NCAA Division II Women's Basketball South Central Regionals - FINAL No.2-Seed No.19 SOUTHWESTERN OKLA. ST. (18-3) vs. No.1-Seed No.1 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (19-0) March 15, 2021 • 6 p.m. Canyon, Texas • First United Bank Center (25% capacity per NCAA) TICKETS: Click Here (General Public Tickets, if any remain, will go on sale Monday at noon) 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: Lucas Kinsey (Play-By-Play), LCU Social Media:
	SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE BULLDOGS (18-3) Location: Weatherford, Okla. Conference: Great American (GAC) Head Coach: Kelsi Musick (Cameron, 2002) Roster | Stats | Game Notes
	LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN LADY CHAPS (19-0) Location: Lubbock, Texas Conference: Lone Star Head Coach: Steve Gomez (LCU, 1988) Roster | Stats | Game Notes

A RETURN TO C-BUS ON THE LINE
The last time Lubbock Christian University and Southwestern Oklahoma State University battled on the hardwood in the postseason, it was for a NCAA Division II national title in Columbus, Ohio. Now, the two teams battle for another postseason title, which results in a trip to Columbus. LCU and SWOSU went two overtimes in the 2019 NCAA Division II national championship game (the last time a championship game was held), with LCU winning 95-85. It was Maddi Chitsey hitting a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left in the first overtime to force the first double-overtime in NCAA Division II women's basketball history, along with 24 points from Olivia Robertson, to lead LCU to their second national title in program history. Monday, the two programs meet for a return trip to Ohio, as top-seeded LCU and No.2-seeded SWOSU play the NCAA Division II South Central Regional final in Canyon, Texas. The winning team advances to the Elite Eight in Columbus. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. inside First United Bank Center.
 
THE "IF's"
IF LCU WINS: If the Lady Chaps defeat SWOSU, they will improve to 20-0 on the season and will advance to the Elite Eight tournament in Columbus, Ohio, which begins Mar. 23 at Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC).

IF LCU LOSES: If the Lady Chaps fall to the Bulldogs, their season will close with an 19-1 mark and they will be eliminated from the tournament.
 
LONE STARS
Here is a quick glance at LCU's Lone Star Conference season honors:
 
All-Conference
Allie Schulte (First Team)
Ashton Duncan (Second Team)
Emma Middleton (Second Team)
Juliana Robertson (Third Team)
Madelyn Turner (Honorable Mention)
 
All-Defensive Team
Emma Middleton
Allie Schulte
 
All-Academic Team
Allie Schulte
 
Coach of the Year
Steve Gomez

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP CONVERSATION
With wins last week over St. Mary's, Cameron and Texas A&M-Commerce, inside Rip Griffin Center, LCU became the sixth program to claim multiple tournament titles in the LSC. The 2021 LSC Championships tournament title punched LCU's fifth ticket to a NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament. The Lady Chaps improved to 6-0 all-time in LSC Championship tournament games. They defeated TAMUC for a second consecutive season in the title game.
 
Three Lady Chap members claimed All-Tournament honors for the LSC Championships, highlighted by Emma Middleton claiming MVP honors. Allie Schulte and Caitlyn Cunyus claimed All-Tournament accolades. Middleton had 14.7 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per game. Schulte, 15-of-19 shooting (.789) in the tournament, also had 14.7 points a game. Cunyus, who went 5-of-10 (50%) from three-point range in the tournament, averaged 11.3 points per contest.
 
TOURNEY TALK
LCU is 10-0 all-time in South Central Region tournament play. LCU hosted the entire tournament in 2016 and 2018, and hosted the championship game in 2019. They were to host the entire tournament in 2020, but no game was ever played due to the COVID-19 shutdown. In 2019, LCU played a neutral site game (vs. Tarleton) in Grand Junction, Colo., where they also faced host Colorado Mesa, and the two games stood as LCU's only regional games they have played away from home, until Saturday's game in Canyon, Texas.
 
