LUBBOCK, Texas (November 16, 2024) – No.12 Lubbock Christian University will tip off their home slate Saturday at 7 p.m. inside the Rip Griffin Center, hosting Colo. Colorado Springs (UCCS). This marks the third time in four years that LCU's home opener features an opponent nationally ranked or receiving votes in a national poll.
 

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	VIDEO	RADIO	STATS
UCCS	Rip Griffin Center	Sat., Nov. 16	7 p.m.	Watch	None	Stats

 
TWO "W's" IN TYLER
The Lady Chaparrals dominated their weekend at the South Central Region Challenge last week, earning decisive victories over Colorado State-Pueblo and Colorado Christian at the Herrington Patriot Center. In Friday's opener, LCU routed CSU-Pueblo 72-38 behind Grace Foster's 18-point, 11-rebound double-double and a defense that held the ThunderWolves to 22.2% shooting. The Lady Chaps followed with a 66-52 win Saturday over Colorado Christian, led by Foster's 23 points and 14 rebounds and Audrey Robertson's 21-point effort. LCU (4-0) maintained their unbeaten start by excelling on the boards and holding opponents to a combined 32.5% shooting over the two games.
 
ALL GRACE
Grace Foster has earned Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second week in a row, as the LSC announced its women's basketball weekly awards Monday.
 
Foster led the No. 17 Lady Chaparrals to a flawless 2-0 record on the week, as LCU produced wins over Colorado State Pueblo and Colorado Christian at the South Central Region Challenge in Tyler, Texas. Across the two games, Foster averaged a double-double with 20.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, adding six blocks and shooting a combined 50.0% from the field.
 
In the Lady Chaps' 72-38 rout of CSU-Pueblo, Foster posted 18 points, 11 rebounds, and shot 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, extending her perfect streak to 24-for-24 against the ThunderWolves over her career (from the line). Her defensive efforts anchored LCU, as they held CSUP to a low 22.2% shooting, and her contributions helped limit the ThunderWolves to nine offensive rebounds and five second-chance points.
 
The senior from Childress, Texas followed this up with a powerful 23-point, 14-rebound double-double against Colorado Christian in a 66-52 victory. Her second consecutive double-double also marked her 19th career double-double and second this season. Defensively, Foster's rebounding and presence inside contributed to holding CCU to just 32.7% shooting overall and only 19% from beyond the arc. She matched her career-high with 20 field goal attempts, hitting nine, and dominated the second half with 15 points and eight rebounds.
 
Her totals on the week led the Lone Star Conference in blocks (3.0 per game) and rebounding (12.5), while also co-leading the LSC in points per game (20.5). Foster received her second LSC weekly honor of the season and the ninth of her career (her third for defense). Last season, she earned three Offensive Player of the Week awards.
 
CHAP-TIVATING STATS: 5 FACTS ABOUT THE LADY CHAPS
1 > Stingy Defense Powers Strong Start: LCU has opened the season with an impressive defensive showing, allowing just 49.3 points per game, which ranks them 15th nationally and third in the Lone Star Conference. This stifling defense has been crucial in holding opponents under 70 points in each game, with three of their wins coming by double-digit margins.
 
2 > Three-Point Efficiency Sets the Tone: LCU's three-point shooting has been a valuable asset, as they're hitting 40.5% from beyond the arc, positioning them 24th nationally and second in the conference. Leading the charge is Audrey Robertson, who has shot a remarkable 63.2% from three-point range, the highest percentage in the conference, with 12 total three-pointers made.
 
3 > Foster For The People: Grace Foster has made her mark on both ends of the floor, averaging 21.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, ranking first in the Lone Star Conference for scoring and third for rebounding (her 39 total rebounds leads the conference and is third nationally). She also leads the conference with six blocks (18^th nationally), underscoring her ability to protect the rim while providing scoring punch.
 
4 > Effective Ball Control Limits Turnovers: Despite facing tough competition, LCU has excelled in ball security, averaging just 12.5 turnovers per game, ranking them 19th nationally and third in the conference. Their solid assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.10, led by guards Maci Maddox and Audrey Robertson, has contributed to a steady offense with minimal mistakes.
 
5 > Dominance On The Defensive Boards: LCU has been a force on the defensive glass, pulling down an average of 31.5 defensive rebounds per game, leading the Lone Star Conference and ranking 20th nationally. This rebounding strength has limited opponents' second-chance opportunities, a critical factor in their undefeated start.
 
SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
The Lady Chaps had won 11 straight home openers before falling 87-78 to No. 17 Union in last season's opener, marking their first home-opening loss since a 61-44 defeat to Metro State on Nov. 5, 2011. LCU is 19-2 in home openers under Steve Gomez. Of their last four home openers, three have featured opponents either nationally ranked or receiving votes, including a 76-72 win over No. 1 Lander in 2021-22 and last season's game against Union. This year, UCCS enters the matchup receiving votes in the D2CSC Top 25 poll.
 
LCU went 11-4 at home last season, going 3-1 at home in non-conference play.
 
On Feb. 2, 2023, LCU's NCAA Division II record home win streak ended at 113 games with a loss to Angelo State. The defeat marked the Lady Chaps' first home loss since Jan. 1, 2015, against Oklahoma City University. During the streak, LCU also posted a 7-0 record in NCAA postseason play in Lubbock (excluding a 4-0 mark in LSC postseason play) and won 88 consecutive home conference games, with their last conference home loss occurring on Jan. 10, 2013, also against Oklahoma City. LCU achieved a perfect 49-0 record in Heartland Conference home games and went 11-0 against nationally ranked opponents during the streak.

