CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PART II
No.9 Lubbock Christian University did what the other three Lone Star Conference teams did in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional: defeated a RMAC squad. In Quarterfinals action, all four RMAC squads were eliminated and all four LSC squads advanced to the Semifinals, where No.3-seed LCU will face No.2-seed No.7 Texas A&M-Commerce in Canyon, Texas. The winner advances to Monday's region championship game, with a berth to the NCAA Elite Eight Tournament at stake.
 
THE "IF's"
IF LCU WINS: If the Lady Chaps defeat TAMUC, they will improve to 28-6 on the season, 13-0 all-time in NCAA regional play, and will advance to the Region Championship to face either No.1-seed West Texas A&M or No.4-seed Texas Woman's Monday at 7 p.m. in Canyon.

IF LCU LOSES: If the Lady Chaps fall to the Lions, they will suffer their first NCAA regional loss in program history and will have their season end with a 27-7 record.

CHAP NOTES

• > Allie Schulte, who actively ranks fourth in NCAA Division II in career games played (153 games played in her career), leads the squad in scoring with an average of 11.8 points per game. She also leads the team is assists (95) and steals (89). Her 95 assists ranks eighth in the conference, with a pace of 3.2 per game (14th in the LSC), and her 89 steals is fourth in the nation (ranks 11th nationally in steals per game at 3.0). She had 51 steals in conference play (had her with 3.6 steals per conference game), with a career-high eight steals on Jan. 2 at Texas A&M International. The 89 steals also has her with 318 career steals, which is the second active leading mark in career steals in NCAA Division II (second highest mark in program history and 13 away from the program's all-time career mark). Feb. 3 (against Midwestern State), Schulte became the 32^nd active Division II player to reach 1,500 career points and became the first Lady Chap to hit the plateau since Tess Bruffey (2014-2018).
• > Ashton Duncan leads LCU with 84 three-pointers, averaging 2.54 per game (fourth in the conference). The 84 three-pointers ranks 11th in the nation and leads the LSC (she is seven three-pointers away from the LCU single-season record owned by Kelsey Hoppel with 90 during the 2015-16 season). Her 84 "threes" is the second-highest single-season mark in program history.  Duncan, who became the second active 1,000-point member on the LCU roster, is second on the team averaging 10.7 points per game. She matched a program single-game record with eight three-pointers on Jan. 22 against St. Mary's (second time in her career). She has 270 three-pointers, which ranks her second in program history, and is three away from LCU's career three-point record.  Duncan's 270 career three-pointers ranks ninth actively in NCAA Division II for career three-pointers.
• > The Lady Chaps had individuals claim the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honor six times this season. Juliana Robertson and Allie Schulte received the honor twice, with teammate Grace Foster also receiving the award. Overall for Offensive and Defensive, LCU claimed six LSC honors issued this season (five defensive and one offensive).
• > LCU opened the season making their first 14 free-throw attempts and are 79.0% (414/524) from the free-throw line, which ranks 10^th nationally. From their game against Tampa (Nov. 7) to their game at Colorado Christian (Nov.12), in which they made 13 consecutive free-throws to start the game, LCU made a sequence of 17 consecutive free-throws. They topped that mark in their opening homestand of the season, making 43 consecutive free-throws (They made 28 straight free-throws in their game against Lander as part of the sequence). Schulte, who is 31-of-32 on the season from the line in the fourth quarter of games, is 69-of-79 (87.3%) from the free-throw line on the season.
• > Grace Foster and Juliana Robertson have provided LCU strong defensive play inside the perimeter. Robertson ranks fourth in the LSC in rebounds (248) and sixth in defensive rebounds per game (5.7). She leads LCU in blocks (25), with Foster registering 24 and both ranking in the top-10 in the LSC.
• > LCU is sixth nationally in turnovers…or lack thereof, as they average 11.8 per game. The stat has Allie Schulte second in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio at 2.35. As a team, LCU ranks 19^th nationally and leading the LSC for team assist/turnover ratio (1.1). They are also 18^th in turnover margin (5.4 advantage per game).

 
D-UP!
LCU defensively has held opponents to an average of 52.5 points a game, which ranks fourth nationally. Lady Chap opponents have been held to under 50 points in 15 of their 33 games this season.
 
TOURNEY TALK
LCU is 21-1 all-time in NCAA postseason play, all since becoming NCAA postseason eligible in 2015-16, and they are 12-0 in South Central Regional play all-time. Saturday's game marks LCU's sixth game in a regional to not be played at home. LCU played the first two rounds of the 2018-19 South Central Regional in Grand Junction, Colo. and played last season's regional in Canyon (prior to this season's regional in Canyon). The Lady Chaps are 5-0 in those games, which include a 56-53 win in 2019 at Colorado Mesa for their lone road game in the mix of regional games.

