LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (5-2, 2-0) at TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL (4-3, 0-2)
December 8, 2022 • 6:00 PM
Laredo, Texas • Kinesiology and Convocation Center (1,800)
 

LONE STAR CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
Texas A&M Int'l	Laredo, Texas	Thur., Dec. 8	6 p.m.	Video	Stats
Texas A&M-Kingsville	Kingsville, Texas	Sat. Dec. 10	1 p.m.	Video	Stats
GAME NOTES (PDF)

CONFERENCE ROADIES
Lubbock Christian University hits the road for their next four games, with this week marking their first road conference games of the season. The Lady Chaps duplicate their opening road conference series from last season, but in reverse order, as they open the week Thursday at Texas A&M International in Laredo, Texas before heading to Kingsville, Texas Saturday to face Texas A&M-Kingsville. LCU split the trip last season, which was their conference-opening weekend, falling at TAMUK (59-42 on Dec. 31, 2021) before rebounding with a win at TAMIU (62-48 on Jan. 2). The two conference road games are followed by a pause of conference action and participation in the Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas (Dec. 16-17).
 
GOOD START TO CONFERENCE PLAY
LCU dropped their conference opener last season (loss at TAMUK on Dec. 31, 2021), but this season, the Lady Chaps are off to a 2-0 LSC start after home wins last week over Oklahoma Christian (88-61) and Arkansas Fort Smith (76-49). LCU's performance last week has them leading the LSC in conference scoring (82.0), defense (holding opponents to 55.0 points per game) and scoring margin (27.0).
 
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 30^th nationally) and leads in rebounds (80, which is 17^th nationally) and rebounds per game (10.0, which is 26^th nationally). On the offensive side, Foster leads the LSC in free-throw percentage (91.7%, 25th nationally) and is third in the LSC in scoring (17.2 points per game) and second in three-point shooting percentage (51.7%).

SEASON NOTES AND TRENDS
> Grace Foster was a big contributor to LCU's 2-0 conference start last week, posting a +53 plus/minus on the week (posting a +29 in LCU's win over Arkansas Fort Smith). Foster posted eight points in the fourth quarter against UAFS to cap a 14-point performance. She was 3-of-6 in the contest from three-point range and posted eight rebounds. Foster opened the week with four blocks and two steals in LCU's victory over Oklahoma Christian.

> LCU is shooting 34.4% from the perimeter this season, which ranks fourth in the LSC. Opposing teams are shooting 26.4% from three-point range, which defensively places LCU fourth in the LSC in perimeter defense. Opponents have launched 163 three-point attempts, compared to 122 by LCU.   

> Maci Maddox has double-figure point production in five of the prior seven games and enters Thursday's game averaging 11.6 points per contest. She is second in the LSC with 37 assists (23^rd nationally) and and with 4.6 assists per game (37^th nationally). Defensively, Maddox ranks second in the LSC in steals per game (2.9, 29^th nationally) and in steals (23, 17^th nationally). Last week, Maddox averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 assists and 2.5 steals on the week. She had the second-best LSC assist/turnover ratio on the week at 3.3. Her 5.0 assists per game ranked tied for second in the LSC. Maddox opened the week with 13 points in the opening quarter against Oklahoma Christian and finished with a career-high 19 points. She combined for a +44 plus/minus on the week (22 in each game).

>The Lady Chaps are averaging 39.1 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 (10.0), Audrey Robertson (5.1) and Reese Schumann (5.1) are all averaging 5.0-or-more rebounds per game. LCU is third in the LSC in defensive rebounds per game (29.4, 31^st nationally) and ninth in overall rebounds per game (39.1).

> LCU has a 161-98 scoring advantage from the line this season against their opposition. They have at least 20 points scored from the line in five of their seven prior games. On the campaign, LCU is shooting 74.9% (161/215) from the line, which is second in the LSC and ranks 54^th nationally. The Lady Chaps rank fifth nationally and is second in the LSC in free-throws made per game (20.1). Grace Foster is 33-of-36 (91.7%) from the line this season to lead LCU from the line. Shaylee Stovall (28-of-36, 80.0%, 17^th in LSC) and Audrey Robertson (37-of-47, 78.7%, 14^th in the LSC) and are each shooting at least 75.0% from the line (of those reaching minimum requirements). LCU's opponents went from 77.5% from the line (was second in the LSC) to 70.0% following the opening two games of conference play (ranks eighth in the LSC, as opponents are shooting 56.9% from the line in LSC contests).

