LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (12-3, 7-1) at EASTERN NEW MEXICO (5-9, 1-7)
Jan. 18, 2024 • 6 PM (CENTRAL)
Portales, N.M.• Greyhound Arena (4,800)
 

LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
Eastern New Mexico	Portales, N.M.	Thur. Jan. 18	6:00 p.m.	Video	Stats

Game Notes (PDF)

LEADERS OF THE WEST, GOING WEST
West Division leading Lubbock Christian University returns to the road and remains in West Division action this week, as they take a five-game win streak into Portales, N.M. Thursday to face Eastern New Mexico (6 p.m. CT) before closing out the weekend Saturday in Silver City, N.M. for a meeting with Western New Mexico (2 p.m. Central). LCU is 12-3 overall this season and they sit third in the LSC standings with a 7-1 conference record (4-0 in the division).
 
MOVING ON UP
LCU completed their fifth consecutive win Saturday with a 67-54 win over Angelo State inside Rip Griffin Center, which catapulted LCU alone in first place of the West Division (4-0). Grace Foster and Audrey Robertson each tallied 21 points, with Foster also adding a team-co-leading 10 rebounds (co-led with Reese Schumann) to complete her first double-double of the season (16^th of her career). Schumann and Foster helped LCU pull down a season-high 12 offensive boards in the win (45-40 overall rebound advantage in the game).
 
GRACE BACK-TO-BACK
For a second consecutive week, LCU's Grace Foster has been recognized by the Lone Star Conference, as she was recognized with Women's Basketball's Offensive Player of the Week for a third time this season. Foster helped Lubbock Christian to a pair of West Division wins, as LCU defeated UT Permian Basin and Angelo State and remain undefeated in the West (4-0) and move to third in overall LSC games (7-1). In the overtime win vs. UTPB, Foster scored 23 points after the third quarter finishing with 36 points -- the LSC single-game high in 2023-24. The mark matched Foster's career high and matched the Rip Griffin Center single-game record (was two points shy of the program record). The Childress, Texas native nailed two three points in the final two minutes, including one with 19-seconds left that forced overtime, finishing 12-of-16 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range. Against Angelo State, Foster registered her first double-double of the season (21 points, 10 rebounds). She averaged 28.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.5 assists on the week. Foster's weekly honor is the third of the season and seventh of her career (sixth offensive honor). She claims the Lady Chaps fourth weekly accolade this season and her third honor of the season (claimed prior honors on Dec. 18 and Jan. 8). 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 78.4% of their attempts (234/273) and averaging 14.3 points a game from the line (62^nd 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 78-of-88 on the season (.886, ranks second in the LSC and 17th nationally), which leads the squad (of qualifiers). Shaylee Stovall, who is 26-of-27 (96.3%), is 11.5-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 Thursday with an active streak of 25 consecutive made free-throws.

> The Lady Chaps have three players in the top-20 in LSC scoring so far this season. Foster leads the LSC with an average of 19.4 points per game, Audrey Robertson is ranking 17^th in the LSC with 12.5 points per game and Maci Maddox is just inside the top-20, ranking 19th in the LSC with 12.4 points per game). Foster and Maddox are also in top-five in minutes played, with Maddox leading the conference (third in the nation) with 38.0 minutes played per game (Foster is third in LSC at 34.2). Maddox is seventh in the LSC with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.8 (has a 2.3 ratio in LSC play and last week produced 18 assists with two turnovers).

> Foster is averaging 6.8 rebounds per game (13th in the LSC), but is third in the LSC averaging 6.5 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 31 on the season (10th in LSC) and ranks 10th in the LSC with a pace of 2.1 steals per game. She opened the season with at least one steal in the first seven games (has had at least one steal in 13 of 15 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 games this season. As a team, LCU is third in the LSC and 29th nationally with a 44.6% shooting percentage from the field. LCU leads the LSC and is fourth nationally in three-point shooting, as they are 83-of-219 (37.9%) from long range.  The Lady Chaps have 34 three-pointers in their last four games (combined).
 
> With Martie McCoy out of the lineup, LCU turned to Reese Schumann to make her first two starts of the season (second and third of her LCU career). Schumann co-led LCU in rebounds on the week (7.5), matching a career high with 10 rebounds against Angelo State. She led LCU in blocks with three (two against ASU). Schumann posted a +17 plus/minus against ASU and led LCU with a +28 on the week.
 
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 7-1 in LSC action (best eight-game start to conference since 13-0 LSC record in 2020-21). They are coming off a conference win (67-54 win over Angelo State Saturday), which put them 3-1 this season in LSC home games. They return to the road, where they are 4-0 in LSC road games. Grace Foster leads LCU in LSC play with an average of 21.6 points a game (leads the LSC). She is joined in a double-figure scoring pace by Audrey Robertson (14.8 points) and Maci Maddox is just-under averaging double-figures (9.9 points). Foster, who leads LCU with a pace of 7.1 rebounds per game, is 36-of-42 (85.7%) from the free-throw line and spearheads a squad that is shooting 72.3% (94/130) 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.

ROAD REVELATIONS
The Lady Chaparrals, who went 8-4 on the road last season, is off to a 5-1 road record this season. They have won their last four road games. Grace Foster leads LCU in road scoring with 16.5 points a game. LCU has three players averaging double-figures in scoring on the road, as Audrey Robertson (14.3) and Macy Maddox (13.0) join Foster, who leads LCU with 6.2 rebounds in road-play. LCU is shooting 78.4% (80/102) from the line on the road, compared to 62.7% (47/75) by the home team (Grace Foster is 26-of-28 from the line on the road). Maddox is showing balance on the road, as she has 2.0 steals and 3.8 assists per game to go along with her 13.0 points per game..

SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
The Lady Chaps, who went 12-2 at home last season, are 6-2 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 278-50 record (84.8%) in that span. In NCAA postseason play, the Lady Chaps are 24-3 all-time (88.9%).
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT ENMU
1 > The Greyhounds completed the past season with a 12-15 record last season, which included a 9-13 conference record and a share of fifth place in the West Division (6-8 divisional record). ENMU closed the regular season dropping their final five games.
2 > Eastern New Mexico bounced back from a Thursday night overtime loss to Cameron (at home) with a 65-61 win over Midwestern State to end a seven-game losing streak. The win placed the 'Hounds with a 3-3 record inside Greyhound Arena.
3 > ENMU is picked to claim 11th the LSC this season, as they were ranked No.11 (of 16) in the conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll. They were picked sixth in the West Division.
4 > The Greyhounds rank second in the LSC and 42^nd nationally in turnovers forced per game (20.9). They have forced the opposition into 25-or-more turnovers on four occasions this season.
5 > Like LCU, ENMU has two players in the top-10 in the LSC in minutes per game, as Ishuana Hunter ranks fourth (33.4) and Jaz Salon ranks ninth (32.1).

THE SERIES AGAINST ENMU
The 'Hounds own a 24-20 all-time advantage against the Lady Chaps, but LCU has won 16 of the last 19 meetings. ENMU's win on Jan. 16, 2020 (69-68 in overtime in Portales, N.M.) ended a six-game win streak in the series for LCU, but LCU has responded with five consecutive wins in the series, including a 66-61 win in Portales on Feb. 11, 2023 (previous meeting). The Lady Chaps are 12-3 all-time against ENMU under head coach Steve Gomez. LCU is 6-16 all-time in Portales against ENMU, with all six wins coming over the previous nine visits.
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. ENMU
Top-three LCU active career leaders against ENMU:
 
Grace Foster 4gp, 13.0 points p/g, 7.3 reb. p/g
Audrey Robertson 4gp, 9.5 points p/g, 3.0 assists p/g
Maci Maddox 4gp, 9.3 points p/g, 3.0 assists p/g

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. ENMU
Feb. 11, 2023 (Portales, N.M.) – LCU: 66 – ENMU: 61
Lubbock Christian University overcame 13 turnovers in the second half with 52% shooting from the field in the half and Maci Maddox supplying 12 of her 14 points in the stanza to help lead the Lady Chaparrals to a 66-61 Lone Star Conference West Division road win over Eastern New Mexico at Greyhound Arena. Grace Foster supplied the Lady Chaps with her ninth double-double performance (17 points, 10 rebounds) of the season.
 
It was a game of chase that LCU had to hold on. Neither team had more than a 6-0 run. Over the final 35 minutes of the game, LCU never trailed, but they never led by more than eight points.
 
Ashley Shipley connected with a three-pointer to cap a 5-0 run 3:43 into the contest and ENMU led 5-4, but it would be the lone time ENMU led in the game and they held the lead for 1:43. Martie McCoy drew a foul (made both free-throws) and Shaylee Stovall converted on her only three-pointer of the game to give LCU a 9-5 lead. LCU went the next 3:21 without a field goal, but closed the first quarter with a layup from Audrey Spurgin for a 14-12 lead.
 
ENMU had two shot attempts to take the lead in the second quarter, but the shots did not fall. LCU never trailed in the quarter despite the game being tied on three occasions in the frame. Foster, who was scoreless in the first quarter, carried the Lady Chaps in the second quarter with eight points. She had four field goals in the quarter, with two of them tallied with the game tied and two made with LCU having a one-possession lead. Her last was scored inside the final minute of the half and was a prelude to a Carli Bostwick shot prior to the horn to give LCU a 28-24 halftime lead.
 
Foster opened the second half with a layup 30 seconds into the half, but ENMU responded with a 5-0 run to cut LCU's lead to 30-29. Lazurea Saunders launched a three-pointer to give ENMU a lead but it was unsuccessful and LCU had a three-point play at the other end with Foster making a free-throw for a 33-29 advantage. With LCU leading 38-33 with 4:47 left in the quarter, Maddox dialed in for a three-pointer and it started an 8-2 run capped by a Maddox field goal for a 43-35 lead with under three minutes remaining in the quarter. Julieta Ceja hit a three-pointer for ENMU with 1:33 left in the quarter, but 14 seconds later Maddox answered it with a three-pointer. Maddox produced nine points in the third quarter and LCU took a 49-43 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
ENMU cut the game down to a one-possession game on five occasions in the fourth quarter, but LCU made sure the Greyhounds did not have one shot attempt to take the lead or tie the game. LCU was 5-of-8 from the field on shot attempts while it was a one-possession game. Maddox had one of the biggest near the midway point of the quarter. Shipley drilled a three-pointer to cut the LCU lead to 53-51, but Maddox answered with a three-pointer at the other end less than 30 seconds later. Foster had LCU's final bucket with two minutes remaining, as it put LCU up 60-55. LCU scored their final six points from the free-throw line to complete the regular season sweep of the Greyhounds.
 
Maddox was 4-of-6 from the field in the second half and was 3-of-4 from long range. She finished with 14 points to join Audrey Robertson (10 points) and Foster (17 points) in double figures. Foster led LCU from the field and in boards with 10 rebounds. LCU overcame 19 turnovers in the game, as they were fortunate ENMU did not outscore LCU more than the 10-7 advantage they did in points-off-turnovers (ENMU turned it over 11 times).
 
ENMU received a team-leading 15 points in the game from Shipley. They also had 13 points from Edecia Beck and 11 points from Deja Adrian.  The Greyhounds launched 28 three-point attempts (matched the most by an LCU opponent this season), connecting on seven of the attempts (25%).