LUBBOCK, Texas (December 12, 2024) – No. 7 Lubbock Christian University has three games left before the Christmas break, starting with their final Lone Star Conference matchup prior to the break. They host St. Mary's, undefeated in LSC play and riding a three-game win streak, Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Rip Griffin Center.
  

LSC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	VIDEO	RADIO	STATS
St. Mary's	Rip Griffin Center	Thur., Dec. 12	5:30 p.m.	Watch	None	Stats

LIKE A BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK
LCU suffered its first loss of the season, falling 58-40 to No. 2 Texas Woman's in Lone Star Conference play Friday in Denton, Texas. The Lady Chaps (9-1, 3-1) struggled offensively with 29 turnovers and a third-quarter drought, failing to make a field goal for 8:27. LCU's defense held TWU to 31.5% shooting and tallied nine blocks, led by Reese Schumann with three. Audrey Robertson paced LCU with 10 points, while Grace Foster and Kennedy Chappell added seven points and five rebounds each. TWU (9-1, 2-1) capitalized on a 54-34 shot advantage and a 24-15 edge in fouls. Averee Kleinhans (15 points) and Leila Patel (13 points) led the Pioneers, who made 18 free throws.
 
CHAP-TIVATING STATS: 5 LADY CHAP FACTS
1 > Foster's Dominance Shines: Grace Foster continues to shine as the driving force behind LCU's impressive start. She leads the Lone Star Conference in scoring (20.2 PPG), blocks (18), and field goals made (68), while ranking 12th nationally in scoring. Foster also boasts five double-doubles this season, ranking second in the LSC, and is the conference leader in free throws made (46). Her ability to impact both ends of the court cements her as a top contender for postseason honors.
 
2 > On-Point: Maci Maddox remains indispensable as LCU's floor general. She leads the LSC in minutes per game (36.4) and ranks 20th nationally. Her assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.25 places her first in the conference and 35th nationally, while her 33 total assists rank second in the LSC. Maddox's control has been pivotal in LCU maintaining the LSC's best assist-to-turnover ratio (0.94) and committing just 13.4 turnovers per game, the 23rd-best mark in D-II..
 
3 > Defensive Prowess: The Lady Chaps' defense continues to stifle opponents, ranking 21st nationally in scoring defense (53.7 PPG) and 19th in field goal percentage defense (34.0%). They dominate on the boards, with their 28.7 defensive rebounds per game ranking 46th nationally and third in the LSC.
 
4 > Charity: LCU's precision at the free-throw line is a cornerstone of their success, ranking 18th nationally and second in the LSC with a 78.4% free-throw percentage. Grace Foster leads the way with 46 made free throws (18th nationally), while Maci Maddox bolsters the effort with an 82.3% conversion rate.
 
5 > Deep Threat Duo: LCU's shooting prowess extends beyond the arc, with the team ranking 27th nationally in three-point percentage (36.4%). Grace Foster has knocked down 24 triples, leading the LSC and ranking 19th nationally, while Audrey Robertson has added 22 treys, placing her second in the LSC and 31st nationally. Their combined perimeter threat complements LCU's balanced offensive attack.
 
MILESTONING 
Grace Foster continues to cement her place in Lubbock Christian University history, surpassing 1,500 career points—a milestone last reached by Allie Schulte on Feb. 3, 2022. Foster's 1,512 career points rank 16th among active NCAA Division II players and place her within striking distance of the program's all-time top five scorers; she needs just 214 points to overtake Emily Pool (Atkins) for fifth place. In addition, Foster is closing in on fifth all-time in career rebounds at LCU, needing 32 to surpass Carol Hise's mark of 733. Audrey Robertson recently joined Foster in the 1,000-point club with 1,107 career points, and Maci Maddox is on track to join them soon with 928 points—72 shy of becoming LCU's third active player with 1,000 career points. If Maddox reaches the mark, it will mark the first time since the 2015-16 season that LCU has had a trio of 1,000-point scorers, following the legendary group of Haley Fowler, Nicole Hampton, and Kelsey Hoppel.
 
JUMPED RIGHT IN 
LCU is the only Lone Star Conference program with four conference games played this season, boasting a 3-1 record. They are averaging 60.2 points per game, with a +4.0 scoring margin. Grace Foster leads with 16.8 PPG (third in the LSC), shooting 46.7% from the field and 89.5% from the free-throw line. Audrey Robertson adds 11.8 PPG, while Maci Maddox contributes 7.0 PPG and 2.8 assists per game. The Lady Chaps convert 77.9% from the charity stripe and average 13.3 turnovers. Defensively, they tally 6.3 steals and 4.5 blocks per game, maintaining a +1.3 turnover margin.
 
SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO 
LCU has been dominant at home, achieving a perfect 4-0 record this season, including 2-0 in conference play. The Lady Chaps have averaged 73.2 points per game, outscoring opponents by a margin of +15.3 points. Their shooting efficiency has been strong, converting 43.0% from the field and 34.2% from beyond the arc while limiting opponents to 35.2% shooting. They've also excelled at the free-throw line, making 83% of their attempts and averaging 20.8 points per game from the stripe. Defensively, LCU has been solid, holding opponents to 58.0 points per game and maintaining a rebounding edge of +3.8 boards per game. Grace Foster has led the way, averaging 23.5 points and 9.0 rebounds, while Audrey Robertson (12.0 PPG) and Maci Maddox (11.3 PPG) have provided additional scoring support. The team has showcased balanced play with 14.0 assists and 11.3 turnovers per game, along with a stellar 1.2 assist-to-turnover ratio. LCU's success is also evident in critical wins, such as a 61-56 conference victory over St. Edward's and an 87-61 rout of Midwestern State.
 
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 296-58 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. They were receiving votes in the WBCA Preseason Poll (Division II).
 
In the latest polls, for both national Division II polling organizations, LCU is ranked No.7 by WBCA and No.9 by D2CSC.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT StMU
1 > St. Mary's University has had a strong start to the 2024-25 season, boasting a 6-2 overall record and an unblemished 2-0 mark in Lone Star Conference play, good for third place in the East Division standings (0-0 in the East). The Rattlers have been consistent across different venues, with a 3-1 record at home, 2-0 on the road, and 1-1 at neutral sites. Despite opening with two tough exhibition losses to Division I opponents (UTSA and UT Rio Grande Valley) and an early season setback against Colorado School of Mines, they rebounded with key wins, including a nail-biter over Regis and a notable victory against Oklahoma Baptist. Their current three-game win streak is highlighted by dominant performances against Western New Mexico and Sul Ross State, reflects their ability to build momentum heading into crucial conference matchups.
 
2 > StMU faced a challenging 2023-24 women's basketball season, finishing with a 6-22 overall record and a 6-16 mark in Lone Star Conference play. Despite their struggles, the Rattlers showed resilience, claiming key conference victories over opponents such as Eastern New Mexico, Midwestern State, and Texas A&M-Kingsville. They closed the season on a high note, securing a narrow 49-47 win over Lubbock Christian at home and earning a road victory against St. Edward's in their final regular-season matchup. However, their struggles on the road (2-10) and in neutral-site games (0-3) highlighted their inconsistency away from Bill Greehey Arena, where they posted a 4-9 record. The Rattlers ranked near the bottom of the East Division standings, tied with Oklahoma Christian at 3-11 in divisional play and finishing just above Western New Mexico in conference performance. Last season's results led to StMU taking the No.13 ranking in the LSC Preseason Poll heading into the current season.

3 > St. Mary's leads the LSC and ranks 18th nationally with an impressive average of 4.6 blocked shots per game. Freshman Raynne Malik has been a dominant presence, tallying 15 blocks across eight games to lead the conference and rank 26th nationally in blocks per game (1.88). Her efforts contributed to the team's single-game school record of 12 blocks against Sul Ross State.

4 > The Rattlers have controlled the glass with a +9.0 rebound margin, placing them second in the LSC and 26th nationally. They rank first in the conference and 20th nationally in defensive rebounds per game (30.3), with contributions from five players who have led or tied for the team lead in rebounds this season, including Christin Callens and Imani Ivery.

5 > Freshman Christin Callens has emerged as a consistent scorer, ranking fourth in the Lone Star Conference and 65th nationally with 17.0 points per game. She also leads the league in field goal percentage at 56.5%, placing her 26th among all Division II players. Callens has scored in double figures in every game this season, highlighting her reliability on the offensive end.
 
THE SERIES AGAINST StMU
LCU leads the all-times series 21-4 over StMU. The Lady Chaps are 18-3 against the Rattlers since the 2013-14 season and are 12-0 all-time against StMU in Lubbock. LCU had a 12-game win streak (against StMU) snapped last season, as the Rattlers defeated LCU 49-47 in San Antonio on Feb. 24. Seven of the last eight meetings have been in Lubbock.
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. StMU
LCU's active career leaders against StMU:

Grace Foster 3gp, 11.0 pts, 7.3 rebounds
Martie McCoy 1gp, 8 pts, 2 blocks
Maci Maddox 6gp, 6.0 pts.
 
PRIOR MEETING AGAINST StMU
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Jan. 24, 2024) – StMU 49– LCU 47
Grace Foster's potential game-winning three-pointer missed the mark at the buzzer, and Lubbock Christian University fell 49-47 to St. Mary's at Bill Greehey Arena.
 
Foster led the Lady Chaparrals with 14 points, six rebounds, and two blocks, while Maci Maddox added 13 points and four assists. Audrey Robertson chipped in four points and two steals. Despite a strong effort on the boards, including 16 offensive rebounds resulting in eight second-chance points, LCU couldn't complete its comeback.
 
Stina Svilberg led the Rattlers with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Taylor Haggan added 11 points and 10 rebounds for a pair of double-doubles.
 
The Lady Chaps overcame a sluggish start, trailing 14-8 after the first quarter and 27-22 at halftime. They fought back with a 10-2 scoring edge in the paint during the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 36-34 entering the fourth. Foster's three-pointer gave LCU a brief 37-36 lead early in the final period, but St. Mary's responded and held LCU scoreless from the field over the last four minutes.
 
The loss snapped LCU's 12-game win streak in the series, marking St. Mary's first victory over the Lady Chaps since Dec. 31, 2016.