LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE (4-6, 0-3) at No.20 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (7-3, 2-1)
Dec. 12, 2023 • 1 PM
Lubbock, Texas • Rip Griffin Center (1,950)
 

LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
TAMUK	Lubbock, Texas	Tue. Dec. 12	1 p.m.	Video	Stats

BEFORE WE BREAK
Lubbock Christian University plays their final game before the holiday break with a Lone Star Conference home game, as they host Texas A&M-Kingsville Tuesday at 1 p.m. inside Rip Griffin Center. After the game, LCU will not return to the hardwood until they host Southwestern Assemblies of God (SAGU) for an exhibition game December 30.
 
LEFT IN THE DUST
LCU lost their first game when leading at the half (5-1) this season Sunday, as they fell 65-60 to Texas A&M International. The Lady Chaps led for 27:08 of the game, but trailed the final 10:35 of the game (the only time they trailed). Grace Foster poured in 27 points, but she had the only double-digit point outing for the Lady Chaps, who fell for a second consecutive LSC home game (carrying over from last season). LCU did out-shoot TAMIU (42.9% compared to 39.3%, to move to 6-2 when out-shooting their opponents this season), but they were plagued by a 24 turnovers (teams combined for 45 turnovers).
 
SEASON NOTES AND TRENDS
> LCU opened the season with at least 20 points from the free-throw line in their first four games this season, marking their first four-game span of 20-or-more free-throws since Feb. 18 – Mar.23, 2017. The Lady Chaps are taking advantage from the free-throw line, making 80.9% of their attempts (174/215, which is seventh nationally) and averaging 17.4 points a game from the line (10th nationally). Grace Foster has gone 13-of-13 from the free-throw line twice this season and had an active streak of 29 consecutive made free-throws earlier this season. Each of the 13-made free-throw performances involve the most free-throws made in a game (13) since Nicole Hampton had 15 on Jan. 14, 2016 (third-most since 2008). Foster had 13 on Nov. 5 against Adams State at home, which set a Rip Griffin Center record. Foster's 13-of-13 marks are each one off Hampton's 14-of-14 school-record performance on Jan. 14, 2016 (at Newman). Fosters 13-of-13 on Nov.5 did mark a new Rip Griffin Center record previously held by Laynee Burr, who was 12-of-12 on Feb. 4, 2022 (against Midwestern State). The performance at the line for Foster on Nov. 12 against CSU Pueblo marked her sixth game in which she was perfect from the line with six-or-more consecutive shots made. Foster is 61-of-67 on the season (.910, second in the LSC and 24^th nationally), which leads the squad (of qualifiers). Shaylee Stovall, who is 20-of-21 (95.2%), is 5-made free-throws away from qualifying as the team's leader (NCAA minimum to qualify is 2.5 made free-throws per game). Stovall enters Tuesday with an active streak of 19 consecutive made free-throws.

> The Lady Chaps have two players in the top-15 in LSC scoring so far this season. Foster is averaging 17.4 points per game, which leads the LSC. Maci Maddox is ranking 13th in the LSC with 13.5 points per game. The pair are also in top-10 in minutes played, with Maddox leading the conference (12th in the nation) with 37.3 minutes played per game (Foster is fifth in LSC at 32.1). Maddox is 10th in the LSC with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.1.

> Foster is averaging 6.1 rebounds per game (18th in the LSC), but is sixth in the LSC averaging 5.8 defensive rebounds per game. She led the LSC last season with a pace of 7.5 defensive rebounds per game.
 
> Maci Maddox is 39th nationally in steals with 24 on the season (third in LSC) and ranks third in the LSC with a pace of 2.4 steals per game. She opened the season with at least one steal in the first seven games (has had at least one steal in nine of 10 games this season) and had steals in 10 consecutive games (dating back to last season). Maddox opened last season with at least one steal in the first 11 games.
 
> LCU has shot at least 50% from the field in two of their last six games and three of their 10 games this season. As a team, LCU leads the LSC and 11th nationally with a 46.7% shooting percentage from the field. LCU leads the LSC and is 30^th in three-point shooting, as they are 45-of-124 (36.3%) from long range. 
 
MILESTONE
Grace Foster scored 27 points Sunday to surpass 1,000 career points. She is the first Lady Chaps member to reach 1,000 career points since Ashton Duncan completed the task Feb. 17, 2022 against Eastern New Mexico.
 
CONFERENCE CONVERSATION
For a fourth time (fifth season in LSC), LCU jumped out to a 2-0 start in LSC play. They are coming off a conference loss Sunday, which has them 2-1 in LSC play (0-1 at home and they have lost consecutive LSC home games for the first time dating back to last season). Grace Foster leads LCU in LSC play with an average of 18.7 points a game. She is joined in a double-figure scoring pace by Audrey Robertson (15.7 points) and Maci Maddox (10.7 points). Foster, who leads LCU with a pace of 5.3 rebounds per game, is 19-of-21 (90.5%) from the free-throw line and spearheads a squad that is shooting 75.0% (54/72) from the line in conference action.