>The Lady Chaps are averaging 76.1 points per contest (averaged 65.9 per game last season), which leads the LSC (32^nd nationally), and they have a trio of players averaging double figures in points. Grace Foster (17.3), Maci Maddox (11.6) and Audrey Robertson (11.3) lead the average scoring pace for the Lady Chaps.

>Defensively, Lubbock Christian is second in the LSC in blocks per game (3.9, 35^th nationally) and is seventh in steals per game (8.2). Reese Schumann leads LCU in blocks (12), ranking fourth in the LSC (25^th nationally), and Grace Foster ranks sixth in the LSC with 10 blocks. Schumann's average of 1.5 blocks per game ranks fourth in the LSC.

CONFERENCE MARKS
LCU is 2-0 this season in LSC play, averaging 82.0 points and holding the opposition to an average of 55.0 points a contest. Shaylee Stovall leads LCU in LSC scoring, averaging 14.0 points per game. She is shooting 75% from the field (7-of-9), which includes a 3-of-5 (.600) shooting mark from long-range, and is 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. Maci Maddox (13.5), Grace Foster (11.0) and Audrey Robertson (10.0) join Stovall in double figures offensively. Foster leads LCU in rebounding in conference play, averaging 7.0 per game. LCU has a 13-5 advantage in three-pointers, 45-22 advantage in turnovers forced and is averaging 7.0 points per game more from the free-throw line in LSC play.

ROAD ROCKIN'
The Lady Chaps are 1-0 in true road games this season. The lone road tilt so far resulted in a 73-67 LCU win Nov. 21 at Southwestern Oklahoma State. Grace Foster had 22 points and 16 rebounds in the contest.

SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
LCU, who went 13-0 at home last season, is 5-0 at home this season, which has their active home win streak sitting at 109 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 84 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 31-0 in LSC home games).
 
NCAA DIVISION II'S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS
109 - 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
109 – LCU (Division II)
32 – Christopher Newport (Division III)
31 - Thomas More (Division II)
 
NCAA DIVISION LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS BY DIVISION
Division I – 99 – UConn 2006/07 – 2011/12
Division II - 109 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
Division III – 121 – Amherst Jan. 31, 2009-Feb. 6, 2016
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT TAMIU
1 > The Dustdevils are looking to end a two-game losing streak, which has them heading to Lubbock with a 4-3 record and a 2-0 mark in LSC play. TAMIU is coming off an 18-11 record a season ago, going 8-8 in the Lone Star Conference for a share of ninth place in the standings.
2 > Texas A&M International was preseason picked to finish seventh in the LSC preseason poll. 
3 > TAMIU is 3-0 at home this season and are averaging 89.0 points at home. Two of the wins were notched against Dallas Christian, who they averaged 100.0 points a contest against. Dating back to last season, TAMIU has won nine consecutive home games.
4 > The Dustdevils lead the LSC and rank 12^th nationally in assists per game, with a pace of 17.9 per contest. Evelyn Quiroz leads TAMIU in assists with 25 for a team-leading pace of 3.6 per contest. She ranks ninth in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio (1.79).
5 > From the field, TAMIU leads the LSC with a 46.1% field goal percentage, which is 28^th nationally. Raiana Brown is ninth nationally with a conference-leading 64% from the field. Brown is second in scoring in the conference with 19.0 points per game.

THE SERIES AGAINST TAMIU
LCU leads the all-times series 19-1 against TAMIU. The Lady Chaps won the first five and the prior 14 series meetings. The two teams met once last season and it was in Laredo, where LCU won 62-48. LCU is 7-1 all-time against TAMIU in Laredo. The Lady Chaps went 12-1 against TAMIU while the two were Heartland Conference members.
 
