CANYON, Texas (February 23, 2023) – Maci Maddox (18 points), Grace Foster (17 points) and Martie McCoy (16 points) provided a scoring balance for Lubbock Christian University, as they ended West Texas A&M's 25-game home win streak with a 71-60 Lone Star Conference West Division victory inside First United Bank Center.
 
The lead went back and forth in the opening quarter of the game. Trailing 3-0, LCU received their first five points from McCoy, who drained a three-pointer for a 5-3 LCU lead two minutes into the game. The Lady Buffs responded with a 5-0 run to regain the lead at 8-5. The Lady Chaps closed the first quarter on an 8-2 run, with four points from Maddox to put LCU up 17-14 at the end of the first quarter.
 
There were a pair of lead changes in the second quarter, and with 4:26 remaining in the half, the game was tied 25-25. LCU closed the half on a 9-3 scoring surge, with Rachel Haase hitting a big three-pointer (3:40 left in the half) and Foster muscling up an inside bucket with less than five seconds left in the frame to give LCU a 34-28 halftime lead.
 
The 9-3 run turned into a 13-3 run after field goals from McCoy and Maddox put LCU up 38-28 two minutes into the second half. Audrey Robertson nailed a three-pointer two minutes later to build the LCU lead to 47-34. Maddox (4-of-4) and McCoy (2-of-2) combined for a perfect 6-of-6 from the field in the quarter, as LCU shot 72.7% (8-of-11) in the quarter to take a 53-43 lead into the final stanza. Maddox led LCU with eight points in the quarter.
 
With 7:59 remaining in the game, LCU was able to pull away while leading 55-49. Foster had five points and Shaylee Stovall connected on a three-pointer to put together a 9-1 run for a 64-50 advantage with four minutes remaining. McCoy was perfect from downtown (2-of-2), with her second three-pointer part of a 5-0 run to give LCU their largest lead of the game with 2:16 to-go (69-52).  Foster and Stovall each had five points in the final quarter for the Lady Chaps.
 
Maddox finished a point shy from her career-high scoring mark, finishing with 18 points off 8-of-11 shooting from the field. Foster also finished with eight field goals and completed her 12^th double-double of the season with 10 rebounds to go along with her 17 points. It is her third consecutive game with a double-double. McCoy posted a career night from the field, as she posted a career-high 16 points off 6-of-7 shooting from the field. She also had six boards and was a +17 in plus/minus in 24 minutes of play. LCU had a slim 12-9 advantage in forced turnovers, but LCU out-scored WT 16-9 in points-off-turnovers.  The Lady Chaps claimed their sixth consecutive victory and they are 21-8 overall and 16-5 in the LSC.
 
WT fell despite a game-high 20 points from Nyalam Thabach, who also added eight rebounds. Karley Mostschenbacher added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Lady Buffs had a 7-0 advantage in blocked shots. The loss placed WT with a 20-9 season mark and a 13-8 LSC record.
 
The Lady Chaps ended a three-game losing streak in the all-time series to WT and they improve to 2-4 in Canyon against WT. LCU is now 8-5 in the all-time series.
 
TURNING POINT
Grace Foster, battling through contact and the defensive play of 6-4 post player Nyalam Thabach, muscled in a key inside shot with four second left in the first half for a 34-28 halftime lead. It fueled a hot shooting sequence carried over into the second half in which LCU made nine of their next 11 shot attempts over a stretch of 8:32. LCU outscored WT 21-13 in the stretch.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
WT entered the game leading the LSC and ranking 34^th nationally in three-pointers per game with an average 7.9 per game. Thursday, LCU held WT to a trio of three-pointers and to a 20% shooting mark from the perimeter (3/15). Two of WT's three-pointers were tallied in the final minute of the game with the game decided.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
LCU can clinch a West Division title Saturday at 1 p.m., as they host WT for another Rivalry On The Range matchup inside Rip Griffin Center. The Lady Chaps enter with an 11-2 record, while Angelo State has wrapped up divisional play with an 11-3 mark. If LCU wins Saturday, they will claim their second divisional title (won the West Division in 2020-21 and this season is the third year LCU has been in the LSC in which divisional play has been utilized within the standings) and will head to the LSC Championships in Frisco, Texas as the No.2-seed. If LCU falls Saturday, they will claim the No.4-seed.