ST. MARY'S (7-18, 3-16) at LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (19-8, 14-5)
Feb. 16, 2023 • 1 PM
Lubbock, Texas • Rip Griffin Center (1,950)
 

LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
St. Mary's	Lubbock, Texas	Sat. Feb. 18	1 p.m.	Video	Stats

 
FINAL TIME
Three games remain in the Lubbock Christian University regular season, but Saturday's 1 p.m. contest against St. Mary's inside Rip Griffin Center is LCU's final regular season game against an East Division foe. LCU is 4-3 against the East this season. Following Saturday, the Lady Chaps turn their focus on a home-and-home against West Texas A&M for the final week of the regular season.    
 
IT WAS BAAAAAAD
Grace Foster's 10th double-double of the season was just a side note to Lubbock Christian University's Lone Star Conference victory over St. Edward's Thursday night inside Rip Griffin Center, as the Lady Chaparrals defeated the Hilltoppers 55-29 for SEU's lowest point total since the 2007-2008 season.

St. Edward's was held to eight field goals Thursday, with the first and third quarters witnessing one field goal in each of the quarters. The 29-point offensive output was the Hilltoppers lowest since Angelo State held SEU to 26 points in San Angelo, Texas on Jan. 7, 2008.
 
Foster led all players with 15 points and 10 rebounds. She was 5-of-7 from the field and three-of-four from three-point range. Thirteen different Lady Chaps stepped on the floor, with all players playing at least five minutes.
 
FOSTER X 3
The Lone Star Conference recognized Lubbock Christian University's Grace Foster for a third time this season as the LSC Women's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week.

Grace Foster helped lead LCU to a 2-0 week with road wins at Western New Mexico and Eastern New Mexico, as she led the team in points (20.5) and rebounds (8.5) per game. She posted 24 points at Western New Mexico, with 15 scored in the second half. LCU was able to overcome a halftime deficit with her 15 points, which was more than the entire WNMU team scored in the half (14). Foster followed the performance with her ninth double-double of the season, scoring 17 points and adding 10 rebounds at Eastern New Mexico. The two wins kept the Lady Chaps atop the West Division standings.

The honor is Foster's fourth weekly award of her career and her third of the season. Each of her honors claimed this season have been offensive (last season she claimed a defensive honor). Foster's weekly honor gives LCU four this season, as her three this season are joined by a defensive honor claimed by Reese Schumann on Jan. 16. She is the first player in the LSC this season to claim the honor three times.

SEASON NOTES AND TRENDS
> Grace Foster is sprinkled throughout the statistical leaderboard in the LSC, as she is tied for second in the LSC in double-doubles (with 10 to tie for 30^th nationally) and leads in rebounds (247, which is 17^th nationally), while ranking second in rebounds per game (9.1, which is 41^st nationally). On the offensive side, Foster leads the LSC in free-throw percentage (90.9%, seventh nationally) and is fifth in the LSC in scoring (15.5 points per game).
> LCU is second in the LSC in three-point shooting with a 33.8% shooting percentage from the perimeter this season, which has them 54^th nationally. Opposing teams are shooting 24.8% from three-point range, which defensively places LCU atop the LSC in perimeter defense (sixth nationally). LCU's perimeter defense has held the opposition to a 20.7% three-point shooting percentage (44/213) over the last 13 games played. LCU has an 83-44 advantage in three-point field goals in the span.  
> Maci Maddox leads the LSC with 121 assists (22^nd nationally) and is fourth with 4.5 assists per game (38^th nationally). Defensively, Maddox ranks eighth in the LSC in steals (52) and eighth in steals per game (1.9).
>The Lady Chaps are averaging 37.5 rebounds per game, posting a high of 48 against Cameron (Dec. 30). LCU has not averaged over 40 rebounds in a season since averaging 40.3 during the 2015-16 season. Grace Foster (9.1) and Audrey Robertson (5.2) are each averaging 5.0-or-more rebounds per game. LCU sits second in the LSC in defensive rebounds per game (29.3, 16^th nationally) and ninth in overall rebounds per game (37.5).
> LCU has a 394-312 scoring advantage from the line this season against their opposition (however, LCU has been outscored 131-117 from the line on the road). They have at least 20 points scored from the line seven times this season. On the campaign, LCU is shooting 77.6% (394/508) from the line, which leads the LSC and ranks 14^th nationally. The Lady Chaps rank 32^nd nationally and seventh in the LSC in free-throws made per game (14.6). Grace Foster is 100-of-110 (90.7%) from the line this season to lead LCU. Audrey Robertson (73-of-89, 82.0%, fourth in the LSC) joins Foster in the top-five in the LSC.
>The Lady Chaps are averaging 68.0 points per contest (averaged 65.9 per game last season), which ranks fourth in the LSC, and they have a trio of players averaging double figures in points. Grace Foster (15.5) and Audrey Robertson (10.7) lead the average scoring pace for the Lady Chaps.
>Defensively, Lubbock Christian is fifth in the LSC in blocks per game (3.3). Reese Schumann leads LCU in blocks (35), ranking third in the LSC (42^nd nationally), and Grace Foster ranks 13th in the LSC with 22 blocks. Schumann's average of 1.3 blocks per game ranks fourth in the LSC.
>LCU's has dominated third quarters this season, as they have a 483-362 scoring advantage in the third quarter this season (average scoring advantage of 17.9 - 13.4). The 17.9 points per third quarter scoring mark leads as their highest single-quarter scoring average of the four quarters this season, and their 13.7 points allowed per third quarter ranks as their second-best defensive quarter of the four quarters this season (allow 12.9 points per quarter in first quarter).

