No. 2 Lubbock Christian prevailed in a rematch of the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship game as the Lady Chaps beat No. 20 Southwestern Oklahoma State by double digits. LCU, along with Eastern New Mexico, St. Edward’s, Tarleton and Texas A&M-Commerce remained unbeaten on the season.
LSC women’s basketball teams are 37-20 overall this season and 20-11 against Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, the other league in the NCAA South Central Region.
LSC schedule and results available here:
https://lonestarconference.org/calendar.aspx?path=wbball&
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Maddi Chitsey, Lubbock Christian, SR, Exercise Sports Science, F, Wall, Texas, Wall HS
Chitsey helped LCU to a 2-0 week, with home victories over Colo. Colorado Springs (UCCS) and No. 20 Southwestern Oklahoma State, leading LCU in scoring on the week with an average of 18 points a game. Against UCCS, Chitsey posted 10 points in the opening half and ended with 16 points in 19 minutes of playing time. She followed with a +18 plus/minus against SWOSU, leading all scorers with 20 points off an 8-of-14 shooting performance. Chitsey was 8-of-10 shooting inside the arc and also was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. She contributed two blocks and two assists in the win as well.
DEFENSIVE
Juliana Robertson, Lubbock Christian, JR, Social Work and Criminal Justice, F, Kerrville, Texas, Tivy HS
Robertson played a vital defensive role to lead LCU to a 2-0 week, with home victories over UCCS and No.20 Southwestern Oklahoma State. She had two steals, four assists and seven points in a win over UCCS, and then followed with a career-high 12 rebounds and four blocks against SWOSU. Robertson also had a steal and provided a pair of assists in the SWOSU contest. She also provided an offensive spark, as her lone field goal against SWOSU helped provide LCU's final lead change, as they came back from a five-point deficit against SWOSU for their 67th consecutive home victory. Robertson was part of an LCU defense that held the opposition to a 28.7% shooting percentage, including holding nationally ranked SWOSU to a 28.8% shooting mark.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
N-11 Mackenzie Hailey, Tarleton
N-18 Maddi Chitsey, Lubbock Christian
Defensive
N-11 Maddison Glass, Texas A&M-Commerce
N-18 Juliana Robertson, Lubbock Christian
SELECTED NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
De'Anira Moore, Angelo State, had a phenomenal weekend for Angelo State against Harding and Arkansas Tech. She registered 27 total points, averaging 13.5 for the weekend. Moore also registered five made free throws over seven attempts, shooting from the free throw line at a .714 percentage. Moore also registered two assists, five blocks, and two steals over the weekend. Moore has registered 21 total rebounds as well, 10 on offense, and 11 on defense.
Amaka Nwakamma, Cameron, During the Aggies trip to Hays, Kan. this past weekend, Nwakamma led the team with 16.5 points per game while shooting over 52 percent from the field. The CU senior scored a career-high 25 points on 8-14 shooting from the field against Nebraska-Kearney and then added eight points on 4-9 shooting against No. 7 Fort Hays State. Nwakamma also averaged 5.0 rebounds per game and was 8-10 from the free throw line during the two-game span.
Elizabeth Cathcart, Midwestern State, filled up the stat sheet in Saturday's 75-68 win over visiting Texas Wesleyan. The senior scored 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out four assists. 12 of Cathcart's 15 points came in the second half to help the Mustangs pull away from the Rams.
Deijah Blanks, St. Edward's, paced the offensive attack in two wins for St. Edward's last week. The senior forward averaged 22.5 points per game and shot 50 percent (19 of 38) from the floor over the two games. Blanks, a 5-foot-10 forward scored 22 points on 9 of 18 shooting with one 3-pointer and three free throws in a win against Southwestern last Thursday. Two days later she poured in 23 points on 10 of 20 shooting from the field, including 1 of 3 beyond the arc and 2 of 2 at the charity stripe, in a win against Huston-Tillotson. Blanks also chipped in on the boards and on the defensive end, as she averaged 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. The San Diego, California, native ranks third in the LSC with 19.0 points per game.
Alexus Jones, Texas A&M-Commerce, was on fire against Ouachita Baptist in the Lions' lone game last week. She made all six of her shots, including two shots from three in the game and scored 15 points in just 15 minutes on the floor. With the game close at halftime, Jones scored 11 points in the third quarter to spark the Lions to a big victory over OBU in their home opener.
London Archer, Texas Woman’s, was the highlight for the Pioneers in a 61-59 overtime loss to SEOSU last week. Playing 38 minutes, Archer finished with seven of 12 (58.3%) from the field with a game-high 20 points, the second highest offensive output in her second season at TWU.
Tyra Peck, Oklahoma Christian, poured in 25 points in the Eagles’ season-opening 90-66 loss at Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday night, going 8 of 13 from the field, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. She had 18 points in the first half alone, surpassing her previous collegiate high of 16, set in a win at St. Martin’s (Wash.) on Dec. 19, 2017. Peck averaged 3.7 points per game last season and 3.4 points per game as a freshman.
Kaitlyn Guillory, Tarleton State, secured a season high of 11 points and seven rebounds to help lead Tarleton to a 20-point win over East Central, 70-50. The junior sunk every shot she took. Saturday's win continued Tarleton's hot start to a 3-0 record and their second 20-point plus win this season.
Sammie Dufek, St. Edward’s, helped the Hilltoppers to a pair of wins last week, as the sophomore center set a career high in the process. The Flower Mound, Texas, native averaged 2.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks during the two-game span. She posted a career high with 16 rebounds in last Saturday's 71-59 win over Huston-Tillotson. Dufek's defensive presence was felt not only on the boards, where she grabbed 10 defensive rebounds in the two games, but also protecting the lane. The 6-foot sophomore center swatted away seven shot attempts last week. Dufek ranks eighth in the LSC with 2.0 blocks per game this season.
Alexis Bryant, Texas A&M-Commerce, was a wrecking crew on both ends of the floor for the Lions in their lone game against Ouachita Baptist last week. She 15 points and had a career-high 14 rebounds against the Tigers. On the defensive end, Bryant had a pair of blocks and also had a steal to go along with her double-double. Her rebounding ability on both ends of the court allowed the Lions to control the pace and keep OBU to just 54 points in the contest.
Lucy Benson, Tarleton, secured seven points, five rebounds, and three steals to help lead Tarleton to a 20-point win over East Central, 70-50. Saturday's win continued Tarleton's hot start to a 3-0 record and their second 20-point plus win this season.
Carissa Moody, Texas Woman’s, had a pair of blocks and posted her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 19 rebounds, her best rebounding effort since coming to TWU last year. She played 38 minutes in the overtime loss to SEOSU, 61-59.
Mar'Shalia Lollie, UAFS, led the Lady Lions on the defensive end while averaging 7 rebounds and adding two steals and two blocks over the weekend. She also managed to average 12 points per game while shooting extremely efficient 11-17 from the field (.647 percent).