All-time, LCU has averaged 79.1 points per game and averages allowance of 61.5 points per game. LCU is shooting 52.8% in 10 all-time regional games, while holding opponents to shoot 37.8% from the field. Maddi Chitsey is LCU's all-time points leader in regional performances (103) and leads LCU all-time with 17.2 points per game. Allie Schulte is LCU's active career leader, with 64 points (9.1 per game).
 
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
LCU and SWOSU are each 1-0 in the South Central Regional this season, as this season's six-team format provided a bye to the top two seeded teams (LCU and SWOSU). The Bulldogs defeated No.3-Texas A&M-Commerce 97-79 in the semifinals to arrive to Monday's title tilt. LCU advanced to the meeting with SWOSU by defeating No.5-Cameron 96-66. LCU, setting a program single-game mark for a NCAA postseason game with 15 steals, received 22 points from Ashton Duncan and 21 points from Allie Schulte. Duncan made six three-pointers, which is the highest total by a Lady Chaps player in a NCAA postseason contest. LCU was 65.1% from the field (a program postseason high) and scored 55 points in the second half.

LONE STAR GAZING
The Lady Chaps are playing in their second season in the Lone Star Conference and went 13-0 this season in conference play, achieving the top seed in the conference tournament by finishing first in the LSC's point system formula. Allie Schulte led LCU in conference play, averaging 15.4 points per game. She was 20-of-42 (47.6%) from three-point range in conference tilts. Ashton Duncan, 44-of-95 (46.3%) from long distance in conference games, averaged 13.0 points a game in conference. Emma Middleton also averaged double figures in points (10.9) in conference play.

STEALING THE SHOW
LCU enters the weekend ranked 13^th in steals per game (11.7). The Lady Chaps have had at least 10 steals in 15 of their 18 games. Allie Schulte leads the team in steals (56) and averages 2.9 per game to lead the LSC (14^th nationally).
 
LONG DISTANCE CALLS
LCU ranks second in the LSC in three-point field goals (154), averaging 8.1 per game (33^rd in the nation). They average 8.1 three-pointers per game on the road, 7.9 at home and 9.0 in neutral site venues. The Lady Chaps success rate of 37.0% shooting from outside is 11th nationally. Ashton Duncan leads LCU with 59 three-pointers (sixth nationally and leads the LSC), ranking ninth nationally with a rate of 3.1 per game (second in LSC). Schulte sits just below the minimums in three-point shooting percentage, and has a mark of 51.9%, and Duncan leads the conference at 44.7%. 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 seventh nationally in field goal percentage with a mark of 62.4%. From long range, she is shooting 51.9%. In 19 games this season, she has two-or-less missed shots in 11 of the games. She is 15-of-19 shooting combined over the past three games.

THROWING STONES
A look at upcoming milestones on the horizon for Lady Chap members:
-Allie Schulte ranks fifth nationally in Division II active players in career games played with 119.
-Actively ranks fourth in career steals (219) and 26^th in career assists with 309 assists. She is eight steals away from breaking into the top-five among LCU career program leaders.
-Ashton Duncan needs 18 three-pointers to move into the top-5 in LCU's career three-point field goal leaders (has 170 and needs 188).

NATIONALLY KNOWN
This week marks LCU's fifth week as the "No.1" team in NCAA Division II women's college basketball, as both the WBCA and D2SIDA have LCU as the top team.
 
Prior to the current five-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 18-0 this season and one of two teams in NCAA Division II that have not suffered a loss (with at least five games played). Hawaii Pacific is the other team with at least five games played without a loss (13-0).
 
SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
LCU went 13-0 last season inside Rip Griffin Center. The Lady Chaps, who wrapped up home play with the LSC Championships and becoming the first team since 2007 to win the LSC Championship tournament on campus venue, went 13-0 this season at home and with their active home win streak sitting at 91 games, which is the active and all-time leading mark in NCAA Division II women's basketball. 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 (not including a 3-0 mark in LSC postseason play), has also won 74 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 21-0 in LSC home games).
 
