LCU Lady Chaps Fall to Azusa Pacific in the NAIA Quarterfinals

Number 1 seeded Azusa Pacific defeated the No. 6 seeded Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaps 79-54 in the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Championship in Jackson, TN.

Azusa Pacific had control of the whole game, with a 42-30 lead at halftime before winning the game by 25 points.

The Lady Chaps two leading scorers were Emily Atkins, with 16 points, and April Ehlers who scored 12 points.

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Game recap from NAIA.org

Azusa Pacific Returns to Semifinals of NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship

Balanced offensive attack results in six Cougars in double figures

March 19, 2011

JACKSON, Tenn. - (Box Score) Azusa Pacific (Calif.) will return to the semifinals of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship for the second-consecutive year as the Cougars took down Lubbock Christian (Texas), 79-54, Saturday in Oman Arena. The 2010 runner-up improves to 31-5 and will collide with the winner of Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) and Campbellsville (Ky.) Monday at 8 p.m. CDT.

The Cougars will be making back-to-back semifinal appearances for the first time in 13 trips to the National Championship. They are 1-1 all-time in semifinal games, with the first coming in 1981.

Lubbock Christian ends its season with a 23-10 record. It was the third time the Lady Chaparrals had advanced the quarterfinals and made their first appearance in the round of eight since 2008. In eight trips to the event, they are now 10-8.

Azusa Pacific opened up an 11-point lead at 17-6 by knocking down seven of its first 11 looks in the opening 5:37. The Cougars lead grew to as many as 20 points when Amber Williams hit the front end of a one-and-one to put them up 36-16. Alex Moore-Porter went for 13 points as Azusa Pacific shot 57 percent from the field to hold a 42-30 advantage at the break. Both April Ehlers and Emily Atkins scored 10 points for Lubbock Christian in the opening half.

The Cougars cooled off in the second half, but still managed to connect on 42 percent of their looks at the hoop. Ehlers brought the Lady Chaps to within 11 with a bucket at 10:53, only to see Michelle Byrd answer by draining a 3-pointer. The Cougar attack was relentless, building up a 20-point cushion, 65-45, with under six minutes to go. Kristie Hala'ufia's bucket at 3:44 put them up by 26 points, their largest lead of the contest.

A balanced offensive effort was put forth by Azusa Pacific with six players finishing in double-figure scoring. Leading the way was Eboni Sadler with 21 points on a 7-of-11 performance from the floor and knocking down 7-of-10 free throw attempts. Other players finishing with double figures included Moore-Porter (13), Byrd (11), Hala'ufia' (10), Amber Williams (10) and Briana Hall (10). The Cougars out-rebounded Lubbock Christian 41-31 and limited the Lady Chaps to 30 percent from the floor.

Lubbock Christian was led by freshman Emily Atkins' 16-point outing. She was aided by 12 points from Ehlers. The next highest scorer was Severyn Smith with seven points. The Lady Chaps connected on just eight field goal attempts in the second half, three of which came from behind the arc.