DENTON, Texas (March 15, 2025) – No. 10 Lubbock Christian University surged in the third quarter and sealed the game at the free-throw line to claim a 73-60 "Rivalry on the Range" victory over No. 6-seed West Texas A&M. The No. 2-seed Lady Chaps defeated WT for the fourth time this season, eliminating the Lady Buffs and securing a spot in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional championship game. In the Sweet Sixteen, LCU will face No. 1 and top-seeded Texas Woman's Monday night inside Kitty Magee Arena, with a trip to the Elite Eight in Pittsburgh, Pa., on the line.
The Lady Chaps (31-4) had four players score in double figures, led by Maci Maddox, who recorded 22 points and two steals. Reese Schumann, Audrey Robertson, and Grace Foster each added 12 points, with Robertson also contributing four steals.
Lubbock Christian capitalized on its defensive pressure, scoring 21 points off turnovers and holding the Buffaloes to just 16.7 percent shooting from three-point range.
West Texas A&M (19-13) was led by a stellar performance from Taylor Haggan, who tallied 26 points and 16 rebounds, shooting 13-for-18 from the field. Claire Graham added 11 points, while Chloe Callahan chipped in 12 off the bench. Despite out-rebounding LCU 42-30, the Buffaloes struggled with efficiency, especially in the third quarter when they managed just nine points on 33.3 percent shooting.
How It Happened
West Texas A&M started strong, taking a 15-13 lead after the first quarter behind a balanced offensive attack. The Lady Buffs knocked down two early three-pointers and built a seven-point advantage at 12-5 with 3:06 left in the frame. Lubbock Christian responded with a late push, as Kimber Mathews and Maddox combined for a 6-1 spurt to close the gap heading into the second quarter. Maddox (5) and Robertson (4) combined for nine of LCU's 13 points in the frame.
The second quarter saw both teams trade leads, with five lead changes occurring in the period. Robertson drilled two key three-pointers to help LCU keep pace, but West Texas A&M extended its advantage to six points at 23-17 after a pair of free throws from Callahan at the 8:35 mark. However, Lubbock Christian answered with a crucial 8-2 run, capped by another Robertson three, to cut the deficit to one. Maddox and Robertson each had eight points in the period and LCU trailed 33-32 at the break. The pair of Lady Chaps were a combined 5-of-8 from three-point range in the half and combined for 25 points (13 by Maddox).
After the break, Lubbock Christian took control. The Lady Chaps came out firing in the third quarter, opening with a 6-0 run to push their lead to 38-33. West Texas A&M struggled offensively, managing just one field goal in the first five minutes of the period. Meanwhile, LCU continued to attack the basket, drawing fouls and converting at the line, going 8-for-9 from the stripe. A late layup by Schumann extended the lead to 54-42 entering the final period, as LCU out-scored WT 22-9 in the frame, behind seven points from Grace Foster and six from Reese Schumann. The Lady Chaps were 7-of-14 from the field and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe in the quarter.
In the fourth, Lubbock Christian maintained its advantage, keeping West Texas A&M at bay. The Lady Buffs cut the deficit to nine at 60-51 with 3:28 remaining, but Maddox and Foster iced the game at the free-throw line, combining for 10 points in the final minutes. The Lady Chaps went 13-of-15 from the free-throw line to offset a 3-of-10 shooting performance from the field.
Game Notes
» The Lady Chaps and Lady Buffs showed glimpses of solid defense. LCU held WT to 3-of-18 (16.7%) from three-point range. WT held LSC Player of the Year Grace Foster scoreless in the first half. Foster was able to rebound in the second half with 12 points.
» LCU out-scored WT 24-13 from the free-throw line, as LCU shot 24/29 (82.8%) from the line, while WT was 65% (13/20) from the stripe. Foster was 8-for-8 from the line and is now 17-of-17 in the regionals from the free-throw line. She is 31-of-31 in the last four combined games.
» Lubbock Christian improved to 6-3 on the season when trailing at halftime.
» Audrey Robertson appeared in her 156th career game, which breaks an LCU record, as she passed Allie Schulte (Hicks), who played in 155 games from 2017-22.
» Maci Maddox led the Lady Chaps with 22 points, as she has led LCU in scoring in two of the last three games played.
» LCU advances to the Sweet Sixteen and regional championship round for the first time since Mar. 13, 2023 (in San Angelo, Texas, where they faced UT Tyler) and it is their seventh time advancing this deep into the postseason.
» LCU is now 26-4 all-time in NCAA postseason play and 17-3 all-time in regional play.
» The Lady Chaps are now 8-3 in neutral site contests this season.
» LCU defeated WTAMU for the fourth time this season, completing a 4-0 sweep in their season series. The victory marked LCU's sixth consecutive win over WTAMU, improving their all-time record in the matchup to 14-6. This was the fourth meeting between the teams in an NCAA postseason contest—the most for LCU—and their first-ever postseason clash on a neutral site that was not for a regional title. With the win, LCU improved to 3-1 all-time against WTAMU in NCAA postseason play.
Next Up
LCU and tournament host TWU will battle in the regional championship game Monday at 7 p.m. inside Kitty Magee Arena, with a trip to Pittsburgh at stake.