NCAA DIVISION II'S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS
91 - 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 
91 – LCU (Division II)
37 – North Georgia (Division II)
34 – Messiah (Division III)
 
BEING NEUTRAL
LCU's win Saturday over Cameron marked their first neutral site of the season. They went 6-0 in neutral site play in 2019-20 and currently have the longest active neutral site win streak in all of NCAA women's basketball at 16 consecutive wins. Last season, Allie Schulte led LCU with 13.3 points per game in neutral sites. She had 21 points Saturday, behind Ashton Duncan, who had 22 points.  
 
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. Despite several midseason game postponements, they rank 11^th in blocks (95) and are 12th in blocks per game (5.0), leading the LSC in each category. Emma Middleton (39, leads the conference and 19^th nationally), Whitney Cox (13, tied for 12th in the LSC), Channing Cunyus (13, tied for 12^th in the LSC) and Juliana Robertson (12, 14^th in the conference) place LCU with four players in the top-15 in the LSC in blocks. Middleton also leads the LSC and 25^th nationally with 2.05 blocks per game.
 
DISTRIBUTION
With a mark of 1.16, LCU ranks 15^th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio. LCU's 16.0 assists per game ranks 30^th in the nation, with team leader Allie Schulte (averaging 3.6 per game) leading the LSC and ranking 11th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (2.65). Madelyn Turner (2.6) and Juliana Robertson (2.4) are also averaging over 2.0 assists per game. LCU ranks 28th nationally in turnovers per game (leads the LSC) with a mark of 13.8 per game (they rank 14^th in turnovers forced and seventh in turnover margin).
 
LAST LINE OF DEFENSE
Along with ranking 13^th nationally in steals per game, LCU's defense is holding opponents to 48.2 points per game (leads the nation). From the floor, opponents are shooting 32.5% (third in the nation).
 
CHARITY STRIPE
LCU has found success at the free-throw line this season, leading nationally, shooting 82.0% from the free-throw line. Allie Schulte leads LCU at the charity stripe with an 86.6% free-throw shooting percentage (58/67), which ranks fourth in the LSC. She was 8-of-8 from the stripe Saturday, which a single-game best in the NCAA postseason for a Lady Chaps member.

FIVE THINGS ABOUT SWOSU
1 > The Bulldogs, coming off a 21-8 mark in 2019-20 (went 16-6 in the Great American Conference) and clinched a spot in the eventually cancelled Central Regional, are 18-3 this season (16-2 in conference). They had a six-game win streak snapped in the GAC Tournament, falling to Southern Nazarene, but bounced back to win in the semifinals over No.11 Texas A&M-Commerce Saturday.
2 > Southwestern Oklahoma State was preseason picked tied for first in the Western Division of the GAC preseason poll.  
3 > SWOSU is making their fifth NCAA postseason appearance, and they are 7-4 all-time in postseason games (5-3 in regionals). The former Lone Star Conference members are playing in Cameron for the third time in a postseason and the first since appearing in the 2006 LSC Tournament, where they lost to Texas Woman's.
4 > The Bulldogs lead the nation in steals (302), with Makyra Tramble leading the nation with 79 on the season. Taber Beer also ranks 18^th nationally with 50.
5 > SWOSU averages a national-leading 11.1 three-point field goals per game, as they are second with 694 attempts. Tramble is third in attempts (162) and seventh in made (58) three-pointers.

THE SERIES AGAINST SWOSU
LCU is 5-3 all-time against SWOSU, with LCU winning the prior two meetings. The two teams last postseason appearance was on Mar. 29, 2019 in Columbus, Ohio, where LCU topped SWOSU in double overtime 95-85, to claim the 2019 NCAA Division II national title. They followed that meeting with a tilt at the Taj Hospitality Classic in Lubbock, with LCU winning 71-61 on Nov. 16, 2019. This meeting marks their fourth encounter on a neutral site floor. The first two all-time meetings were each neutral site contests, with SWOSU winning in Wichita Falls, Texas on Dec. 5, 1992 (87-53) and LCU winning in Plainview, Texas on Nov. 25, 2000 (79-63). LCU is 2-1 in neutral site meetings.

