LUBBOCK, Texas (January 5, 2025) – Kimber Mathews led a balanced Lady Chaparrals offense with a career-high 21 points, including five three-pointers, as No. 18 Lubbock Christian University cruised to a 78-41 Lone Star Conference West Division victory over Sul Ross State on Thursday night at the Rip Griffin Center. Sul Ross State, in its inaugural season at the NCAA Division II level, transitioned from Division III and they are making their LSC debut this year. The matchup marked the first regular season meeting between the programs since Nov. 1, 2006.
The Lady Chaps (13-3, 7-1) had four players score in double figures, led by Mathews, who had 21 points to smash her prior career high of eight points. Audrey Robertson tacked on 15 points and two steals and Grace Foster helped out with 15 points and two blocks.
Lubbock Christian utilized fantastic ball movement in Thursday's game, piling up 21 assists on 29 made field goals. Individually, Kennedy Chappell, Martie McCoy and Maci Maddox (she also added 10 points) contributed the helping hand with four assists each. Maddox also finished with a whopping +42 plus/minus in a milestone performance, as she surpassed 1,000 points in her LCU career.
Lubbock Christian's defense held Sul Ross State to only 25 percent shooting from the field, including 20 percent from beyond the arc, while they shot 52.7% (29/55) from the field (12 of the 29 field goals were three-pointers). LCU also controlled the boards with a 44-32 rebounding advantage, which included a career-high 11 rebounds from Chappell.
SRSU dropped to 2-10 on the season and 1-7 in the LSC (1-3 in the West Division). Melody Martinez was their lone player in double figures, finishing with 11 points.
How It Happened
After jumping out to a 10-4 advantage on a 10-0 run, capped by a pair of field goals from Robertson, Lubbock Christian went on a 12-0 run with 6:03 left in the first quarter, culminating in a three from Chappell, to increase its lead to 22-4. The Lady Chaps relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down six long-range shots to account for 18 of its 25 points for a 25-8 through the opening quarter. Mathews, who entered the game with one three-pointer on the season, nailed three of the three-pointers and led LCU with 9 points in the frame.
Matthews added four free-throws, which was part of a 9-3 run starting at the 8:00 mark in the second period and increase its lead to 35-13. LCU hit three more three-pointers in the quarter, with a pair from Robertson to help LCU take a 46-24 advantage into halftime. Mathews (13) and Robertson (10) combined for 23 points in the first half to lead LCU in the half.
The Lady Chaps held the Lobos scoreless for the final seven minutes of the third quarter and went on an 11-0 run in the process. The run, punctuated by a basket from Audrey Spurgin, expanded its lead to 61-29 to close the third quarter. Lubbock Christian scored 12 of its 15 points in the paint and received six points in the period from Foster.
LCU expanding the lead to 73-38 in the fourth quarter before going on a 5-0 run, finished off by Mathews' three, to grow the lead to 78-38 with 3:10 to go in the contest. The Lady Chaps shot 63.6% (7/11) in the final frame and received eight points in the quarter from Mathews en route to the 78-41 win.
Game Notes
» The Lady Chaps shot well from three-point range, knocking down 12 of 27 long range attempts. The 12 makes matched a season high (had 12 against Black Hills State on Nov. 3, 2024) and the 27 attempts is a season high. The Lady Chaps made at least 10 three-pointers in a game for a fourth time this season and they have at least 10 three-pointers in consecutive games (had 10 Sunday at West Texas A&M). Jan. 19 and Jan. 21, 2023 marks the last time LCU had at least 10 three-pointers in consecutive games.
» The Lady Chaps held the Lobos to only 25 percent shooting from the field (15/60). In their last two home games (prior was Dec. 12, 2024 against St. Mary's), LCU has combined to hold
» LCU shot a season-high 52.7% (29/55) for their fourth game shooting 50% or better. LCU is 9-0 this season when shooting at least 42% in a game this season.
» The Lady Chaps put on a passing clinic, recording an assist on 72 percent of made baskets. Kennedy's four assists were a career high and McCoy's four assists matched a career high.
» Maci Maddox surpassed 1,000 points in her LCU career. She becomes the third active Lady Chaps member with at least 1,000 points. The last time LCU had three active players with at least 1,000 points was 2015-16, as Haley Fowler, Nicole Hampton, and Kelsey Hoppel met the milestone.
» The Lubbock Christian bench came alive by adding 32 points to its scoring output. They were two points off (34) from matching their season high, which was completed Dec. 12, 2024 in their prior home game.
» Lubbock Christian had a 44-32 edge on the boards in the win. Chappell led LCU with a career-high 11 rebound, with 10 on the defensive end of the floor.
» The Lady Chaps were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, recording seven blocks as a team. Reese Schumann had a season-high four blocks, which is tied for the most by a Lady Chaps member this season.
» Kimber Mathews led the Lady Chaps with a game-high 21 points. Her prior career high was eight points. She was 6-of-8 from the field and 5-of-6 from three-point range. The five three-pointers matched the most by a Lady Chaps member this season (third time a Lady Chaps member has had five treys in a game this season). To add to her night, she made a half-court shot during a halftime promotional event during the men's game against Sul Ross (following the Lady Chaps game).
» The win improved LCU to 6-0 at home on the season (4-0 in home LSC games).
» LCU won their 28th consecutive game in the head-to-head series against Sul Ross. The two teams were meeting for the 52nd time all-time but for the first time since Nov. 21, 2006 and the first meeting in Lubbock since Nov. 19, 2005. LCU is 3-0 all-time under head coach Steve Gomez against SRSU and they are 40-12 overall all-time against the Lobos.
Next Up
LCU aims to keep their perfect record in West Division play intact Saturday (4-0), as they are scheduled to host Western New Mexico at 1 p.m. inside Rip Griffin Center for a Lone Star Conference contest.
