OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN (0-3) at LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (4-2)
December 1, 2022 • 5:30 PM
Lubbock, Texas • Rip Griffin Center (1,950)
 

LONE STAR CONFERENCE OPENING WEEKEND
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
Oklahoma Christian	Lubbock, Texas	Thur., Dec. 1	5:30 p.m.	Video	Stats
UAFS	Lubbock, Texas	Sat. Dec. 3	1 p.m.	Video	Stats
GAME NOTES (PDF)

IT BEGINS
Lubbock Christian University hosts Oklahoma Christian Thursday for each team's Lone Star Conference opener, as this week marks LCU's opening weekend of LSC play. To complete the opening weekend of conference action, LCU will host Arkansas Fort Smith Saturday at 1 p.m. inside Rip Griffin Center. LCU heads into the week riding a four-game win streak.
 
DEFENSE WAS ON DISPLAY
Following an exhibition home victory Saturday over Oklahoma City, the Lady Chaparrals returned to regular season play Sunday with a 51-38 home win over Western Colorado for their fourth consecutive win. LCU used a pair of 9-0 runs to overcome a halftime deficit, but it was the defense that stole the show. The Lady Chaps held WCU to three field goals in the second half and to a 26.1% (12/46) shooting mark from the field (lowest by an LCU opponent since UT Permian Basin shot 23.0% on Feb. 20, 2021). Offensively, Maci Maddox led LCU with 13 points, with Audrey Robertson right behind with nine points.
 
WILL AND GRACE
Grace Foster is off to a solid season start for the Lady Chaps. Sprinkled throughout the statistical leaderboard in the LSC, she co-leads the LSC in double-doubles (tied for 11^th nationally) and leads in rebounds (66, which is eight nationally) and rebounds per game (11.0, which is 15^th nationally). On the offensive side, Foster ranks third in the LSC in scoring (19.3 points per game, which is 35^th nationally), second in free-throw percentage (96.6%, which is 10th nationally) and in three-point shooting percentage (54.5%, which is 20^th nationally).

SEASON NOTES AND TRENDS
> Grace Foster missed her fifth free-throw attempt during a game at Southwestern Oklahoma State (Nov. 21), which marked her first (and so-far only) miss from the line this season. She had made 24 consecutive free-throw attempts to start the season and 40 consecutive free-throws dating back to last season. That is the most consecutive made free-throws since Nicole Hampton made 36 consecutive free-throws during the 2015-16 season. Hampton holds the program record of 62 consecutive free-throws made, which was also a NAIA Division I record. There are nine players in NCAA Division II (qualifiers) with a 100% free-throw shooting percentage and Foster is 10^th nationally with a 96.6% (28/29) free-throw shooting percentage.

> LCU, who finished with a 34.8% three-point shooting percentage last season, are shooting 34.9% from the perimeter this season, which ranks fourth in the LSC. Opposing teams are shooting 26.8% from three-point range, which defensively places LCU fourth in the LSC in perimeter defense. Opponents have launched 142 three-point attempts, compared to 83 by LCU.   

> Maci Maddox has double-figure point production in four of the prior five games and enters Thursday's game averaging 11.0 points per contest. She is second in the LSC with 27 assists (30^th nationally) and third with 4.5 assists per game (45^th nationally). Defensively, Maddox ranks second in the LSC in steals per game (3.0) and in steals (18, 16^th nationally).

>The Lady Chaps are averaging 40.2 rebounds per game, posting a high of 46 against Missouri Southern State (Nov. 5). LCU has not averaged over 40 rebounds in a season since averaging 40.3 during the 2015-16 season. Grace Foster (11.0), Audrey Robertson (5.7) and Reese Schumann (5.2) are all averaging 5.0-or-more rebounds per game. LCU is second in the LSC in defensive rebounds per game (30.7, 21^st nationally) and eighth in overall rebounds per game (41.2).

> LCU has a 118-69 scoring advantage from the line this season against their opposition. They have at least 20 points scored from the line in three of their five prior games. On the campaign, LCU is shooting 76.6% (118/154) from the line, which is second in the LSC and ranks 40^th nationally. The Lady Chaps rank seventh nationally and is second in the LSC in free-throws made per game (19.7). Grace Foster is 28-of-29 (96.6%) from the line this season to lead LCU from the line. Audrey Robertson (29-of-35, 82.9%, 12^th in the LSC) and Shaylee Stovall (21-of-28, 75.0%, 20^th in LSC) and are each shooting at least 75.0% from the line (of those reaching minimum requirements). LCU's opponents are shooting 77.5% from the line, which ranks second in the LSC.