NATIONALLY KNOWN (OR UNKNOWN)
Despite returning five starters from a regional-finalist squad, which also shared a divisional title, LCU did not garner the attention of voters in the preseason. This season, LCU received Top-25 votes in the WBCA Preseason Poll, but it is their first time they did not make the Top-25 for a WBCA preseason poll since the start of the 2017-18 season (second time not in a WBCA Preseason Poll since becoming eligible for the poll in 2015-16… WBCA did not conduct a preseason poll in 2020-21 due to COVID). Also, since joining NCAA Division II (2015-16 was their first postseason eligible season), the Lady Chaps have appeared in every D2CSC Preseason Poll until this season, as they also received votes in the D2CSC Top-25 Preseason Poll. The WBCA has LCU receiving votes in their latest Top-25 national poll, and the D2CSC currently has LCU ranked No.20 (their best ranking this season was No.18).

SO ARE SOME OTHERS
LCU fell to No.12 Southern Nazarene Saturday, placing them with a 0-2 record this season against nationally ranked programs (lost to No.17 Union in their season opener). LCU went 6-0 against nationally ranked programs in 2020-21, 3-2 in 2021-22 (opened 3-0) and 2-5 last season against Top-25 competition. Of LCU's three losses this season, two have been nationally ranked and the other has been receiving votes.

OH, HOME
LCU is 3-2 at home this season. Grace Foster is leading LCU with 18.0 points per game on the home floor (also averaging 6.8 rebounds). The Lady Chaps, shooting 48.6% from the field inside "The Rip," are also receiving averages of 12.6 points a game from Maci Maddox. LCU is 82-of-104 from the free-throw line (78.8%) at home this season, with Shaylee Stovall 13-of-14 from the charity stripe.

SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
The Lady Chaps, who went 12-2 at home last season, are 3-2 this season at home. On Feb. 2, 2023, the NCAA Division II record home win streak came to a close, as LCU fell to Angelo State, which ended the record win streak at 113. The loss was LCU's first at home since Jan. 1, 2015 against Oklahoma City University. LCU, who also had a 7-0 mark in NCAA postseason play in Lubbock in the mix (not including a 4-0 mark in LSC postseason play), had also won 88 consecutive home conference games (their last conference home loss occurred Jan. 10, 2013 against Oklahoma City). They completed a 49-0 all-time mark in Heartland Conference home games (they are 35-1 in LSC home games). LCU also went 11-0 during their 113-game home win streak against nationally ranked programs.

NCAA DIVISION II'S LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS
113 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 - Feb. 2, 2023
87 - Neb. Kearney Jan. 31, 1995-Nov. 24, 2001
85 - West Tex. A&M Jan. 9, 1987-Dec. 6, 1991

EYE-OPENING
The 2023-24 season marks LCU's 11th since leaving the NAIA and LCU is 273-49 record (84.8%) in that span. In NCAA postseason play, the Lady Chaps are 24-3 all-time (88.9%).
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT TAMUK
1 > The Javelinas posted an 18-11 record last season, which included a 15-7 conference record and a third-place finish in the East Division (9-5 divisional record). They just missed a regional berth, as they fell to LCU in the LSC Championships in Frisco.
2 > TAMUK is 4-6 this season overall and they are winless in LSC play, dropping all three conference games (0-3). They were one of three LSC programs without a road loss this season until falling at West Texas A&M (86-74) Sunday.
3 > The Javelinas are picked to finish sixth in the LSC this season, as they took the No.6 spot (of 16) in the conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll. They are third among East Division squads.
4 > TAMUK sits behind LCU as the top two perimeter shooting teams in the LSC, as they shoot 36.2% beyond the arc (LCU is 36.3%). Jayde Tschritter leads the team and is third in the LSC with a 40.4% shooting mark from outside. She leads the LSC with 23 three-pointers.
5 > Alyssa O'Malley is third in the LSC in assist/turnover ratio, as she has a 2.50 ratio on the season.

THE SERIES AGAINST TAMUK
The two squads are meeting for the fifth time ever, with all meetings coming since joining the Lone Star Conference. LCU has a 3-1 series lead after a 74-72 overtime win on Mar. 2 at the LSC Championships in Frisco, Texas, which ended the Javelinas season. LCU claimed a 76-61 win Dec. 10, 2022 in Kingsville during their regular season meeting last season (was the first win in the all-time series by the road team). The two teams have only met once in Lubbock, which resulted in a 71-29 LCU win Feb. 22, 2020. Michael Madrid is in his fifth season as head coach of the Javelinas. He served as an assistant coach at LCU under Steve Gomez from 2005-2010. The meeting Tuesday will mark the fifth time (non-exhibition) in which a former LCU assistant under Gomez has gone head-to-head coaching against Gomez (Gomez holds a 3-1 edge against Madrid).
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. TAMUK
Top-three LCU active career leaders against TAMUK:
 
Grace Foster 3gp 16.3 points p/g, 7.0 rebounds p/g, 7/15 3fg
Maci Maddox 3gp, 8.3 points p/g, 4.0 assists p/g
Reese Schumann 2gp, 7.0 points p/g, 6/12 fg

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. TAMUK
Mar. 2, 2023 (Frisco, Texas) – LCU: 74 – TAMUK: 72 (OT)
No.4-seed Lubbock Christian University, behind 24 points from Grace Foster, advanced to the semifinals of the 2023 Lone Star Conference Championships following a 74-72 overtime victory over No.5-seed Texas A&M-Kingsville inside Comerica Center.

