ACU comeback attempt falls short
ACU drops 60-57 heartbreaker to fall to 1-6
ABILENE -- Northeastern State was perfect from the free throw line inside the final minute Saturday afternoon as the Redmen held off a valiant comeback attempt by the ACU Wildcats in a 60-57 NSU win in a Lone Star Conference crossover game at Moody Coliseum.
The loss is the sixth straight for the Wildcats, who fall to 1-6 on the season. ACU will be back in action next weekend when it plays Grace (Neb.) at 5:30 p.m. Friday and then again at 2 p.m. Sunday, both at Moody Coliseum.
The Wildcats appeared to be on the verge of being blown out Saturday afternoon, falling behind 51-30 with 11:12 to play on a jumpber by Bret Ruben.
That's when ACU senior transfer Demarcquez Rembert took over, outscoring the Redmen 13-0 over the next five minutes to cut the lead to 51-43 with 6:03 to play. Rembert hit three 3-pointers in the run and added a short jumper and a layup to cut the lead to single digits.
Lamont George answered with a 3-pointer at the 4:57 mark to push the lead back to 54-43. But ACU would not die as Rembert buried another jumper, followed by two free throws by Tiago Souza and a layup and a free throw by Mauro Matai. The final point in the 7-0 run cut the lead to 54-50 with 1:10 left.
But that's when the Redmen took over at the free throw line. Pat Moore hit a pair of free throws with 53 seconds to play to make it 56-50, but ACU would not go away as Souza hit a layup with 42 seconds left to make it 56-52.
After a foul by Matai, Sid Melvin hit a pair of free throws to push the lead back to 58-52. But once again Souza answered, this time burying a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left to cut the lead to 58-55. After a turnover by Sid Melvin with 23 seconds left, Rembert was fouled as he drove the lane. He hit both free throws with 11 seconds left to cut the Redmen lead to 58-57.
ACU was forced to foul again, and Ty Merchant hit both free throws with six seconds left for a 60-57 NSU lead. ACU got the ball inbounds quickly and pushed it up the floor, but Souza's 3-point attempt at the buzzer was on-line, but just short, and the Redmen walked away with their second win of the season over the Wildcats.
Rembert led all scorers with 21 points, while freshman Cameron Holson added 13 for the Wildcats. George had 18 points for the Redmen, while Ruben had 14.
