LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
No.13 TEXAS WOMAN'S (17-3, 11-1) at No.20 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (14-4, 9-2)
Jan. 27, 2024 • 1:00 PM
Lubbock, Texas • Rip Griffin Center (1,950)
 

LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
No.13 Texas Woman's	Lubbock, Texas	Sat. Jan. 27	1:00 p.m.	Video	Stats

SATURDAY SIGHTS
Having to bounce back from Thursday's 57-56 loss, as No.12 UT Tyler won the game with 1.9-seconds left, No.20 Lubbock Christian University will have their hands full Saturday at 1 p.m., as No.13 Texas Woman's awaits for a Lone Star Conference contest inside Rip Griffin Center. As LCU hits the reset button on what was a seven-game win streak, the Pioneers enter Saturday's contest riding a seven-game win streak and they are in second place in the LSC standings (11-1) behind unbeaten UT Tyler (12-0). LCU is tied for third (holds the tie-breaker) in the LSC with a 9-2 record. The Lady Chaps are 3-2 this season against East Division teams.
 
TOPSY-TURVY THURSDAY
Despite having a lead for over 30 minutes, Tina Machalova's layup with 1.9-seconds remaining lifted No.12 UT Tyler past the Lady Chaps 57-56 Thursday night inside Rip Griffin Center. The Lady Chaps had two players score in double figures, led by Audrey Robertson, who had 17 points. Reese Schumann added 14 points, nine rebounds and two steals and Maci Maddox added eight points and five steals (matched a career high). The loss was LCU's first Thursday loss of the season (4-1) and their second loss of the season when leading at halftime (10-2).
 
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 78.1% of their attempts (243/311) and averaging 13.5 points a game from the line (92^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 87-of-98 on the season (.888, ranks second in the LSC and 16th nationally), which leads the squad (of qualifiers). Shaylee Stovall, who is 28-of-30 (93.3%), has a solid percentage at the line, but does not meet the statistical qualifying mark for leaders (NCAA minimum to qualify is 2.5 made free-throws per game).

> The Lady Chaps have two players in the top-20 in LSC scoring so far this season. Foster ranks third in the LSC with an average of 18.1 points per game and Audrey Robertson is ranking 15^th in the LSC with 13.3 points per game. Foster and Maci Maddox are in the top-five in minutes played, with Maddox leading the conference (fifth in the nation) with 37.7 minutes played per game (Foster is third in LSC at 34.3). Maddox is third in the LSC with an assist/turnover ratio of 2.1 (has a 2.8 ratio in LSC play and has 33 assists with four turnovers over the prior five games).

> Foster is averaging 7.0 rebounds per game (11th in the LSC), but is second in the LSC averaging 6.7 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 38 on the season (ninth in LSC) and ranks 10^th  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 15 of 18 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 four games this season. As a team, LCU leads the LSC and 20th nationally with a 45.0% shooting percentage from the field. LCU leads the LSC and is second nationally in three-point shooting, as they are 104-of-262 (39.7%) from long range.  The Lady Chaps have shot at least 40% from outside in their last six games played.
 
> With Martie McCoy out of the lineup, LCU turned to Reese Schumann to make her first five starts of the season (only one career start prior). Schumann has taken advantage of the opportunity, as she has averaged 9.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game over the games she has started. She produced a career high Jan. 18 (at Eastern New Mexico) with 24 points and has matched a career high in rebounds in two of the past four games (10 rebounds against ENMU and Angelo State).
 
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 9-2 in LSC action. They are coming off a conference loss (57-56 loss Thursday to UT Tyler), which put them 3-2 this season in LSC home games. Grace Foster leads LCU in LSC play with an average of 18.8 points a game (second in the LSC). She is joined in a double-figure scoring pace by Audrey Robertson (15.2 points, eighth in LSC). Foster, who leads LCU with a pace of 7.4 rebounds per game, is 45-of-52 (86.5%) from the free-throw line and spearheads a squad that is shooting 73.2% (123/168) 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) and are currently ranked No.20.

SO ARE SOME OTHERS
LCU fell to No.12 UT Tyler (Thursday), placing them with a 0-3 record this season against nationally ranked programs (lost to No.17 Union in their season opener and to No.12 Southern Nazarene on Nov. 25). 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 four losses this season, three of the opponents have been nationally ranked and the other opponent was receiving votes.

OUR HOME
LCU is 6-3 at home this season.Grace Foster is leading LCU with 19.6 points per game on the home floor (also averaging 7.3 rebounds). The Lady Chaps, shooting 44.2% from the field inside "The Rip," are also receiving averages of 11.8 points from Audrey Robertson and 10.6 points a game from Maci Maddox. LCU is 125-of-165 from the free-throw line (75.8%) at home this season, with Shaylee Stovall 19-of-20 (95.0%) from the charity stripe. Foster is 20-of-39 (51.3%) from three-point range inside "The Rip," with Audrey Robertson marking the next closest Lady Chap leader in three-point shooting with 10 three-pointers made.

SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
The Lady Chaps, who went 12-2 at home last season, are 6-3 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 280-51 record (84.6%) in that span. In NCAA postseason play, the Lady Chaps are 24-3 all-time (88.9%). 
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT TWU
1 > The Pioneers posted a 26-6 record last season, which included an 19-3 conference record (tops in the LSC) and a first-place finish in the East Division (13-1 divisional record). TWU eliminated LCU in the LSC Championships in Frisco, Texas, but LCU returned the favor eliminating TWU in the opening round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional in San Angelo, Texas.
2 > Texas Woman's opened the week Thursday in Canyon, Texas with a 69-58 win over West Texas A&M. Behind 19 points from Ashley Ingram, TWU garnered their first win in Canyon since 1981. Their seventh consecutive win improved their record to 17-3 overall and 11-1 in conference.
3 > TWU was projected to finish second in the LSC this season, as they were ranked No.2 (of 16) in the conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll. They were picked first in the East Division and they had the most first-place votes with 17.
4 > The Pioneers are 32^nd nationally in assist/turnover ratio, with a conference-leading mark of 1.05. They are 32^nd in turnovers per game (13.8). Ariyanna Hines is TWU's lone individual in the top-10 in assist/turnover ratio, ranking ninth with a mark of 1.5.
5 > Ashley Ingram leads the nation in free-throw attempts (169) and free-throws made (138). She averages 6.9 free-throws made on 8.5 attempts per game. TWU ranks sixth nationally with an average of 16.9 points per game from the line.

THE SERIES AGAINST TWU
The meeting will mark the 11^th all-time meeting between the two programs. TWU won two of the three meetings last season, winning the regular season meeting (75-69 in Denton, Texas on Jan. 21, 2023) and a meeting in the Semifinals of the LSC Championships (84-49 on Mar. 4, 2023 in Frisco, Texas) before falling in San Angelo at the South Central Regional (62-55 on Mar. 10, 2023). LCU leads the all-time series 7-3, with a 3-0 all-time record against TWU in Lubbock. They last met in Lubbock on Feb. 5, 2022, with LCU winning 70-62.
 
RETURNING LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. TWU
Top-three LCU returning leaders against TWU from last season's numbers:
 
Maci Maddox 3gp, 11.7 points p/g, 3/6 3fg
Shaylee Stovall 3gp, 7.7 points p/g, 5/7 3fg
Grace Foster 3gp, 18.3 points p/g, 19/19 ft

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. TWU
Mar. 10, 2023 (San Angelo, Texas) – LCU: 62 – TWU: 55
Less than a week after suffering a 35-point loss to Texas Woman's at the Lone Star Conference Championships in Frisco, Texas, No.7-seed Lubbock Christian University avenged the loss with a 62-55 upset in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II South Central Regionals over No,2-seed No.10 Texas Woman's inside Junell Center.
 
History was also made in the upset victory, as Grace Foster, scoring 16 points in the third quarter and 27 points in the second half, notched a program NCAA-era postseason single-game record with 29 points. She was 12-of-12 from the free-throw line in the process, which is a postseason program single-game best mark. It approached their overall program single-game record held by Nicole Hampton, who was 14-of-14 from the line on Jan. 16, 2014.
 
The previous meeting witnessed TWU setting a LSC Championship record shooting performance from outside, as the Pioneers shot a whopping .722 (13-18) from three-point range, which also marked a record by an LCU opponent. There was no repeat performance Friday, as TWU was 1-of-10 from the three-point range in the game.
 
The game had that type of pace to start, as the two teams struggled offensively out the gates. TWU opened the game 1-of-13 from the field over the opening 11:27 of the contest, while LCU opened 1-of-9 from the field over their opening 6:30 of play. Foster's only bucket of the first half was the difference in the opening frame, as she scored with 15 seconds left in the quarter to give LCU a 6-5 lead at quarter's close.  
 
TWU would be held to a shooting mark of 20.8% (5/25) in the first half. Less than a week after holding LCU to a 49-15 halftime deficit, LCU held TWU to 14 first half points. Maci Maddox had a big second quarter, as she scored six of LCU's 15 points in the quarter, including four points of a 7-0 run in the quarter, to help LCU take a 21-14 lead into the half.
 
Foster made her presence known in the third quarter, scoring 16 of LCU's 18 points in the frame. The quarter's tone offensively went from a pillow fight to a heavyweight bout. Neither team had more than a 3-0 run and the two teams combined for 38 points in the quarter (20 by TWU). LCU was 7-of-12 from the field in the quarter, while TWU was 7-of-14. Foster was 6-of-6 from the field in the quarter, en route to her 16 points.
 
LCU opened up the fourth quarter with an and-one by Maddox for a 42-34 lead, but the Pioneers stormed back. TWU went on a 9-0 run and took a 43-42 lead, but it would last less than 30 seconds, as Rachel Haase improvised after recovering her own loose ball and forced up a shot that was drained. After a stop, Audrey Robertson hit a deep two-point shot (was later reviewed and ruled a two-point field goal) to put LCU up 46-43. Sadie Moyer cut the TWU deficit to 46-45 with 5:35 left and LCU responded with a 7-0 run. Foster had five straight points to start the run. She scored 11 of LCU's final 16 points over the final 5:13 of the game. The other five points were from Maddox, who connected on the final three points of a string of nine points from the line to end the game for LCU (LCU's last field goal came with 1:40 left from Maddox).
 
Foster went from 1-of-7 shooting in the first half to 7-of-8 shooting in the second half. Her 29 points topped Maddi Chitsey's mark of 28 points against North Georgia at the Elite Eight in Columbus, Ohio (Mar. 26, 2019). Maddox finished with 16 points to join Maddox in double figures. LCU was 20-of-23 from the line (87%) and went 43.5% (20/46) from the field. They held TWU to 35.7% shooting from the field.
 
Ngozi Obineke led TWU with 14 points off the bench. Ashley Ingram provided the Pioneers with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Pioneers, who claimed the Lone Star Conference regular season title and East Division title, have their season end at 26-6. A record that included a pair of wins against LCU.
 
LCU only trailed for 3:39 of the game. A big difference from the prior meeting, which had been the only game during the season in which LCU never had a lead at any point of the game.