Lubbock Christian is shooting 51.7% all-time in NCAA South Central Regional games, while holding opponents to a 38.2% shooting mark from the field and a 27.6% shooting woe from long range. Former Lady Chaps Maddi Chitsey is LCU's all-time leading scorer in regional action, averaging 17.2 points per game (she played in six career NCAA regional contests) and compiling 103 points.

Schulte is LCU's overall NCAA postseason scoring leader with 185 points. The point guard from Nazareth, Texas is LCU's all-time leader in NCAA postseason games played (16) and her nine games played in a NCAA Regional also leads the squad. Schulte averages 11.6 points a game in NCAA postseason contests and is shooting 53.6% (15-of-28) from three-point range. She is averaging 9.9 points per game in NCAA regional contests, while also shooting 70% (7-of-10) from long range and 92.9% (26-of-28) from the free-throw line.

Ashton Duncan averages 7.3 points a game in regional contests and averages 8.1 overall in NCAA postseason contests (10 total games). She has 11 three-pointers in five NCAA regional tournament and is LCU's all-time leader in three-pointers in regional contests. She is also LCU's all-time leader in NCAA postseason three-pointers with 21 three-pointers.

Juliana Robertson is LCU all-time postseason leader in rebounding. The Kerrville, Texas native averages 5.7 rebounds in NCAA regional tournament competition and 5.7 rebounds overall in NCAA postseason play. Her totals of 41 rebounds in regional play is second all-time (Tess Bruffey leads all-time with 51), and her overall NCAA postseason total of 74 rebounds is LCU's all-time rebounding marks in NCAA postseason play.
 
LCU's ALL-TIME REGINAL'S ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
 
2015-2016
Tess Bruffey (MOP)
Nicole Hampton
Haley Fowler
 
2017-2018
Tess Bruffey (MOP)
Maddi Chitsey
 
2018-2019
Olivia Robertson (MoP)
Maddi Chitsey
 
2020-2021
Emma Middleton (MOP)
Allie Schulte
Juliana Robertson
 
SPEAKING OF HONORS
The Lone Star Conference recognized six Lady Chaparrals with conference honors for this season:
 
Allie Schulte – First Team All-LSC, LSC All-Academic Team
Ashton Duncan – Second Team All-LSC, LSC All-Academic Team
Channing Cunyus – Third Team All-LSC
Laynee Burr – Honorable Mention All-LSC
Juliana Robertson – Honorable Mention All-LSC, All Defensive Team
Grace Foster – All-Freshman Team
 
NEUTRALITY
LCU is 5-2 this season on a neutral floor. Allie Schulte leads LCU on a neutral court, averaging 12.0 points a game. Laynee Burr (11.3 points) and Ashton Duncan (10.1) are also averaging double figures in neutral site contests. LCU is holding opponents to a 37.9% shooting percentage in the category (29.1% from three-point range). Schulte is averaging 4.1 assists per game in six neutral site games.
 
SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
LCU went 13-0 at home last season, culminating with the LSC Championships and becoming the first team since 2007 to win the LSC Championship tournament on a campus venue. They are 13-0 at home this season, which has their active home win streak sitting at 104 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
104 - 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
104 – LCU (Division II)
30 – BYU (Division I)
29 – Two programs tied
 
NCAA DIVISION LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS
BY DIVISION
Division I – 99 – UConn 2006/07 – 2011/12
Division II - 104 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 -->
Division III – 121 – Amherst Jan. 31, 2009-Feb. 6, 2016

EYE-OPENING
The 2021-22 season marks LCU's ninth since leaving the NAIA, and heading into Friday's action, LCU is 241-35 in that span (87.3%). In NCAA postseason play, the Lady Chaps are 21-1 all-time (12-0 in regionals).

NATIONALLY KNOWN
The Lady Chaps claimed the No.1 spot in the WBCA's National Top-25 Preseason Poll for the first time in program history this year, and also for the first time they were the favorites in both the WBCA and D2SIDA preseason polls. LCU fell to CSU Pueblo in Lakewood, Colo., which ended their 39-game win streak and knocked them out of the No.1 spot. For three consecutive polls, LCU was not in the No.1 spot, but they worked their way back to the top spot in the WBCA poll. Their return to No.1 status lasted through two WBCA and one D2SIDA poll before their loss at Texas A&M-Kingsville resulted in them showing up at No.6 (WBCA) and No.7 (D2SIDA) in the following week's polls. They worked back up to No.2 (D2SIDA) and No.4 (WBCA),but have since fallen and are currently No.9 in D2SIDA and No.19 in WBCA. Overall this season, LCU has been No.1 in three WBCA polls and two D2SIDA polls.
 
