Wildcats split pair
11/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Wildcats split pair at ACU Classic
ACU beats Incarnate Word, fall to Griffons
ABILENE -- ACU split a pair of games last weekend in the ACU Classic, whipping Incarnate Word before falling to No. 2-Ranked Missouri Western.
The Wildcats, 2-3 on the season, got the classic started right Friday with a 69-47 pasting of Incarnate Word. However, Saturday afternoon, ACU let a 11-point lead slip away against the Griffons in a 77-59 loss.
Against Incarnate Word, freshman guard Ashley King had 16 points (5 of 11 shooting, including 4 of 5 from 3-point range), five rebounds and four assists to pace the Wildcats. Junior all America center Melanie Carter had 10 points and eight rebounds in just 24 minutes.
ACU led just 25-23 at halftime, but outscored the Lady Crusaders 44-24 in the second half. The Wildcats shot 46.2 percent in the second half, including 5 of 8 (62.5 percent) from 3 point range.
The Wildcats finished 23 of 26 from the free throw line after hitting their first 22 free throws.
On Saturday against Missouri Western, ACU raced out to a 25-14 lead with 6:45 left in the first half, capping a 14-1 ACU run over an eight-minute span. Lynsie Blau had six points in the run.
However, the Lady Griffons (2-0) quickly rallied, going on a 20-2 run over the final 6:35 of the first half to take a 34-27 halftime lead. Carlissa Holland had eight points in the run.
ACU got the lead down to three points early in the second half, but Missouri Western then went on an 11-3 run from the 17:56 mark to the 14:15 mark of the second half, taking a 45-34 lead. The Lady Griffons' largest lead was 22 (63-41) with 7:50 to play.
Missouri Western's Steph Jones -- who scored 33 points in two games -- was named the ACU Classic MVP. She was joined on the all-tournament team by ACU's Stephanie Riles (26 points, seven rebounds) and Melanie Carter (21 points, nine rebounds), Missouri Western's Danielle McKinney (29 points, nine rebounds), Incarnate Word's Amy Mueller (21 points, 3 assists) and Texas Woman's Keshun Irving (20 points, 6 rebounds).
The Wildcats will return to action next weekend when they take on St. Mary's and Oklahoma Panhandle State at the West Texas A&M 7-Up Classic in Canyon.