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

Allie Schulte 4gp - 7.5 pts/g, 2.8 ast.
Laynee Burr 1gp – 11.0pts/g, 2.0 ast.
Ashton Duncan 7.5 2gp, 4/11 3pt-fg

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. SWOSU
Nov. 16, 2020 (Lubbock, Texas) - LCU:71 - SWOSU:61
Lubbock Christian University used a 24-9 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter to over-come a 52-47 deficit and defeat No. 20 Southwestern Oklahoma State 71-61 in the final game of the TAJ Hospitality Classic inside Rip Griffin Center.
 
The meeting matched the two programs who appeared in the NCAA Division II national championship game last season in Columbus, Ohio, which LCU won in double-overtime for their second national championship in program history. Double overtime was needed to decide the winner in March and the thoughts of overtime Saturday were entering people's mindset after eight lead changes and neither team producing more than a six-point lead through the first seven lead changes.
 
Neither team was able to get into a solid shooting rhythm, but there was a brief glimpse of a heavyweight bout with tiring haymakers thrown and it came in the third quarter. With 6:24 left in the third quarter, Caitlyn Cunyus connected on a three-pointer to give LCU a 40-35 lead and their largest lead of the game. SWOSU responded by ending a 0-for-7 shooting sequence by knocking down five consecutive field goal attempts. The Bulldogs made four straight three-point field goals (two by Makyra Tramble and two by Taber Beer) and the 17-6 scoring advantage over a four-minute stretch turned the Lady Chaps lead into a 52-46 SWOSU advantage.
 
The scoring surge for SWOSU led to a 52-47 Bulldogs lead heading into the fourth quarter. The hot shooting did not follow the Bulldogs into the fourth quarter though, as they missed five consecutive shots (all three-point attempts) made one field goal over a span of 14 shot attempts. Meanwhile, LCU, following a three-point miss to open the quarter, made five of their next six shot attempts and it led to a 12-3 LCU run for a 59-55 LCU lead four minutes into the fourth quarter. Allie Schulte, who had not scored since a first-quarter field goal, was 3-of-5 from the field in the fourth quarter and scored seven points. Her contributions, along with a 14-6 rebound margin, a 12-4 scoring edge in the paint and a 10-of-14 performance from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter contributed to LCU outscoring SWOSU 24-9 in the quarter. SWOSU, who ended the first half making two of their final 10 field goal attempts, ended the game making one of their final 12 field goal attempts in the game. They were 2-of-17 in the fourth quarter, shooting 11.8% in the frame.
 
Outside of personnel and location, if there was a big difference in the play of the game from the championship game meeting, it was the "whistles." In the championship game, which involved an additional 10 minutes of play (two overtimes), the two teams combined for 39 free-throw attempts and 32 fouls were called. In this meeting, the two teams were whistled for 47 fouls and it led to 54 free-throw attempts. LCU outscored SWOSU 22-18 from the line.
 
There were seven lead changes in the first half. SWOSU, thriving off an 8-0 run, had an 18-17 lead after the opening quarter. Maddie Sperle led SWOSU with 14 points in the half. LCU was 5-of-14 (35.7%) from the field in each of the first two quarters and received 10 points from Maddi Chitsey to lead to a 33-33 halftime score.
 
LCU's 53.8% shooting in the fourth quarter led them to a 40.7% shooting mark for the game (22/54). Chitsey led all scorers with 20 points and was a +18 in plus/minus. LCU also received 12 points from Ashton Duncan (also added a +14 plus/minus) and 11 points from Laynee Burr. Juliana Robertson (12) and Cunyus (nine) each posted career-high rebound marks for LCU. Robertson also posted a career-high four blocks.
 
SWOSU received 19 points from Sperle. Freshman Tramble was solid for the Bulldogs, posting 11 points, six assists and four steals. Beer finished the game with four three-pointers and 12 points. The Bulldogs were 28.8% (17/59) from the field. The two teams were plagued by a combined 35 turnovers (19 by LCU), which led to a 22-10 scoring advantage in points-off-turnovers for SWOSU.