HOME NUMBERS
The Lady Chaps are 11-1 on the homecourt this season and averaging a margin of 20.8 points outscoring their opposition. Averaging 71.8 points at home, LCU has a trio of players averaging double figures in points. Grace Foster is averaging a double-double with 15.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, while Audrey Robertson (10.8) and Maci Maddox (10.3) complete the threesome of double-figure point producers at home. Maddox is also averaging 4.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game at home. Foster is 48-of-52 (92.3%) from the free-throw line, as LCU is 76.4% from the line at home (as a team) and outscoring opponents 201-130 from the line at home.

CONFERENCE CALL
Lubbock Christian is 13-5 in Lone Star Conference play and sits tied for fourth place in the LSC (conference standings). A duo of Lady Chaps pace the scoring attack in conference play, as Grace Foster (15.4, which is fifth in the LSC) and Audrey Robertson (10.0) are averaging double figures in scoring in conference contests. Foster is also averaging 8.9 rebounds per game in conference (third in LSC). LCU is averaging 67.6 points per game (third in the LSC) in conference (shooting a LSC-best 43.6% from the field) and they have a 12.3-point (second in LSC) scoring margin (defense leads the LSC holding opponents to 55.2 points per game). Maddox averages 4.7 assists per game (second in the LSC), which helps LCU lead the LSC with a pace of 14.3 per conference game. Their assist/turnover ratio of 0.97 leads the LSC.
 
RANKING THINGS
LCU is 1-4 against nationally ranked programs this season, with a Dec. 17 win over No.15 MSU Billings in Las Vegas, Nev. representing their lone win so far against a ranked opponent this season. They fell in their season opener (Nov.5) to No.6 Southern Missouri State and to No.13 Georgia Southwestern State (Dec. 16) in neutral site games before falling at No.7 Texas Woman's (Jan. 21) and at home against No.14 Angelo State (Feb.2). LCU went 6-0 against nationally ranked programs in 2020-21 and 3-2 in 2021-22 against the nations ranked foes (opened 3-0). The Lady Chaps have played five games against nationally ranked programs and eight games against programs either nationally ranked or receiving top-25 votes.
 
SPEAKING OF RANKINGS
Wednesday, the NCAA released their first South Central Region rankings (first rankings are listed alphabetically) and Lubbock Christian made the list. Here are the list of 10 teams under current consideration, as eight programs will receive a berth to the NCAA Division II South Central Regionals:
Adams State
Angelo State
Black Hills State
Colorado School of Mines
Lubbock Christian
Regis  
Texas A&M Kingsville
Texas Woman's
UT Tyler
West Texas A&M
 
SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
On Feb. 2, 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 11-1 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
 
NCAA DIVISION LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS BY DIVISION
Division I – 99 – UConn 2006/07 – 2011/12
Division II - 113 - Lubbock Christian Jan. 1, 2015 – Feb. 2, 2023
Division III – 121 – Amherst Jan. 31, 2009-Feb. 6, 2016 
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT StMU
1 > The Rattlers are 7-18 on the season, with a 3-16 record in LSC play (15th in the conference standings). They are 1-6 against West Division teams this season.
2 > SEU, who is coming off a 3-25 season in 2021-22 (2-14 LSC record, 17th in LSC), was preseason picked 15th in the LSC. Head coach Valerie Huizar is in her first season with the Rattlers (as head coach), after returning to StMU from Louisiana (Lafayette, La.).
3 > The Rattlers are 1-8 on the road this season. They opened the week in Canyon, Texas falling 48-34 at West Texas A&M.
4 > StMU ranks sixth in the LSC with 3.0 blocks per game. Gabby Elliott leads the team with 24.
5 > Elliott also ranks fifth in the LSC in offensive rebounds per game with a pace of 2.6 per game. Overall, she averages 7.4 rebounds per game (10^th in LSC).

