LAS VEGAS, Nev. (December 20, 2024) – No. 7 Lubbock Christian University plays their final game before hitting the Christmas Break Friday, facing No. 3 Montana State Billings at 11 a.m. (Central) to complete their stay at the Holiday Hoops Classic inside South Point Arena.
 

HOLIDAY HOOPS CLASSIC
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	VIDEO	RADIO	STATS
MSU Billings	Las Vegas, Nev.	Fri., Dec. 20	11 a.m.	Watch	None	Stats

RIDDLE ME THIS
A pivotal 7-0 fourth-quarter run by No. 8 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.) secured a 66-58 victory over the Lady Chaparrals in the Holiday Hoops Classic opener at South Point Arena on Thursday.
 
LCU (10-2) was led by Audrey Robertson, who matched her season high with 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Grace Foster added 15 points, six rebounds, and two blocks, while Maci Maddox contributed 14 points, four assists, and two steals. The trio combined for 86.2% of LCU's offense, scoring 50 of the team's 58 points.
 
Embry-Riddle (10-0) remained undefeated thanks to 19 points from Madyson Jean-Louis, who shot 6-of-9 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
 
The Eagles opened the game with a 6-0 run to take a 17-10 lead after LCU struggled offensively, shooting just 1-of-6 from the field. Maddox and Robertson scored all 12 points for LCU in the quarter, which ended with Embry-Riddle leading 17-12.
 
LCU responded with a 9-0 run in the second quarter, fueled by seven points from Robertson, to take a 19-17 lead. Embry-Riddle regained a 34-29 advantage before Maddox's three-pointer at the buzzer brought LCU within 34-32 at halftime.
 
After a back-and-forth third quarter, Robertson's late three-pointer tied the game at 48-48 heading into the final frame. Foster and Robertson each scored five points in the period for LCU.
 
The Lady Chaps briefly took a 54-53 lead with 4:31 remaining, but the Eagles' decisive 7-0 run put them ahead 60-54. LCU closed the game shooting 2-of-7 from the field and missed their final three attempts.
 
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 1,532 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 194 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 17 to surpass Carol Hise's mark of 733. Audrey Robertson recently joined Foster in the 1,000-point club with 1,134 career points, and Maci Maddox is on track to join them soon with 954 points—46 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.
 
HOLIDAY IN VEGAS 
The Lady Chaps last attended the Holiday Hoops Classic in December 2022, falling to No.13 Georgia Southwestern State and defeating No.15 Montana State Billings. They are 1-2 all-time in games played inside South Point Arena.
 
EYE-OPENING
The 2024-25 season marks LCU's 12th since leaving the NAIA and LCU is 297-59 record (83.4%) 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 both the WBCA and D2CSC. LCU is 1-2 against nationally ranked programs this season and each have been against programs in the top-10 nationally. Following Friday's game, LCU will have played four-of-five games against programs ranked in the top-10 nationally.
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT MSUB
1 > Montana State Billings has enjoyed a strong start to the 2024-25 women's basketball season, boasting an 12-2 overall record and an unbeaten 2-0 mark in conference play. The Yellowjackets have been dominant at home with a 7-1 record and have proven resilient on the road, going 2-0 in road games and 3-1 in neutral site matchups. Key early-season victories included a 76-45 win over Texas A&M International and a 64-58 road triumph against Western Washington. Their defense has been a hallmark, holding opponents under 60 points in nine games. MSUB is 1-1 in games played Las Vegas, falling 69-72 to No.23 Cal Poly Pomona Tuesday before rebounding for a 57-52 win Thursday over No.14 UT Tyler.
 
2 > MSUB had a historic 2023-24 campaign, finishing with an impressive 28-7 overall record and claiming the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Regular Season Championship with a dominant 16-2 conference record. The Yellowjackets showcased their resilience and consistency, posting a stellar 13-1 home record and a solid 11-3 record on the road. They advanced to the NCAA Division II West Region Championship game after defeating Chico State and host Azusa Pacific but narrowly fell to Cal State San Marcos in a tightly contested regional final. Throughout the season, MSUB was a defensive powerhouse, holding opponents to under 60 points on 16 occasions. The Yellowjackets are preseason picked to finish second in the GNAC this season.

3 > As a team, MSUB boasts an impressive scoring defense ranking 34th nationally and second in the conference, allowing just 54.9 points per game. This defensive prowess places them close to the conference leader, Alaska Anchorage, which holds opponents to 42.4 points per game.

4 > Kortney Nelson has been a standout contributor, ranking 24th nationally and second in the conference in made free throws, with 51 converted free throws. Her precision is further underscored by her fourth-place conference ranking in free throw percentage at 85.0%.

5 > Additionally, Nelson ranks 47th nationally and second in the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.93).
 
THE SERIES AGAINST MSUB
LCU has a 2-0 all-time record against Montana State Billings, as the two teams are meeting for a third time all-time and all three meetings have been since the 2021-22 season. The first meeting came at the D2CCA Tip Off Classic at the Trailhead (hosted by MSUB), where the Lady Chaps claimed a 67-61 road win (Nov. 6, 2021). The previous meeting was in Las Vegas and at South Point Arena, which was won by LCU 60-58 on Dec. 17, 2022. Both LCU and MSUB used to be Heartland Conference members. MSUB was in the Heartland for two seasons (2005-07).
 
ACTIVE LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. MSUB
LCU's active career leaders against MSUB:

Maci Maddox 1gp, 13 pts, 8 rebounds
Audrey Robertson 2gp, 12.0 pts, 9/14 fg
Audrey Spurgin 1 gp, 3 pts
 
PRIOR MEETING AGAINST MSUB
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Dec. 17, 2022) – LCU 60– MSUB 58
Audrey Robertson scored a career-high 19 points as Lubbock Christian University edged No. 15 Montana State Billings 60-58 at the Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas.
 
The victory marked LCU's first win over a ranked opponent and their first neutral-site win of the season. Despite going scoreless over the final 2:56, the Lady Chaps held on defensively. Robertson's final field goal at the 3:41 mark put LCU ahead 58-54, and they held MSUB to one made field goal in their final five attempts. MSUB's Cariann Kunkel missed a game-tying layup with 39 seconds remaining, and Kortney Nelson's last-second attempt at the buzzer also fell short.
 
LCU led for over 38 minutes, jumping out to a 19-11 first-quarter lead behind a 57.1% shooting effort. Robertson and Maci Maddox combined for 16 first-half points, helping LCU maintain a 32-29 halftime advantage. MSUB briefly took a 35-34 lead in the third quarter, but Maddox's jumper sparked an 11-4 LCU run, giving them a 45-39 edge heading into the final period.
 
Robertson, who went 7-of-10 from the field, was supported by Maddox (13 points, eight rebounds) and Carli Bostwick (11 points). LCU shot 41.5% overall and capitalized in the paint with a 32-16 scoring advantage. The Lady Chaps were also strong at the free-throw line, converting 13-of-15 attempts. MSUB's Natalie Andreas led her team with 16 points, while Nelson and Kunkel added 13 and 11, respectively. The Yellowjackets shot 93.3% from the line but struggled offensively during key stretches.