TYLER, Texas (November 9, 2024) – No. 17 Lubbock Christian University wraps up its play in the South Central Region Challenge Saturday at 2 p.m., facing Colorado Christian inside Herrington Patriot Center. LCU enters the contest with a 3-0 season record, following a dominant 72-38 win over Colorado State Pueblo.
 

SOUTH CENTRAL REGION CHALLENGE
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	VIDEO	RADIO	STATS
Colo. Christian	Tyler, Texas	Sat., Nov. 9	2 p.m.	Watch	None	Stats

 
CHAP-TIVATING STATS: 5 TOURNAMENT TAKEAWAYS FROM FRIDAY
1 > Stifling Defense Continues to Impress: LCU's defense was a standout in their win, limiting CSU Pueblo to just 22.2% shooting from the field and 14.3% from beyond the arc. This stifling defense helped the Lady Chaps dominate the game from the start and never trail. They have not trailed in a game this season and the last time they completed three consecutive games without trailing was in February of 2022, which was a four-game span.
 
2 > Foster's Dominance: Grace Foster was a key force for LCU, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season (18^th of her career). She is averaging 20.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
 
3 > Three-Point Firepower: LCU's hot shooting from beyond the arc was pivotal in their win, hitting 9 three-pointers, with a standout 52.2% shooting against Black Hills State last weekend The Lady Chaps have made 21 three-pointers over the prior two games, and their sharp shooting will put pressure on Colorado Christian to defend the perimeter effectively.
 
4 > Balanced Scoring Attack: In their win over CSU Pueblo, LCU had solid contributions across the board, with Audrey Robertson adding 14 points and Maci Maddox scoring 9. This balanced offense, combined with 17 team assists, ensures LCU isn't reliant on just one player. LCU dressed 10 active players and all 10 scored in the game, including all scoring in the second half. Friday, 24 points came from LCU's bench.
 
5 > That is a Plus: Maci Maddox was a +33 in the plus/minus category, as LCU's Foster and Robertson were each at +30 to place three Lady Chaps with at least a +30 in the category Friday.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT CCU
1 > Colorado Christian finished their 2023-24 season with a solid 17-12 overall record and a 13-9 mark in RMAC play, earning them a seventh-place conference finish. The Cougars proved to be tough at home, posting an impressive 12-3 record at the CCU Event Center. Their season included several close games, like a nail-biting 74-73 loss to New Mexico Highlands and a tight 71-70 road loss to Regis, the conference leaders. CCU's biggest win streak included dominant victories over teams like Seattle Pacific and Black Hills State. Key home wins over Colorado Mesa and Colorado School of Mines, both top RMAC contenders, highlighted their resilience. Although the Cougars faced challenges on the road, where they went 4-8, they capped their season with a strong 83-66 road win over South Dakota Mines. Despite falling to Regis in the RMAC tournament's opening round, CCU's balanced play across home and neutral sites showcased a promising season.

2 > Carissa Ratliff is serving as the interim head coach for the Cougars. Ratliff has been with the CCU Athletic Department for five seasons and served as an assistant with the Cougars women's basketball program from 2019-2021. She takes over for the unannounced departure of Diane Thompson, who spent the prior three seasons with the Cougars.

3 > CCU claimed a 73-66 exhibition win over Denver Monday, rallying after trailing by 11 in the first quarter. Maggie Phipps led CCU with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 7-for-9 from three-point range. Maggie Hutka added 14 points and seven assists, while Victoria Perez contributed 12 points. CCU outscored Denver 23-13 in the third quarter, hitting 50% from three-point range overall.

4 > The Cougars are ranked eighth in the RMAC's 2024-25 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll, receiving 103 points.

5 > Colorado Christian University's Maggie Hutka has established herself as a critical force on the court, earning Second Team D2CCA All-Region honors in the South Central Region. Last season, the All-RMAC selection started 17 of 29 games, averaging 20.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, with a solid 49.4% field goal accuracy and a 76.0% free-throw rate. She led her team in minutes, logging 903, and her scoring prowess was matched by her ability to dominate defensively, pulling down 164 defensive boards and recording 36 steals. Her contributions played a key role in CCU's lineup and set a strong foundation for the season ahead.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST CCU
LCU and Colorado Christian have met three prior times (LCU leads the series 2-1), meeting the prior two CCU season openers (LCU won both) to mark the first meeting between the two squads since an invitational hosted by Colorado Christian on Dec. 3-4, 1993. The Dec. 4, 1993 meeting marked the first meeting, with Colorado Christian winning 72-55. LCU is 1-1 all-time in Lakewood against CCU after claiming a 60-46 win on Nov. 12, 2021 inside CCU Events Center.
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. CCU
Here is a look at LCU's top three active leaders career vs. CCU:
 
Audrey Robertson 3gp, 10.3 ppg, 2.0 steals p/g
Kennedy Chappell 1 gp, 10 points, 3/4 fg
Maci Maddox 3 gp, 8.7 ppg, 2/4 3fg, 3.0 a p/g
 
PRIOR MEETING AGAINST CCU
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (Nov. 10, 2023) - LCU 67 – CCU 62 (OT)
Audrey Robertson lifted Lubbock Christian University's Lady Chaparrals to a 67-62 overtime victory over Colorado Christian Friday, scoring the game-winning basket with 2:41 left in the extra period. Robertson, who led the Lady Chaps with 16 points and six rebounds, sealed the win as LCU improved to 2-1.
 
Lubbock Christian had three players in double figures. Maci Maddox added 12 points, six rebounds, and three steals, while freshman Kennedy Chappell contributed 10 points off the bench. The Lady Chaps' defense forced 17 turnovers, converting them into 18 points, edging CCU slightly in points off turnovers. CCU's Nicolle Bowlin scored a game-high 19 points, with Maggie Hutka adding 11.
LCU battled back from a 15-7 first-quarter deficit, closing within one by quarter's end. After taking a 21-18 lead early in the second, the Lady Chaps entered halftime trailing 35-32. A third-quarter surge, highlighted by a 9-0 run, handed LCU a 46-44 lead, which they carried into the fourth.
 
Though the Lady Chaps stretched the lead to 57-51 late in regulation, CCU forced overtime with clutch three-pointers from Bowlin and Hutka. In the extra period, LCU took control, outscoring the Cougars 10-5. Grace Foster went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in overtime, helping LCU to a 6-of-6 team performance from the stripe.
 
The Lady Chaps held CCU to 34.9% shooting, their best defensive performance this season. LCU's strong free-throw shooting (21-of-28, 80.8%) was pivotal, marking the third consecutive game they've scored 20 or more points from the line. This win marked LCU's fifth consecutive victory in a season road opener and extended their unbeaten streak over CCU to three straight years.