LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
EASTERN NEW MEXICO (8-15, 4-13) at LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (17-7, 12-5)
Feb. 17, 2024 • 1 PM
Lubbock, Texas • Rip Griffin Center (1,950)
 

LONE STAR CONFERENCE BASKETBALL
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	WATCH	STATS
Eastern New Mexico	Lubbock, Texas	Sat. Feb. 17	1:00 p.m.	Video	Stats

FROM WEST TO EAST
Lubbock Christian University closes out their week of Lone Star Conference West Division action Saturday, hosting Eastern New Mexico for a 1 p.m. tip-off inside Rip Griffin Center. LCU heads into the contest with a 9-2 West Division record, which is second in the division behind 10-1 UT Permian Basin. In the LSC, the Lady Chaps are 12-5 and in a share of fifth place with Angelo State. The Lady Chaps have five regular season games remaining this season (all are LSC games and three are divisional contests).
 
SALUTATIONS
Saturday is Homecoming Weekend campus-wide and the Athletic Department is hosting a reception for former student-athletes during the basketball game(s). During halftime of the men's basketball 3 p.m. scheduled tip, the women's basketball seniors will be recognized for "Senior Day." Maci Maddox, Audrey Robertson and Shaylee Stovall will join student-assistant Cara Paschall are senior members scheduled for recognition.
 
THURSDAY TAMING
Led by a 63.6% shooting performance from beyond the three-point arc, the Lady Chaparrals beat Western New Mexico 59-45 Thursday in a Lone Star Conference West Division tilt inside Rip Griffin Center. The Lady Chaps had two players score in double figures, as Audrey Robertson and Maci Maddox each had 12-point performances. Deeper into the numbers, Robertson also provided four assists, two steals and two blocks, while Maci Maddox added five assists and a steal. Kennedy Chappell added seven points, five rebounds and two steals.
 
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 LSC leading 78.3% of their attempts (317/405, sixth nationally) and averaging 13.2 points a game from the line (79^th 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, leads the LSC and 13th nationally), which leads the squad (of qualifiers). Shaylee Stovall, who is 37-of-41 (90.2%), 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 this season. Foster ranks sixth in the LSC with an average of 15.5 points per game and Audrey Robertson is ranking 11th in the LSC with 14.2 points per game. Robertson and Maci Maddox are in the top-10 in minutes played, with Maddox second in the conference (sixth in the nation) with 37.3 minutes played per game (Robertson is eighth at 32.4). Maddox is second in the LSC with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.9 (has a 2.2 ratio in LSC play).

> Foster is averaging 6.3 rebounds per game (14th in the LSC), but is seventh in the LSC averaging 6.0 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 47 on the season (12th in LSC) and ranks ninth in the LSC with a pace of 2.0 steals per game. She opened the season with at least one steal in the first seven games (has had at least one steal in 20 of 24 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 is third in the LSC and 52^nd nationally with a 42.9% shooting percentage from the field. LCU leads the LSC and is third nationally in three-point shooting, as they are 132-of-346 (38.2%) from long range. The Lady Chaps are coming off a 7-of-11 (63.6%) shooting performance from three-point range against Western New Mexico.
 
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 Saturday 12-5 in LSC action, which has them tied for fifth place in the overall LSC standings. They are coming off a conference win (59-45 Thursday over WNMU), which put them 6-3 this season in LSC home games. Audrey Robertson leads LCU in LSC play with an average of 15.8 points a game (sixth in the LSC). She is joined in a double-figure scoring pace by Grace Foster (14.9 points, eighth in LSC). Foster is 45-of-52 (86.5%) from the free-throw line and spearheads a squad that is shooting 75.2% (197/262) from the line in conference action. Reese Schumann leads LCU on the boards in LSC action, with a pace of 6.8 rebounds a contest.

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 was ranked No.20 in week-nine's polls (last time LCU was ranked).

SO ARE SOME OTHERS
LCU fell to No.13 Texas Woman's (Jan. 25) UT Tyler (Jan. 27), placing them with a 0-4 record this season against nationally ranked programs (lost to No.17 Union in their season opener, No.12 Southern Nazarene on Nov. 25 prior to their losses last week to No.12 UT Tyler and No.13 TWU). 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 seven losses this season, four of the opponents have been nationally ranked and two opponents (Texas A&M International and Texas Permian Basin) were receiving votes.