On Dec.14, both LCU women's and men's basketball programs were each No.1 in their respective polls, marking the first time in LCU history in which LCU's men's and women's basketball programs were each ranked No.1 at the same time.
 
SO ARE SOME OTHERS
On Jan. 13, LCU fell at No.6 Texas A&M-Commerce, which was their first loss of the season against a Top-25 nationally ranked opponent (it has been their only road game against a nationally ranked opponent this season). LCU went 6-0 against nationally ranked programs last season and 4-2 in 2019-20 against the nations ranked foes. This season, LCU is 3-1 against ranked opponents, as they have defeated No.11 Tampa (Nov. 7 in Billings, Mont.), No.1 Lander (Nov. 19 in Lubbock) and No.20 Daemen (Nov. 20 in Lubbock).
 
OFF THE COURT SMARTS
Lubbock Christian University's Allie Schulte was selected as an Academic All-District Six (NCAA Div. II) recipient by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).  Schulte, a graduate guard from Nazareth, Texas, holds a 3.87 GPA, as she completed a degree in Humanities and is currently completing a second degree with a bachelors in Exercise Science. In order to be selected to an academic all-district team, a student-athlete must demonstrate success on the playing field and in the classroom, with academic and athletic achievements taken into consideration. The student-athlete must possess a minimum 3.30 cumulative GPA and be at least a sophomore in academic standing. The honor is the second All-District academic honor for Schulte, and it gives LCU eight Academic All-District selections in women's basketball at the NCAA Div. II level in program history. LCU has received an All-District selection in all but one season in which they have been eligible to receive recognition. Schulte is nominated for Academic All-America accolades.
 
ON THE COURT TOO
Thursday, Allie Schulte claimed a First Team designation on the 2021-2022 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) All-South Central Region Women's Basketball Team. Voting for the award was conducted by NCAA Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA). Schulte claims her first All-South Central Region selection by D2CCA. There were no D2CCA All-Region Teams last season, due to COVID, but an All-America Team was produced by D2CCA and Schulte claimed Second Team All-America honors. The accolade for Schulte is the first All-Region selection, by D2CCA, since Maddi Chitsey received All-Region and Most Outstanding Player in the region in 2020. Due to COVID, the D2CCA did not recognize an All-Region Team last season (only All-America Team, which Schulte and Emma Middleton were a part of). Sports information directors from NCAA Division II South Central Region schools and conferences selected the all-region teams. The process concludes with All-American selections announced later in the month.
 
SENORITY
LCU celebrated Senior Night Feb. 24 during halftime of the men's basketball contest against Western New Mexico by recognizing Laynee Burr and Channing Cunyus. Both members, in their fourth season with the Lady Chaps, will not exercise their additional season of eligibility made available via COVID. Burr, who surpassed 600 career points (646), has appeared in 112 career contests. Cunyus, who also has over 550 career points (564), has played in 107 career games as a Lady Chap.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT TAMUC
1 > The Lions enter Saturday 27-4 on the season and are coming off an 80-74 win over No.7-seed Colorado Mines in Friday's Quarterfinals action. If the Lions can reach 28 wins, it would match a program single-season record.
2 > TAMUC, who entered the season No.2 in the LSC Preseason Poll, has Dyani Robinson, who is the D2CCA South Central Region Player of the Year. She leads the team with 16.2 points (third in the Lone Star Conference and eighth in the region) and 3.6 assists (eighth in the LSC) per game en route to claiming Lone Star Conference Player of the Year honors. The sophomore guard from Cypress, Texas also ranks sixth in the region in made field goals (186) and ranks ninth in the LSC in field goal percentage (41.6%) and in free-throw percentage (80.2%).  
3 > A&M-Commerce is 4-1 in neutral site games this season. The lone loss was a 67-66 loss to West Texas A&M in the LSC Championship title game, which resulted in Canyon hosting the regional.  
4 > Entering the NCAA Tournament, the Lions are first in the country in free throws made, first in rebound margin, and second in rebounds per game.
5 > This season marks TAMUC's fourth consecutive NCAA Regional appearance and they have five appearances all-time in program history.