ACTIVE CAREER LEADERS VS. TAMIU
Grace Foster 1 GP – 2.0 pts., 2 blocks
Maci Maddox 3 GP – 2.3 pts avg. 2 steals
Audrey Robertson 3 GP – 2.3 pts avg., 2 steals, 2 assists
 
PREVIOUS MEETING VS. TAMIU
LAREDO, Texas (January 2, 2022) - No.1 Lubbock Christian University produced their highest steal total since 2004 (21), with Allie Schulte posting a career-high eight steals to go along with 23 points, and the Lady Chaparrals garnered their first Lone Star Conference win of the season with a 62-48 win over Texas A&M International inside Kinesiology and Convocation Building.

After hitting the record books Friday in search of low-shooting performances, LCU opened the game feeling as if they finally weren't shooting on rims to win prizes at the county fair.
LCU opened game 3-of-3 from the field and all three field goals were three-pointers. The Lady Chaps, opening the game on a 7-0 run, hit from downtown on their first four field goals of the game. Ashton Duncan and Allie Schulte each had a pair and LCU led 13-5 midway through the quarter. Schulte led LCU with 10 points in the first quarter, as they led 20-10 at the end of the quarter on 7-of-12 (58.3%) shooting.

The two teams combined for one field goal through the first three minutes of the second quarter. LCU missed their first four field goal attempts of the quarter before connecting on four straight field goals. Duncan had four points of a 11-0 LCU run to build a 31-12 lead with 4:46 remaining in the half. TAMIU held LCU to one field goal the rest of the frame and Emily Swiercz capped an 11-0 run with a three-point play to pull TAMIU within 10 (31-21) with 1:38 left in the half.

The Lady Chaps used a 15-7 scoring advantage in points-off-turnovers in the half to take a 33-21 halftime lead. Duncan and Schulte each had 10 points in the half for the Lady Chaps, who forced TAMIU into 16 turnovers in the first half. Channing Cunyus was a +16 (plus/minus) for LCU in the half.

LCU had a sluggish start to the second half, missing their first four shot attempts and opening the half 1-of-9 from the field. TAMIU opened with a 7-0 run and cut the LCU lead to 33-28 2:50 into the half. Duncan ended the TAMIU run with a three-pointer, which was the first of two she made in the quarter. Her second three-pointer of the quarter helped LCU complete an 11-3 run to build the lead to 44-31 with 3:00 to-go in the quarter. Despite shooting 17.6% (3/17) in the quarter, LCU led 44-34 heading into the final frame.

The Lady Chaps defense held TAMIU without a field goal for a span of 7:05 carrying over from the third quarter into the first 3:51 of the fourth quarter. LCU used an 8-0 run during the TAMIU dry spell, with five points from Schulte and a trio from Laynee Burr during the run for a 54-36 lead and LCU's largest lead of the game. A 6-0 TAMIU run placed the Dustdevils down 56-44 with four minutes left, but they would get no closer, as LCU, behind nine points in the quarter from Schulte, shot 53.8% (7/13) in the final quarter.

TAMIU, falling to 10-2 overall and 1-1 in conference, dropped their first home game of the season (7-1). Eva Langton and Clara Fernandez each had 13 points to co-lead the Dustdevils. TAMIU had eight offensive boards, leading to a 16-7 scoring advantage in second-chance scoring.

LCU forced TAMIU into 26 turnovers, producing 21 steals. The total was the highest steals total by the Lady Chaps since swiping 21 on Dec. 9, 2004 against Southwestern Assemblies of God (SAGU). Sunday's steal total led to LCU outscoring TAMIU 18-10 in points-off-turnovers.

Schulte produced eight steals, which not only moved her into second in LCU's career record book for steals (273 to move past Sherry Brown, who had 271 from 1979-1983), for a new career high after posting seven Friday. The eight steals were the highest individual game total for a Lady Chap since Tabitha Quibty-Sellers had eight steals on Nov. 18, 2002. The team record is 12 by Tina Phillips (Hays) from Nov. 12, 1991.

Along with eight steals, Schulte came a point shy of matching a career-high in points, as she led all scorers with 23 points. She was joined in double figures by Duncan, who nailed four three-pointers and finished with 16 points. LCU also received balance play by Cunyus, who had nine points, seven rebounds, five assists (matched a career high) and four steals (career high).