MSU knocks ACU from first place
Wildcats' late rally comes up short in 78-75 loss
WICHITA FALLS – Midwestern State withstood a furious late second-half rally by ACU to take a 78-75 win over the Wildcats in a crucial Lone Star Conference South Division contest Saturday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
The Lady Indians' victory snaps ACU's six-game winning streak, but, more importantly, knocks the Wildcats out of a first-place tie in the division with West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico, both of which their division games Saturday night. ACU is now 17-8 overall and 9-3 in the LSC South, while WTAM and ENMU are each 10-2 and tied atop the division.
ACU will host both the Lady Buffs (Thursday at 6 p.m.) and the Zias (Saturday at 2 p.m.) next week in the regular-season finale for all three teams before the start of the LSC Post-Season Tournament the next week. The easiest formula that would give the Wildcats the LSC South Division title and the right to host the post-season tournament is to beat both the Lady Buffs and the Zias and hope rival Angelo State can do the same.
The Wildcats can still win the division by virtue of the LSC tie-breaking rules, but one thing remains the same in that formula: ACU must win both games. The LSC Post-Season Tournament will begin Tuesday, March 2. The top four teams in each division will reach the tournament, and the top two teams in each division will host quarterfinal games on March 2.
The Wildcats trailed 76-65 with 2:39 to play after a big run by the Lady Indians gave them their seemingly insurmountable 11-point lead. But Leah Wilson hit a couple of baskets to key a run that brought ACU to within 77-75 with less than 45 seconds to play.
The Lady Indians then proceeded to miss three straight free throws before Jel-Ani Armstrong hit a free throw with 18 seconds to play. ACU had the final shot of the game, but Kierstan Barbee's jumper with four seconds left was errant after she was knocked to the floor. No foul was called, and the Lady Indians were able to run out the clock.
The win was especially important for the Lady Indians, who have to win out and hope Angelo State loses two of its last three games to reach the tournament. MSU, picked to win the LSC South Division before the season started, is 6-6 in the division.
The Wildcats were led by senior forward Melanie Carter who scored 24 points and pulled down eight rebounds, while sophomore Ashley King scored 15 and Barbee 12. King hit two 3-pointers to give her 57 on the season, tying the single-season school record she shares with Anita Vigil.
