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio. LCU's 16.2 assists per game ranks 27th in the nation, with team leader Allie Schulte (averaging 3.7 per game) leading the LSC and ranking eighth nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.82). Juliana Robertson (2.6) and Madelyn Turner (2.5) are also averaging over 2.0 assists per game. LCU ranks 19th nationally in turnovers per game (leads the LSC) with a mark of 12.8 per game (they rank 11^th in turnovers forced and fourth in turnover margin).
 
LAST LINE OF DEFENSE
Along with ranking 12^th nationally in steals per game, LCU's defense is holding opponents to 44.9 points per game (leads the nation). From the floor, opponents are shooting 31.5% (third nationally).
 
CHARITY STRIPE
LCU has found success at the free-throw line this season, ranking second nationally, shooting 81.8% from the free-throw line. Emma Middleton leads LCU at the charity stripe with an 80.9% free-throw shooting percentage (41/51), which ranks ninth in the LSC.

FIVE THINGS ABOUT WT
1 > The Lady Buffs are coming off a 27-6 season in 2019-20, finishing 19-3 in the Lone Star Conference and 9-1 in the division. They qualified for the NCAA South Central Region Tournament in Lubbock, which was canceled.
2 > WT, preseason picked second in the LSC, is 14-3 this season. They are 13-3 in the LSC and are 5-1 in West Division play. They are 10-0 in home games this season and 4-3 on the road.
3 > West Texas A&M will serve as the host of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional. This season, the NCAA preselected sites, with WT serving as the host for the women's tournament (LCU will host the men's tournament). This season, the South Central Region will consist of teams from the Lone Star Conference and the Great America Conference (GAC), with six teams qualifying to the tournament.
4 > WT carries the No.16 national ranking (from the WBCA) and they are No.21 in the D2SIDA Top-25 Poll. LCU went 4-2 last season against nationally ranked opponents and have not faced a nationally ranked team this season.
5 > The Lady Buffs rank sixth nationally in field goal shooting, shooting 47.9% from the field, which leads the LSC. Lexy Hightower ranks 24^th nationally in field goal shooting, with a mark of 56% from the field (second in the LSC).

THE SERIES AGAINST WT
LCU and WT are separated by 110 miles, but the two teams have only met six prior times (this season will mark the second season they will have faced each other multiple times). LCU has a 4-2 series advantage. The first ever meeting was on Nov. 16, 2001, with WT defeating LCU 90-53 in Canyon, Texas (LCU's 2001-02 season opener). The two teams split the regular season series, with the home team winning each game, before LCU defeated the Lady Buffs 59-46 on Mar. 7 in Frisco, Texas at the LSC Championships. The meeting in Frisco was their third postseason meeting, but first in the conference tournament. They had met twice in NCAA postseason play (both were in Lubbock and in the South Central Region Championship Game), which came in 2016 (LCU winning 88-68) and 2018 (LCU winning 56-53).

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

Allie Schulte 4gp – 11.8 pts/g, 9 steals
Ashton Duncan 3gp – 8.0 pts/g, 8/13 3-pt fg,
Emma Middleton 3gp – 8.0 pts/g, 6.0 reb/g

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. WT
Mar. 7, 2020 (Frisco, Texas) - WT:46 - LCU:59
No.6 Lubbock Christian University (No.3-seed) utilized their guard play to maintain a double figure lead and helped the Lady Chaparrals to a 59-46 Semifinals victory over No.17 West Texas A&M inside Comerica Center.
LCU's defensive presence was felt early, as West Texas A&M missed their first seven field goal attempts (the first four attempts were from three-point range). Maddi Chitsey had a pair of early field goals to help LCU take a 9-3 lead with 5:47 remaining in the opening half. LCU held WT to two field goals in the game's opening 6:46 and led 13-5. The Lady Buffs offense finally found a rhythm in the final three minutes of the first quarter and went on a 7-3 run to cut LCU's lead to 16-12 at the close of the quarter.

The 7-3 run turned into an eventual 12-3 run and WT took a 17-16 lead 90 seconds into the second quarter. Allie Schulte responded less than 30 seconds later with a three-pointer to recapture the lead for LCU. Her three-pointer was followed by a trey from Caitlyn Cunyus and pair of free throws from Laynee Burr to complete an 8-0 run (LCU's largest run of the game). Cunyus (nine points) and Schulte (eight points) combined for 17 points in the opening half, as LCU had a 32-24 halftime lead.

The Lady Chaps opened the second half on a 13-3 run, fueled by a pair of three-pointers from Ashton Duncan. Schulte connected on a three-pointer to cap the run and put LCU up 45-27 for their largest lead of the game (6:41 remaining in the third quarter).

