FRISCO, Texas (March 2, 2023) – 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 Thursday night 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 10^th 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, 18-11, received a solid out 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.
 
The Lady Chaps improved to 9-1 all-time in LSC Championships. Overall, they improve to 22-9 on the campaign. The overtime result placed LCU 1-2 this season when a game heads into the fifth frame (ended a three-game stretch of overtime losses). LCU was coming off an overtime loss Saturday at home. Documentation starting in 2009 indicates games with overtime results and there are no indications of consecutive overtime games being played by LCU since documentation started.
 
TURNING POINT
TAMUK had two critical inbound turnovers, which could have changed the game's outcome. An errant inbounds pass in the frontcourt with six seconds remaining went untouched and out of bounds, which provided LCU the basketball and the game tied. With 3:44 remaining in overtime, Maci Maddox had just scored a basket and during the ensuing inbound, four of the Javelinas stranded the inbounded, which resulted in a five-second infraction.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
LCU claimed their first win of the season when the opponent outshoots them. TAMUK was 47.5% (25/59) from the field, while LCU was 47.3% (26/55). LCU is now 1-6 this season in the scenario. In LSC Championships, LCU last win was last season with a Quarterfinals win over Angelo State, who outshot LCU  41.3% - .385.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
LCU remains in Frisco Saturday to face No.1-seed Texas Woman's at 2:30 p.m. inside Comerica Center. TWU defeated St. Edward's in the Quarterfinals to advance to face LCU.