THE SERIES AGAINST TAMUC
LCU and TAMUC are locked up with a 4-4 record all-time head-to-head. The Lady Chaps have won four of the prior six meetings, with each of the TAMUC wins tallied on their home court, including a 66-62 win over LCU on Jan. 13, 2022 in this season's prior meeting. The first-ever meeting was on Jan. 29, 1982 when TAMUC was known as East Texas State, and they defeated Lubbock Christian 73-66 in a neutral site contest in Stephenville, Texas. It marks the only previous meeting on a neutral site floor that was not a postseason game. LCU is 2-0 against TAMUC in LSC postseason play (LCU defeated TAMUC 78-57 in the 2021 LSC Championship title game in Lubbock), but the two teams have never met in a NCAA postseason contest.
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. TAMUC
Here is a look at LCU's top three active leaders career vs. TAMUC:

Grace Foster 1 GP, 20.0 pts/g, 11.0 reb/g, 6.0 blk/g  
Allie Schulte 6 GP, 13.0 pts/g, 13/23 (56.5% 3FG, 3.2 assists/g
Laynee Burr 5 GP, 4.8 pts/g, 10/11 (90.9%) FT%, reb/g, 2/4 (50.0%) 3FG

PRIOR MEETING VS. TAMUC
COMMERCE, Texas (January 13, 2022) – Freshman Grace Foster completed her first double-double of her collegiate career with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while also adding six blocks, but it was in a losing cause for No.2 Lubbock Christian University, as No.6 Texas A&M-Commerce closed the third quarter on a 9-0 run and squeezed past the Lady Chaparrals 66-62 at A&M-Commerce Field House in Lone Star Conference play.

The Lions, who trailed LCU 36-28 at the half, opened the second half on a 8-2 run, cutting their deficit to 38-36. Laynee Burr single-handedly held off the Lions, scoring the next five points over the next minute to build LCU's lead to 43-36 with 5:51 left in the third quarter. Allie Schulte, LCU's leading scorer who was held to five minutes in the first half (three fouls in the first quarter), tallied a field goal to put LCU up 49-44 with 2:31 left in the quarter, but the Lady Chaps would go scoreless the next 3:01. DesiRay Kernal, with five points from the free-throw line, helped the Lions close the first half on a 9-0 run for a 53-49 lead. TAMUC had not had a lead in the game until the run.

Once trailing, LCU was unable to regain the lead. Burr, who had nine of her 12 points in the second half, scored the game's first four points of the fourth quarter, tying the game at 53-53 1:14 into the quarter. A&M-Commerce responded with a 7-0 run. Dyani Robinson had four points of the run, which put the Lions up 60-53 with 6:08 remaining. Schulte helped LCU get closer on several occasions during the quarter. She converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 3:18 left to cut the Lions lead to 60-58 and connected on a long-range three-pointer with 31-seconds left to trail 64-62. Audrey Robertson grabbed a steal with 27 seconds left to regain possession for the Lady Chaps, and they had a chance to tie the game on a drive by Schulte with 19 seconds left, but Dorian Norris blocked Schulte's inside shot to hold the win for the Lions.

LCU had the start they wanted, opening the game on a 9-0 run, as TAMUC missed their first seven shot attempts. Juliana Robertson led LCU in the opening quarter with seven points, while Foster added six points. LCU was 8-of-12 (66.7%) from the field in the opening frame and led 21-14 heading into the second quarter. Foster was red hot in the second quarter, going 4-of-6 from the field, scoring 11 of LCU's 15 points of the quarter. She also posted three blocks in the quarter. Nine of her 11 points in the quarter were part of a 11-4 run to put LCU up 36-25 inside the final minute of the half.

The Lady Chaps shot 60.9% (14/23) from the field in the first half, going 9-of-10 inside the arc. Foster posted 17 of her 20 points in the opening half of play off a 6-of-8 shooting performance. LCU finished the game 43.6% from the field (24/55), going 18-of-30 (60%) inside the arc. While Foster was 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, the rest of the Lady Chaps were a combined 3-of-18 (16.7%) from distance.

LCU held TAMUC to 34.9% (22/63) shooting from the field, marking their first loss when out-shooting an opponent (field goal percentage) since Jan. 30, 2020, which was also a loss in Commerce (their last visit to Commerce). TAMUC benefited off 21 offensive rebounds, leading to an 18-2 advantage in second-chance scoring. The Lions (12-1, 1-1) were led by Robinson, who scored 18 points. They also had Chania Wright (12 points) and Kernal (11 points) finish in double figures.

Burr and Schulte each finished with 12 points. LCU had a season-high nine blocks in the game, with Foster posting six rejections. It is LCU's highest single-game total since posting 12 in their season opener last season (vs. St. Mary's on Dec. 11). Foster's mark is the highest for a Lady Chap since Maddi Chitsey had six against Midwestern State on Dec. 21, 2019.