THE SERIES AGAINST StMU
LCU leads the all-times series 20-3 over StMU. The Lady Chaps are 17-2 against the Rattlers since the 2013-14 season and are 11-0 inside Rip Griffin Center. LCU has won 12 straight meetings following their prior meeting (72-39 win in Lubbock on Jan. 22, 2022). The past six consecutive meetings have all been in Lubbock.
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. StMU
LCU's active career leaders against StMU:

Grace Foster 1gp, 8 pts, 4/8 FG
Reese Schumann 1gp, 4 pts, 2/3 FG
Maci Maddox 4gp, 3.3 pts p/g, 6/11 FG

PRIOR MEETING VS. StMU
LUBBOCK, Texas (January 22, 2022) - Ashton Duncan matched a Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaparrals program single-game record in three-pointers, as she connected on eight long-range shots and climbed the LCU record books in the process during a 72-39 victory for the No.10 Lady Chaps over St. Mary's in Lone Star Conference play. The victory inside Rip Griffin Center extended LCU's NCAA Division II leading home win streak to 98 games.

Duncan's eight three pointers matched her career high, while also matching a program single-game record. Bailey Haist first set the bar at eight three-pointers on Jan. 2, 2017 (at Texas A&M International). Duncan tied the record on Dec. 11, 2020 with eight three-pointers against St. Mary's, marking Saturday's performance the third time the feat has been completed by a Lady Chap (Duncan has two of the three performances and has the only ones inside Rip Griffin Center). In addition to the single-game record, the eight three-pointers for Duncan also moved her into third on LCU's career three-point field goals list with 238 in her LCU career. She surpassed Sierra Lovorn (Wilcox), who had 234 three-pointers from 2005-2009.

StMU's leading scorer, Hannah Wilson, opened the game's scoring with a bucket 27 seconds into the contest, but that would be the only lead of the game for the Rattlers and the only points in the game from Wilson. LCU responded with a 9-0 run, with four points of the run tallied by Allie Schulte and Duncan's first three-pointer of the game also in the mix. The Rattlers called a timeout and responded with a 5-0 run. Tonia Bilic connected on a three-pointer for StMU, cutting LCU's lead to 9-7 with 5:42 left in the quarter. The Lady Chaps erupted with a 12-0 run off four consecutive three-point attempts. Duncan had a trio of the three-pointers and finished the quarter with four three-pointers to help LCU take a 25-13 lead.

LCU had another run of three-pointers in the first half during the second quarter. Duncan led off a 9-0 run with a trey before Schulte and Shaylee Stovall followed to put LCU up 36-16 midway through the quarter. The Lady Chaps were scoreless the ensuing two minutes, as a pair of field goals by Michaela Kucera completed a 6-0 StMU run. Stovall and Duncan connected with three-pointers to end the Rattlers run and placed LCU with a 42-22 halftime lead.

Duncan and Stovall each co-led LCU in scoring in the second quarter with six points, and Duncan had 18 points in the half off 6-of-9 shooting from three-point range. She also had four steals in the half. LCU was 10-of-18 (55.6%) from three-point range in the half.

StMU, 3-of-5 in the first half from long range, had two three-pointers in the third quarter, but they stood as the only Rattlers only field goals in the quarter. LCU outscored StMU 17-8 in the quarter. Duncan had two three-pointers in the quarter, with her eighth three-pointer hit with 6:05 left in the quarter, and LCU took a 59-30 lead into the final quarter.

LCU dressed 16 players and all 16 received playing time, as 14 players played in the fourth quarter. Reese Schumann led LCU with six points in the quarter, including a layup with 97 seconds left in the game, which opened a 7-0 LCU run.

The Lady Chaps attempted a season-high 31 three-pointers, making 12 of them for a 38.7% mark from outside. Duncan's eight three-pointers led to a 24-point performance and she was two points shy of her career high. She also notched a career-high four steals, helping LCU to their second-highest steals total this season (17). Schulte also had four steals, which added to her 11 points and eight assists (one shy of matching a career high).

LCU's steals total played a part of StMU completing the game with 34 turnovers, which is the highest turnover total by an LCU opponent since Dallas Christian was forced into 35 turnovers on Nov. 4, 2008. Their turnovers (forced) and 16 offensive rebounds led to 70 field goal attempts for LCU (their highest total since 70 in the 2019 NCAA Div. II championship game against Southwestern Oklahoma on Mar. 29, 2019). LCU, holding StMU to 31% (31/42) from the field, had a 28-shot margin in shot attempts (70-42), which is their biggest shot margin since Dec. 31, 2009 in Abilene, Texas against Dallas Christian.