Box Score LUBBOCK, Texas (Jan. 9, 2016) – No. 2-ranked Lubbock Christian (Texas) had routinely rolled opponents all season, entering Saturday's game with Oklahoma Christian second in NCAA Division II in scoring margin.
LCU sprinted to a 13-0 lead against the Lady Eagles in the first 3½ minutes and although OC rallied, the Lady Chaparrals eventually pulled away for a 100-61 win at the Rip Griffin Center.
LCU (13-0, 5-0 Heartland Conference) beat OC (6-9, 3-2) for the ninth straight time and ended the Lady Eagles' three-game road winning streak.
Kelsey Hoppel scored 11 of her 25 points during the Lady Chaps' run to open the game and her steal and layup made it 13-0 at the 6:35 mark of the first quarter.
Behind freshman guard
Addy Clift, the Lady Eagles made their run. Her fifth 3-pointer of the first half pulled the Lady Eagles within 36-31 with 4:38 left in the second quarter and it looked like anyone's game, even with two of OC's top players,
McKenzie Stanford and
Sydney Hill, sidelined with foul trouble.
But in a span of less than two minutes, the Lady Chaps scored 15 straight points, highlighted by three-point plays be Hoppel and Nicole Hampton, and they led 51-31 with 2:21 left in the half after two free throws by Allison Szabo. LCU led 59-38 at halftime.
"Foul trouble for Stanford and Hill hurt us in the first half and we never recovered," OC coach
Stephanie Findley said.
Lubbock Christian started the second half nearly as well as the first, scoring the first 12 points to build its lead to 33 points.
Clift scored 19 of her 21 points in the first half to lead OC, while
Sarah Parker added 13 points. It was the sixth straight game in which Clift, who went 5-of-8 from 3-point range, reached double figures in scoring. The Lady Eagles shot 32.3 percent (21 of 65) from the field.
"Addy had a great game and was not intimidated by them at all," Findley said. "I was really proud of the way she took it to them and never quit.
Sarah Parker had a good game as well, considering their height. She was able to stretch them out with her threes and take it at them inside."
Hoppel went 11-of-14 from the field for LCU and scored her 25 points in 22 minutes. Hampton added 16 points and seven assists and Tess Bruffey had 14 points for the Lady Chaps. The Lady Chaps shot 58.5 percent (38 of 65) from the field.
The Lady Eagles' three-game, five-day road trip will end Monday with a game at Texas-Permian Basin.