LCU's offensive went stagnant for a four-minute span in which they did not score a point. WT did not fully take advantage of the dry spell. They were 5-of-10 from the free-throw line and had two field goals during a 10-2 run, which sent the game into the fourth quarter with LCU up 47-37. Schulte hit another momentum-halting three-pointer, and this was one was the opening bucket of the fourth quarter. LCU opened the quarter on a 7-3 run and never let their lead dip into single digits. The Lady Chaps defense held WT to a 28.6% (4/14) shooting mark in the final quarter and LCU held their lead.

Schulte (14 points), Cunyus (13 points), Duncan (nine points) and Burr (nine points) were LCU's leading scorers and all are guards. LCU's inside success was measured in rebounds, with Emma Middleton collecting a game-high nine rebounds. The Lady Chaps had to overcome a 15-9 disadvantage in fouls, but WT did not take benefit off the free-throw line in the game (8/14, 57.1%). Meanwhile, LCU was 9-of-10 (90%) from the line in the game.

WT, forced into 17 turnovers, shot 32.7% (16/49) from the field. Delaney Nix hit four three-pointers and led WT with 14 points. Abby Spurgin also poured in 12 points. The Lady Buffs fell to 27-6 on the season.
 
KEEP IN MIND
The Lone Star Conference announced it will use a point rating system to determine its men's and women's basketball standings this year due to COVID-19 related schedule adjustments.
 
The point rating system will replace winning percentage for the LSC's basketball conference standings, divisional standings and conference tournament seeding in 2020-21. 
 
The system assigns a numerical value to game results depending on the site and quality of the opponent. Teams will earn more points for a win on the road or at home against top competition based on conference winning percentage and receive fewer points for a win against lesser opposition. Points are also dispersed for losses, with more points awarded for a loss against stronger competition. 
 
Each week, the team ratings will be determined by taking the total points divided by league games played with the opponents winning percentage updated throughout the year.

The LSC has the point system in use for public viewing on the standings page located on the LSC's website.
 
The change will help offset an unbalanced league schedule and games canceled due to COVID-19.  Typically, the LSC slate includes games against all other league teams but this year is using a modified "bubble" schedule format to enhance student-athlete safety with regard to COVID-19 and reduce the amount of contact amongst teams by playing the same opponent twice during the week.
 
The conference tournament will consist of the top eight men's and women's teams with first-round games on-campus on Tuesday, March 2 followed by the four winning teams advancing to the final site at the highest remaining seed on Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 6.
 
LSC POINT RATING SYSTEM
Points shall be awarded for each conference contest played:
7 points – win over a .750 or better team on the road
6.5 points – win over a .750 or better team at home
6 points – win over a .500 or better team on the road
5 points – win over a .500 or better team at home
4.5 points – win over a .250 or better team on the road
4 points – win over a .250 team or better at home
3.5 points – win over an under .250 team on the road
3 points – win over an under .250 team at home
2.5 points – loss at home or on the road to a .750 or better team
2 points – loss to a .500 or better team at home or on the road
1 point – loss to a .250 or better team at home or on the road
.5 points – loss to an under .250 team on the road
0 points – loss to an under .250 team at home
 
COVID AND VIEWING OPTIONS
COVID-19 regulations by LCU will have the Rip Griffin Center at 50% capacity. All home game ticket and spectator policies are subject to change on a game-by-game basis. For games allowing fans, a limited number of tickets are available (admission covers both men's and women's games on that date) to the general public on www.lcuchaps.com/tickets.
 
Each game will be broadcast on the LSC Digital Network as an option for fans unable to attend. The Lone Star Conference have a new hybrid pricing model for the LSC Digital Network this season. The broadcasts of volleyball and men's and women's basketball games will be available via pay-per-view (PPV) conference-wide under the new model. Fans can purchase a $10 daily pass that will give them access to all LSC football, volleyball and basketball contests on the network that day, as well as access to previously aired games from the current season for 24 hours. In addition to live and archived streaming options, viewers will have the option to purchase and download games from the 2020-21 season for $10 each. Select games of all other sports carried on the LSC Digital Network will be available free-to-view (FTV) or PPV at the discretion of the broadcasting institution. The LSC Digital Network is in its second year showcasing the academic and athletic events of the league and its 18 member institutions. Fans can watch games and purchase passes online at  www.lonestarconferencenetwork.com or www.lcuchaps.com/live on computer and mobile devices. Viewers can also tune in to games on the LSC Digital Network via OTT apps available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Roku by searching for "LSC Digital Network."