>The Lady Chaps are averaging 78.8 points per contest (averaged 65.9 per game last season), which ranks second in the LSC (36^th nationally), and they have a trio of players averaging double figures in points. Grace Foster (21.4), Audrey Robertson (11.8) and Maci Maddox (10.6) lead the average scoring pace for the Lady Chaps.

>Defensively, Lubbock Christian is third in the LSC in blocks per game (4.2, 37^th nationally) and is ninth in steals per game (7.5). Reese Schumann leads LCU in blocks (11), ranking second in the LSC (16^th nationally), and Grace Foster ranks ninth in the LSC with six blocks. Schumann's average of 1.8 blocks per game ranks fourth in the LSC.

CONFERENCE OPENERS
This season marks LCU's fourth season in the Lone Star Conference. Thursday's game marks LCU's conference opener and the game is their 29th conference opener (six Heartland Conference and 19 Sooner Athletic Conference openers prior to joining the LSC). The Lady Chaps, 2-1 in LSC openers, went 11-8 all-time in SAC openers and 5-1 in HC openers. They are 16-3 all-time in conference openers under head coach Steve Gomez. They have won 15 of their prior 17 consecutive conference openers, falling 59-42 at Texas A&M-Kingsville in last season's LSC opener (Dec. 31, 2021).

HOME NUMBERS
The Lady Chaps are 3-0 on the homecourt this season and averaging a margin of 16.4 points outscoring their opposition. Averaging 70.7 points at home, LCU has a trio of players averaging double figures in points. Grace Foster is averaging a double-double with 14.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game, as Maci Maddox (13.7) and Audrey Robertson (12.3) complete the trio of double-figure point producers at home. Maddox is also averaging 3.7 assists and 3.3 steals per game at home. Foster is 18-of-18 (100%) from the free-throw line, as LCU is 76.2% from the line at home (as a team) and outscoring opponents 64-33 from the line at home.

SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
LCU, who went 13-0 at home last season, is 3-0 at home this season, which has their active home win streak sitting at 107 games (it 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 4-0 mark in LSC postseason play), has also won 82 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 29-0 in LSC home games).
 
NCAA DIVISION II'S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS
107 - 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
107 – LCU (Division II)
32 – Christopher Newport (Division III)
29 – Jackson State (Division I), Thomas More (Division II)
 
NCAA DIVISION LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS BY DIVISION
Division I – 99 – UConn 2006/07 – 2011/12
Division II - 106 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
Division III – 121 – Amherst Jan. 31, 2009-Feb. 6, 2016
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT OC
1 > The Lady Eagles enter Thursday's contest 0-3 on the season. They are coming off a 2-21 season and a 2-12 Lone Star Conference record.
2 > Oklahoma Christian was preseason picked to finish 14th in the LSC preseason poll. 
3 > OC is coached by first-year head coach Markeith Brown, who arrived at OC after serving as an assistant coach at Texas A&M-Commerce. He replaces Stephanie Findley, who had been involved with OC's program for 44 of its 45 years of existence – four as a player, three as an assistant coach and the 37 seasons as the second head coach in the program's history. She posted a 640-484 record as a head coach, marking the winningest head coach at a four-year Oklahoma based institution.
4 > OC is 0-2 this season in road play. Each of their two wins last season were on the road, as they went 2-9 in road play last season.
5 > Just as LCU gets to the line, OC gets to the line as well. They lead the LSC in free-throw attempts per game (30) and free-throws made per game (21.3) and both marks rank third nationally. They have not had less than 25 attempts and 19 makes from the line in a game this season. JaQuia White is the only LSC player meeting the minimums to qualify with a 100% free-throw percentage (she is 8-of-8 this season from the line). Kate Bradley is averaging 5.0 points per game from the free-throw line.