OUR HOME
LCU is 9-4 at home this season. Grace Foster is leading LCU with 17.1 points per game on the home floor (also averaging 6.8 rebounds). The Lady Chaps, shooting 43.3% from the field inside "The Rip," are also receiving averages of 13.4 points from Audrey Robertson and 10.6 points a game from Maci Maddox. LCU is 173-of-230 from the free-throw line (75.2%) at home this season, with Shaylee Stovall 24-of-26 (92.3%) from the charity stripe. Foster is 22-of-42 (52.4%) from three-point range inside "The Rip," with Audrey Robertson marking the next closest Lady Chap leader in three-point shooting with 15 three-pointers made. Maci Maddox is 12-of-22 (54.5%) from outside at home.

SWEET HOME (ON) CHICAGO
The Lady Chaps, who went 12-2 at home last season, are 8-4 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 283-54 record (84.0%) in that span. In NCAA postseason play, the Lady Chaps are 24-3 all-time (88.9%). 
 
FIVE THINGS ABOUT ENMU
1 > The Greyhounds completed the past season with a 12-15 record last season, which included a 9-13 conference record and a share of fifth place in the West Division (6-8 divisional record). ENMU closed the regular season dropping their final five games.
2 > Eastern New Mexico has not had consecutive wins since opening the season 3-0, and they are seeking to halt a two-game losing skid after a 70-62 loss Thursday at West Texas A&M despite a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double performance from Ishuana Hunter. ENMU (8-15 overall) is 4-13 in conference and 4-7 in the West Division.
3 > ENMU is picked to claim 11th the LSC this season, as they were ranked No.11 (of 16) in the conference's Preseason Coaches' Poll. They were picked sixth in the West Division.
4 > The Greyhounds rank third in the LSC and 72^nd nationally in turnovers forced per game (18.4). They have forced the opposition into 25-or-more turnovers on four occasions this season. Surprisingly in the previous meeting, LCU (7) and ENMU (9) combined for 16 turnovers.
5 > Deja Adrian ranks third in the LSC in free-throw attempts (133) and is sixth in free-throw percentage at 78.9%. She is 22-of-26 from the line over the prior three games (84.6%).

THE SERIES AGAINST ENMU
The 'Hounds own a 24-21 all-time advantage against the Lady Chaps, but LCU has won 17 of the last 20 meetings. ENMU's win on Jan. 16, 2020 (69-68 in overtime in Portales, N.M.) ended a six-game win streak in the series for LCU, but LCU has responded with six consecutive wins in the series, including a 73-57 win in Portales on Jan. 18 (previous meeting). The Lady Chaps are 12-3 all-time against ENMU under head coach Steve Gomez. LCU is 7-3 all-time in Lubbock (7-4 if an exhibition game from 1988 is included).
 
RETURNING LADY CHAP LEADERS VS. ENMU
Top-three LCU active career leaders against ENMU:
 
Audrey Robertson 5gp, 12.4 points p/g, 8/16 3fg
Grace Foster 5gp, 11.2 points p/g, 7.0 reb. p/g
Reese Schumann 5gp, 7.8 points p/g, 15/20 fg

PREVIOUS RECAP VS. ENMU
Jan. 18, 2024 (Portales, N.M.) – LCU: 73 – ENMU: 57
Audrey Robertson and Reese Schumann each produced career-high 24-point performances, as Lubbock Christian University claimed their sixth consecutive victory with a 73-57 Lone Star Conference West Division road win over Eastern New Mexico inside Greyhound Arena.
 
The Lady Chaps (13-3, 8-1) had two players score in double figures, led by Reese Schumann, who notched her first career double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Audrey Robertson added 24 points and Grace Foster added four points, six rebounds and five assists.
 
Schumann matched a career high with 10 rebounds, with six on the offensive end. The Lubbock Christian defense held Eastern New Mexico shooters to just 39.7 percent from the field, including 12.5 percent from three-point range (2/16). ENMU (5-10, 1-8) did receive 26 points from Ishuana Hunter and 11 from Deja Adrian.