Overtime looked more like an afterthought than a reality with 8:43 remaining in regulation, as Foster hit a bucket to put LCU up 51-43 to match their largest lead of the game. LCU would go nearly five minutes until their next field goal. TAMUK stormed back making five of their ensuing six shot attempts and went on an 8-0 run. Brianna Pena's field goal with 4:15 left in regulation capped a 10-1 run for the Javelinas for a 53-52 lead.

The lead switched hands three times following Maci Maddox's jumper with 3:13 remaining, which at the moment provided LCU a 56-55 advantage. Less than 30 seconds later, TAMUK regained the lead with a three-pointer from Pena for a 58-56 lead. TAMUK maintained a lead until nine seconds remaining. Maci Maddox was fouled underneath the basket resulting a pair of free-throws with nine seconds remaining and LCU trailing by two. Maddox made both free-throws to tie the game 59-59.

TAMUK called a timeout, advancing the ball to frontcourt for an offensive inbounds, but they turned the ball over on the inbounds. LCU countered with a timeout and an inbounds in the frontcourt. They worked a play underneath for Foster, who converted with six seconds left for a 61-59 lead and LCU's first lead since 3:13 remained in regulation.

Again, TAMUK called a timeout to advance to a frontcourt inbounds. Six seconds was all TAMUK needed, as Veda Lake converted on a layup at the horn to send the game into overtime tied 61-61.

A 5-2 run for TAMUK opened the overtime pace. Janessa Payne connected on a three-pointer as part of the run, but it would be the last field goal over a two-minute span for the Javelinas. Maddox and Foster combined for a 4-0 run, with the final point of the run stemming from a Foster free-throw to give LCU their first lead of OT (67-66). The score was tied 67-67 and 69-69, but LCU never trailed over the final 2:42.

Shaylee Stovall only put up two shot attempts in the game and one came with 1:10 left in the extra frame, which was a tough contested shot attempt in the paint that kissed off the glass and was successful. It would turn out to be LCU's final field goal in the game, as LCU scored their final five points from the line, including a 4-0 free-throw run for a 73-69 lead in the closing moments.

The closing 13 minutes of the game was akin to the prior 32 minutes of the game. In the opening quarter, TAMUK led throughout after LCU opened the game 2-of-9 from the field. The Javelinas led 11-4 just over three minutes into the game. Rachel Haase, who scorched TAMUK for 21 points in the prior regular season game, made her mark in the first quarter Thursday with four free-throws to serve as the main ingredient towards a 6-0 run to cut TAMUK's lead to 11-10. TAMUK would lead 15-12 at the close of the quarter.

Foster was held off the scoreboard in the opening quarter, but that would end in the second quarter. Foster jumped into the scorebook 14 seconds into the quarter by converting a three-point play to tie the game at 15-15. A series a lead changes took place over the ensuing two-and-a-half minutes, before LCU put together a 14-5 run over the remaining 5:44 of the half. Reese Schumann closed the scoring in the half to put LCU up 33-25 at the break.

The 24-point performance by Foster was an LCU record for a LSC Championship contest (LCU's 10th LSC Championships game in program history). It is LCU's best individual offensive performance in a conference tournament game since Maddi Chitsey had 24 points against Newman in the Heartland Conference Tournament Championship Game in 2019 (Mar. 10, 2019 in Tulsa, Okla.), and the two performances are LCU's best in a conference tournament game since advancing to the NCAA level (2015-16 season). Foster was 4-of-4 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line over the final 16 minutes of the game. She finished 8-of-16 from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point range.

Foster also made additional program news, as she finished with seven rebounds to move her season total to 286 rebounds. The total moved her past Tess Bruffey (281, 2017-18) and Carolyn Manning (282, 2007-08) in LCU's single-season rebounding records, and Foster is currently with the third-best single-season rebounds mark in program history.

LCU also received 16 points from Maddox, who notched at least 16 points for a third consecutive game. Maddox (7) and Foster (8) combined for 15 of LCU's 26 field goals, but of the remaining 11 LCU field goals, four were by four different individuals (each had one) that led to a lead change (Audrey Robertson, Audrey Spurgin, Martie McCoy and Shaylee Stovall).

TAMUK received a solid outing from Lake, who led the Javelinas with 18 points off 7-of-9 shooting and added nine rebounds. Shelby Ray led TAMUK with 12 boards. Jayde Tschritter (13 points) and Payne (10 points) also finished in double figures in points.