THE SERIES AGAINST OC
For the first time ever, LCU, who once trailed 0-12 in the all-time series, has a series lead against OC, leading 30-29 in a series that dates back to 1979. LCU had trailed the all-time series until winning 26 of the last 29 meetings, including winning the prior 19 meetings (OC's last win coming on Feb. 17, 2011). The two teams last met January 31, which was in Lubbock, and LCU claimed a 75-51 win. Both teams are former Heartland and Sooner Athletic Conference foes (the only current LSC programs that have that designation).
 
ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS VS. OC
Grace Foster 1 GP – 6 points, 5 rebounds
Audrey Robertson 1 GP – 5 points, 1/1 3-FG
Whitney Cox 2 GP – 3.5 pts avg., 1 block
 
PREVIOUS MEETING VS. OC
LUBBOCK, Texas (January 31, 2022) - Lubbock Christian University extending their home win streak inside Rip Griffin Center to 99 straight games after a 75-51 win over Oklahoma Christian, as No.8 LCU produced 17 steals to claim a Lone Star Conference victory.

As LCU was rewriting the NCAA record books, their own record books were being updated due to Allie Schulte scoring 15 points and adding seven steals and a pair of assists. Schulte became the second Lady Chaps member to reach 300 career assists and the fourth Lady Chaps member to surpass 400 career assists. Her seven steals Monday (one shy of her career high) marked the third time this season she has at least seven steals in a contest, and it was the first time she has done it on the homecourt (marked the most steals at home by a Lady Chap since Nicole Hampton had seven against Oklahoma Panhandle State on Nov. 21, 2013).

OC scored the game's first bucket, as Kendall Blackburn converted OC's third shot attempt of the possession, but Blackburn's conversion was the Lady Eagles only field goal of their first 11 attempts. LCU opened the game 4-of-5 from the field and quickly erased the deficit. Ashton Duncan, Audrey Robertson and Schulte each hit three-pointers during a 1:40 span and the trio on long-range shots capped a 13-0 run and provided LCU a 17-4 lead with 2:52 remaining. Duncan hit two three-pointers in the quarter and LCU led 20-10 heading into the second quarter.

LCU made seven three-pointers in the opening half. Three different Lady Chaps dialed in with a three-pointer in the second quarter. LCU countered seven points from OC's Ashanti Day with a an 8-1 advantage in second chance scoring during the frame. OC had half of their second quarter scoring come from the line, which helped as they did not have a field goal in the final 3:31 of the second quarter. LCU, behind nine points in the half by Schulte, led 38-24 at the half.

The Lady Chaps had runs to start and end the third quarter. Duncan opened the second half with a three-pointer to spark a 7-2 scoring run to open the third quarter. LCU closed the frame scoring the final four points of the quarter, with two points scored by Schulte, as she led LCU in the quarter with six points. Each team shot over 50% in the quarter, with OC shooting 58.3% (7/12). OC, who did not have any points off turnovers in the first half, had seven points off turnovers in the third quarter and trailed LCU 56-40 after three quarters.

LCU's 4-0 run to close the third quarter turned into a 7-0 run (LCU opened the fourth quarter with Grace Foster registering a three-point play), which was part of a 16-2 run. A 9-0 portion of the run was capped by a layup from Juliana Robertson to give LCU a 68-42 lead with 4:47 left in the contest. All 16 LCU players on the roster played at least 2:18 of the fourth quarter and no players played more than 5:14. Seven different Lady Chaps contributed into the quarter's scoring, with Robertson leading LCU with four points.

Four Lady Chaps finished in double figures. Along with Schulte's 15 points (she also co-led LCU with seven rebounds), Duncan (12 points), Laynee Burr (11 points) and Robertson (10 points) all finished in double figures. LCU, posting 17 steals, forced OC into 22 turnovers and had a 22-10 scoring advantage in points-off-turnovers. The Lady Chaps were successful from long distance, connecting on 11 three-pointers (sixth game this season with at least 10 three-pointers). They attempted 32 three-pointers, which is a season-high total last completed when they attempted 35 three-pointers at UT Tyler on Jan. 3, 2021. The 32 attempts is their highest total at home since 34 three-point attempts on Feb. 2, 2017.

OC fell despite a double-double from Brooklin Bain. The second-year Lady Eagle (listed as a Freshman) posted 17 points and 10 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season. Day finished with 11 points for OC.