Wildcats run streak to 4
2/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Wildcats run streak to four
ACU moves to within one win of clinching tourney spot
PORTALES, N.M. -- ACU won its fourth straight game Saturday night, whipping Eastern New Mexico, 78-57, at Greyhound Arena to move to within one win of clinching a spot in the Lone Star Conference Post-Season Tournament.
The victory capped a 2-0 road trip for the Wildcats, who opened the swing Thursday with a 79-71 win over arch-rival West Texas A&M in the WTAM Events Center. ACU is now 4-0 under interim head coach Shawna Lavender, who has her team sitting at 15-12 overall and 6-6 in the LSC South Division.
ACU is in fourth place in the LSC South, and the top four teams in each division at the end of the regular will play in the post-season tournament. ACU, which hasn't played in the tournament since the 1999-2000 season, is one game ahead of Texas Woman's, which is 5-7 after Saturday's win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Wildcats will host the Pioneers at 6 p.m. Thursday needing a win to clinch a spot in the tournament.
The Wildcats are fast becoming the team no one wants to see come tournament time, and they quickly put an end to any upset plans by the Zias.
ENMU jumped out to a 16-11 lead before ACU went on a 13-3 run to take control of the game. Kierstan Barbee had five points in the run, Jackie Vinson had a 3-pointer and Melanie Carter had four points to help the Wildcats grab a 24-19 lea with 8:51 left in the first half.
The Wildcats then used another big run late in the first half to put the Zias away. After allowing the Zias to creep back to within five at 32-27, the Wildcats closed the half on a 15-5 run that was sparked by freshman Ashley King, who scored six of her 12 points in the final 3:51 of the half. Leah Wilson also had a 3-pointer in the run, and Lynsie Blau had a layup with 11 seconds left in the half to give the Wildcats a 47-32 lead at the break.
ACU toyed with the Zias in the second half, never leading by less than 13 points. The Wildcats led by as many as 25 points on three occasions, the last coming at the 6:23 mark of the contest when Blau's jumper in the lane gave ACU a 70-45 lead.
Carter -- who earned LSC South Division Player of the Week honors for her play in the two road wins -- led all scorers with 13 points, while Blau had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
