SAN ANGELO, Texas (January 27, 2022) – Despite 21 points from Allie Schulte and Channing Cunyus recording her first career double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds), No.8 Lubbock Christian University was unable to overcome a dismal outside shooting performance and fell 67-63 at Angelo State in Thursday night Lone Star Conference play inside Junell Center.
 
LCU was 1-of-14 from three-point range, missing their last 13 attempts of the game. It was LCU's lowest three-point total in a game since making one on Mar. 16, 2019 at Colorado Mesa (1/8), and the 7.1% shooting mark from outside was their lowest outside performance since shooting 4.5% (1/22) on Mar. 5, 2017 against St. Edward's (in Tulsa, Okla.).
 
The lone LCU three-pointer was drained by Cunyus 1:35 into the game on their first attempt of the game, which also capped a 7-1 LCU run to open the game. LCU built the lead to 10 in the first quarter, as Audrey Robertson scored eight consecutive points as part of an 8-0 run for a 16-6 lead with 3:04 left in the quarter. ASU closed the quarter on a 7-0 run to cut LCU's lead to 18-15 at the quarter's close.
 
LCU's Grace Foster tallied five points in the second quarter, and they all came in less than a minute span midway through the quarter to help LCU build the lead to 30-22 (4:33 left in the half). As they did in the opening quarter, ASU had a strong finish to the quarter. The Belles went on a 7-0 run and outscored LCU 9-2 in the final 3:53 of the half to cut LCU's lead to 32-31 at the break.
 
Schulte and Robertson each co-led LCU at the half with eight points each. The two were 7-of-9 from the field (Schulte 4-of-5), while the rest of the Lady Chaps were a combined 5-of-22 (22.7%) from the field. ASU's Blakely Gerber led all scorers with nine points through the opening half.
 
ASU took their first lead of the game 50 seconds into the second half off a jumper from Payton Brown, but LCU quickly regained the lead by responding with a 5-0 run started by a three-point play by Schulte for a 37-33 LCU lead (2:04 into the half). Trailing 42-41, ASU went on a 6-0 run to take a 44-42 advantage. Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant had five points in the final four minutes of the third quarter for ASU, which helped the Belles take a 52-50 lead into the final frame.  LCU had 18 points in the third quarter, with Schulte (7) and Cunyus (5) combining for 12 of the points.
 
There were four lead changes in the fourth quarter and all four were in the opening six minutes of the quarter. Ashton Duncan's layup with 4:29 remaining put LCU up 59-58, but it would be the last time they would lead in the game. Brown responded with a jumper for ASU, which led to the Belles outscoring LCU 9-4 in the final 4:12 of the game. LCU trailed by one point on two occasions in the span, but Juliana Robertson's bucket with 1:25 remaining would be LCU's final field goal of the game.
 
Angelo State shot 56.5% (13/23) in the second half, with Brown leading the team with 11 of her 13 points scored in the half (she finished with 10 rebounds to complete a double-double). Gerber led the Belles with 14 points. The Belles claimed their fifth consecutive home win and improve to 6-10 on the season and 3-2 in LSC play.
 
LCU was led by Schulte, who finished with 21 points. She posted a career-high mark of 10 field goals in the game and was 10-of-13 from the field. Cunyus was the only other Lady Chap in double figures. Her double-double performance (of 10 points and 10 rebounds) including a career-high rebound total. Juliana Robertson matched a career high with four steals.
 
The game featured nine lead changes overall. The win for ASU was their first over LCU since Dec. 29, 2000, which ended an LCU 11-game win streak in the series. LCU is now 6-2 all-time in San Angelo.
 
TURNING POINT
Each quarter featured a Belles run to end the quarter, which proved to be the difference in the game. ASU ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run (final 2:21 of the quarter), the second quarter on a 9-2 run (over the final 3:53), the third quarter on a 6-2 run (over the final 1:39) and a 9-4 run in the final quarter (4:12).
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
LCU posted a season-high 44 points in the paint Thursday. The mark is their highest total since pouring in 48 points from the paint on Feb. 12, 2021 against Western New Mexico.
 
WHAT'S NEXT          
The Lady Chaps remain on the road Saturday and face UT Permian Basin at 2 p.m. inside Falcon Dome in Odessa, Texas.