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 2024-25 season marks LCU's 12th since leaving the NAIA and LCU is 291-57 record (83.6%) in that span. In NCAA postseason play, the Lady Chaps are 24-4 all-time (85.7%).
 
BACK IN THE RANKINGS
Lubbock Christian University's women's basketball team entered the 2024-25 season ranked No. 17 in the D2CSC Women's Basketball Division II Top-25 Preseason Poll, a notable return to national prominence after an unusual preseason absence last year.
 
The Lady Chaparrals, who finished the 2023-24 season with a 22-10 record and trip to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional, had been unranked in the preseason polls a year ago for the first time since 2015-16 (their first season eligible for the poll), receiving only a few votes. This year, however, LCU is back in the Top-25, one of two teams from the Lone Star Conference to earn a spot in the rankings. Texas Woman's University leads the way for the LSC, coming in at No. 2 after a 34-5 season, followed by LCU at No. 17.
 
The Lady Chaps are ranked No.12 in the D2CSC's first in-season poll. The Lady Chaps are receiving votes in the WBCA's Preseason Poll, but the WBCA has yet to release their first in-season poll.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT UCCS
1 > UCCS, the No.2 team in the RMAC Preseason Poll, is receiving top-25 votes in the D2CSC Top-25 Polls. They are off to a 1-1 start. The Mountain Lions opened the season with a 22-9 fourth quarter scoring output to top Midwestern State at home 67-57. Thursday, they fell 73-49 at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas.

2 > With an impressive 6.5 blocks per game, UCCS ranks first in the RMAC in this category. Their interior defense has been a key factor, limiting opponents' scoring opportunities in the paint and protecting the rim. Amaya Snowden (2.5) and Amyah Moore Allen (2.0) are leading the charge in blocks per game for UCCS. The Mountain Lions posted 10 blocks against MSU.

3 > UCCS has excelled at getting to the free-throw line, averaging 26 attempts per game, which ranks first in the RMAC. However, they are only shooting 59.6% from the line. They had a whopping 39 attempts in their season opener against MSU.

4 > Maison White has been a standout performer, achieving two double-doubles in the first two games and moving up in UCCS all-time rankings for points and rebounds. With Thursday's numbers, White moved to eighth all-time in scoring (1,027 points) and is 62 rebounds behind Brittany Hernandez' all-time record of 751.

5 > The Mountain Lions are looking to improve their 17.1% (7/41) long-range shooting. After going 3-of-26 (11.5%) on Thursday, they're hoping for a repeat of last season's turnaround. Last year, they opened with under 30% shooting from three-point range in four of their first five games but then caught fire with six three-pointers against Eastern New Mexico, followed by 13 against South Dakota Mines.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST UCCS
The Lady Chaps and UCCS have met six prior times and the previous five have all been under Steve Gomez. LCU is 5-1 all-time against UCCS and 1-0 in contests played in Lubbock. The prior meeting, a 76-44 LCU win on Nov. 15, 2019, has served as the lone prior meeting in Lubbock. The first meeting all-time was a Dec. 12, 1989 meeting in Colorado Springs, which resulted in a 97-67 LCU win off a 29-point performance from Burgundy Bass.
 
PRIOR MEETING AGAINST UCCS
LUBBOCK, Texas (Nov. 15, 2019) - LCU 76 – UCCS 44
A 22-2 first-half run propelled No. 1 Lubbock Christian University past Colo. Colorado Springs 76-44 at Rip Griffin Center, which capped the opening day of the TAJ Hospitality Classic. The win marked Lady Chaps head coach Steve Gomez's 400th career victory.
 
UCCS jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the opening 70 seconds, with Abby Feickert hitting back-to-back threes. LCU responded by holding UCCS to two points over the next 9:30, while connecting on four three-pointers during a decisive 22-2 run. Maddi Chitsey capped the sequence with a three-pointer to give LCU a 22-10 lead early in the second quarter.
 
Chitsey finished with a game-high 16 points, including 10 in the first half. Laynee Burr added a career-high 12 points, going 5-for-6 from the field. The Lady Chaps shot 52.6% in the second quarter, outscoring UCCS 24-12 to lead 43-22 at halftime. LCU extended its dominance in the third quarter with a 16-4 run, capped by Burr's three-pointer, building a 59-26 advantage.
 
Ashton Duncan contributed 11 points, shooting 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and Emma Middleton's strong play helped the duo combine for a plus-61 efficiency rating. LCU shot a season-high 12 three-pointers and outscored UCCS 23-10 in points off turnovers. UCCS struggled offensively, shooting 28.6% (18-for-63) and failing to produce a double-digit scorer.
 
The Lady Chaps, now 3-0, extended their nation-leading home win streak to 66 games and have won 14 straight overall. UCCS fell to 1-2. Gomez, in his 17th season at LCU, improved his career record to 400-122 (76.6%).
 
LCU's defense fueled the victory, limiting UCCS to 7.1% shooting during the pivotal 22-2 run, while the Lady Chaps shot 62.5% during the same span.