ABILENE -- Midwestern State used a 26-8 second-half run to turn an eight-point deficit into a 10-point lead on its way to an 84-72 win over the ACU Wildcats in a Lone Star Conference South Division men's basketball game at Moody Coliseum.
The Wildcats' fifth straight loss drops them to 8-16 overall and 3-6 in the LSC South, while Midwestern State improves to 15-9 and 4-5. The loss delivers a big blow to ACU's already flickering hopes for a berth in the LSC Post-Season Tournament. ACU is now in sixth place in the LSC South Division standings, trailing fourth-place MSU by one full game. However, the Mustangs hold any tiebreaker edge over ACU because they swept the Wildcats this season.
ACU will be back in action Tuesday at 8 p.m. when it plays West Texas A&M in Canyon, and almost every game is now a must-win game for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats appeared ready to snap their four-game losing streak when they took an eight-point lead (44-36) with 17:04 to play in the game when Will Alexander converted a steal into a layup. But that's when the Mustangs woke up as they outscored ACU by 18 points over the next 5 minutes, 42 seconds.
LaKeith Grant had six points of his 14 points in the run, while Chad Rickett had five of his game-high 22 points in the spurt.
ACU cut the lead to 67-62 with 4:07 to play after two free throws from Mauro Matai, but Eric Dawson -- MSU's best inside player who finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks off the bench while battling flu-like symptoms -- answered with a thunderous dunk and a free throw on the other end, pushing the lead back to 70-62.
Midwestern State's next 12 points came at the free throw line as the Indians salted the game away. MSU, in fact, was 29 of 35 from the free throw line, including a whopping 18 for 22 (82 percent) in the second half. ACU, meanwhile, was just 12 of 19 from the line in the game.
Demarcquez Rembert led the Wildcats with 19 points, while
Tiago Souza had 17 before fouling with five minutes to play. Matai had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Alexander and Cameron Holson each had 10 points. ACU had only four points off the bench with all of those coming from Josh Bigby.
