LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
ANGELO STATE (12-4, 6-1) at LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (11-3, 6-1)
Jan. 13, 2024 • 1 PM
Lubbock, Texas • Rip Griffin Center (1,950)
 

LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
Angelo St.	Lubbock, Texas	Sat. Jan. 13	1:00 p.m.	Video	Stats

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE
Saturday inside Rip Griffin Center, a pair West Division leaders will battle for sole possession of first place in the division, as Lubbock Christian University hosts Angelo State at 1 p.m. in Lone Star Conference play. The two teams are 3-0 in the division and are the only teams unbeaten in divisional action. Not unfamiliar territory for the two programs, as the two shared the West Division title last season.
 
EXTRA EXTRA
For a second consecutive game, LCU needed overtime, and through 15 lead changes and the game tied on 18 occasions (game was tied for a total time of 13:19) LCU was able to prevail 74-67 over Texas Permian Basin Thursday night inside Rip Griffin Center. It took some prolific performances to place LCU with a 3-0 overtime record on the season (LCU has outscored opponents 32-13 in overtime this season), as Grace Foster matched a career high and Rip Griffin Center high with 36 points and Maci Maddox fell one assist shy of matching a single-game program record with 12 assists and 10 points for her first career double-double. Maddox completed the 12 assists without registering a turnover in the contest.
 
GRACE AGAIN
The Lone Star Conference announced their women's basketball weekly honors and Lubbock Christian University's Grace Foster was recognized as the Offensive Player of the Week. Foster led LCU (on the week) in both points per game (19.5) and rebounds per game (9.0), as she was a rebound shy of a double-double in each of the contests (wins at Cameron and MSU). She opened with 18 points, nine rebounds and a trio of assists at Cameron, before leading LCU to an overtime win at Midwestern State with 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists. She was 3-of-6 from three-point range at MSU, as she notched her 20th career performance of at least 20 points scored in a game. Her totals on the week included 18 rebounds (all defensive) and nine assists. Foster was a +28 for the week (+14 average per game). Foster's weekly honor is the second of the season and sixth of her career (fifth offensive honor). She claims the Lady Chaps third weekly accolade this season and her second honor of the season (claimed her first on Dec. 18). Maci Maddox claimed a defensive honor Nov. 14.
 
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 a NCAA Division II leading 79.5% of their attempts (205/258) and averaging 14.6 points a game from the line (49th 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). Her 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 76-of-83 on the season (.916, leads the LSC and seventh nationally), which leads the squad (of qualifiers). Shaylee Stovall, who is 24-of-25 (96.0%), is 11-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 Saturday with an active streak of 23 consecutive made free-throws.

> The Lady Chaps have two players in the top-20 in LSC scoring so far this season. Foster leads the LSC with an average of 19.3 points per game and Maci Maddox is ranking 18th in the LSC with 12.6 points per game. The pair are also in top-five in minutes played, with Maddox leading the conference (fourth in the nation) with 38.0 minutes played per game (Foster is third in LSC at 34.1). Maddox is eighth in the LSC with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.7 (has a 2.1 ratio in LSC play).

> Foster is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game (15th in the LSC), but is fourth in the LSC averaging 6.2 defensive rebounds per game. She led the LSC last season with a pace of 7.5 defensive rebounds per game.
 
> Maci Maddox leads LCU in steals with 27 on the season (12th in LSC) and ranks 13th in the LSC with a pace of 1.9 steals per game. She opened the season with at least one steal in the first seven games (has had at least one steal in 12 of 14 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 three of their 14 games this season. As a team, LCU is second in the LSC and 26th nationally with a 45.0% shooting percentage from the field. LCU leads the LSC and is sixth nationally in three-point shooting, as they are 75-of-200 (37.5%) from long range.  The Lady Chaps have 26 three-pointers in their last three games (combined).
 
CONFERENCE CONVERSATION
For a fourth time (fifth season in LSC), LCU jumped out to a 2-0 start in LSC play and they head into the Saturday 6-1 in LSC action. They are coming off a conference win (74-67 win over UT Permian Basin Thursday in overtime), which put them 2-1 this season in LSC home games. Grace Foster leads LCU in LSC play with an average of 21.7 points a game (leads the LSC). She is joined in a double-figure scoring pace by Audrey Robertson (13.4 points) and Maci Maddox (10.6 points). Foster, who leads LCU with a pace of 6.7 rebounds per game, is 34-of-37 (91.9%) from the free-throw line and spearheads a squad that is shooting 73.9% (85/115) 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. LCU was ranked as high as No.18 in the D2CSC rankings (earlier this season), but currently they are receiving votes.

SO ARE SOME OTHERS
LCU fell to No.12 Southern Nazarene (Nov. 25), 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 of the opponents have been nationally ranked and the other opponent was receiving votes.

OUR HOME
LCU is 5-2 at home this season. Grace Foster is leading LCU with 21.0 points per game on the home floor (also averaging 6.7 rebounds). The Lady Chaps, shooting 45.8% from the field inside "The Rip," are also receiving averages of 11.3 points a game from Maci Maddox. LCU is 102-of-130 from the free-throw line (78.5%) at home this season, with Shaylee Stovall 15-of-16 (93.8%) from the charity stripe.

SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
The Lady Chaps, who went 12-2 at home last season, are 5-2 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. 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 has a 277-50 record (84.7%) in that span. In NCAA postseason play, the Lady Chaps are 24-3 all-time (88.9%).
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT ASU
1 > The Belles completed the past season with a 26-7 record last season, which included a 26-7 conference record and a share of first place in the West Division (11-3 divisional record). ASU hosted the South Central Regional, where they would fall in the semifinals to UT Tyler.
2 > Angelo State takes a six-game win streak into Saturday, following a 70-58 win Thursday over West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas. ASU is 12-4 on the season and 6-1 in the LSC. ASU and LCU are the lone teams entering the weekend 3-0 in West Division play.
3 > ASU is picked to win the LSC this season, as they claimed the No.1 spot (of 16) in the conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll. They received 15 of the 54 first place votes.
4 > The Belles rank 16^th nationally in assists per game with a pace of 17.1 per game. Sawyer Lloyd leads the LSC with 5.4 per game, which is 17^th nationally. Lloyd also leads the LSC in assist/turnover ratio (2.4), ranking 38^th nationally.
5 > Keniah Williams leads ASU in blocks (32), with a total that leads the LSC and is 14^th nationally. Williams is 23^rd nationally with a LSC leading 2.0 blocks per game.

THE SERIES AGAINST ASU
LCU leads the series with a 16-6 all-time mark. ASU swept the season series last season, which included a 60-57 ASU win in their previous meeting (Feb. 2, 2023 in Lubbock), and has won the last three regular season meetings. The two teams have met 14 times since 2012, but had not met since Nov. 30, 2001 prior to that. LCU is 8-2 all-time against ASU in Lubbock. LCU has won five of the prior six meetings in Lubbock.
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. ASU
Top-three LCU active career leaders against ASU:
 
Grace Foster 4gp, 9.3 points p/g, 7.8 reb. p/g
Audrey Robertson 6gp, 7.2 points p/g, 6 steals
Martie McCoy 2gp, 6.0 points p/g, 1/3 3-fg

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. ASU
Feb. 2, 2023 (Lubbock, Texas) – ASU: 60 – LCU: 57
The longest home win streak in NCAA Division II history is now history. No.14 Angelo State, behind 18 points from Tayjanna McGhee-Pleasant, was able to outlast Lubbock Christian University and a double-double from Grace Foster (21 points, 17 rebounds) 60-57, which ended LCU's historic home win streak at 113 inside Rip Griffin Center.
 
The previous LCU lost at home had been January 1, 2015 against Oklahoma City. LCU was in their final season of transitioning from the NAIA to NCAA Division II membership. To put it into perspective, Martie McCoy (the youngest member of the Lady Chaps) was 10 years old at the time of LCU's last home loss, and winning a national championship was a dream for the Lady Chaps, who have claimed three national titles during their journey of 113 consecutive home wins.
 
LCU has seen many heroic efforts and a little luck during the streak. On March 10, 2018, Angelo State thought they had ended the streak and LCU's 2017-18 season at the 2018 NCAA Division II South Central Regional, as they had LCU down by four points with 35 seconds remaining, but Caitlyn Cunyus scored five straight points (her only points of the game) to help LCU end the Belles season.
 
Thursday was not a regional contest, but there was something at stake, as the winning team would move into sole possession of the Lone Star Conference's West Division. And, as LCU came back in that 2018 meeting, LCU attempted to rally back Thursday trailing 57-50 with 1:38 remaining. The seven-point lead lasted until Audrey Robertson had an old-fashion three-point play with 1:17 remaining to cut the deficit to 57-53. With 19 seconds remaining, Grace Foster scored to trim the deficit to 60-57. LCU quickly fouled Landry Morrow to put her to the free-throw line. She missed both free-throw attempts and LCU came away with the rebound. Maci Maddox transitioned up the floor, and knowing the Belles had a foul to give, heaved a halfcourt shot that sent the Rip Griffin Center into a frenzy as the shot was good. The crowd was quickly quieted as Maddox was fouled before the shot and the basket was waived off. Maddox had another attempt at tying the game, but her three-pointer (as time expired) was no good.
 
It was a back-and-forth contest featuring seven lead changes and the score tied on 10 occasions. Neither team led by more than five points until a 6-0 ASU run with 4:24 left put the Belles up 53-45. The 6-0 run matched LCU's longest run of the game, which took place in the first quarter and included four points from Maddox to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 7-4 lead. The score was tied 13-13 in before a three-pointer by McGhee-Pleasant helped ASU take a 16-15 lead into the second quarter.
 
The Belles, who led 28-26 at the half, never trailed (from the first quarter) until a 6-2 LCU run to open the second half put LCU up 32-30. Foster (9 points) and McCoy (2 points) had all the scoring in the third quarter for LCU until Shaylee Stovall hit LCU's first three-pointer of the game, which was the final bucket of the third quarter and gave LCU a 40-39 lead to take into the final quarter.
 
McGhee-Pleasant led ASU with 18 points off 3-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Sawyer Lloyd led ASU with 11 rebounds. The Belles improved to 19-3 overall and 14-2 in the LSC.
 
Foster's double-double was her team-leading eighth of the season and it included a career-high 17 rebounds, which is tied for the third-highest mark by a Lady Chaps member since 2009-2010. It was the highest total since Juliana Robertson had 18 last season (1/15/22) at UT Tyler.
 
LCU also received 12 points from Audrey Robertson and a career-high 10 points from McCoy. LCU shot 40.7% from the field (22/54) but struggled from long range, as they were 2-of-14 (14.3%) from outside the arc.