Second-half run leads TSU past ACU
Wildcats fall to 3-6 in LSC South Division play
STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton State buried ACU under an avalanche of second-half 3-pointers Thursday night as the TexAnns beat the Wildcats, 83-59, at Wisdom Gym in a Lone Star Conference South Division women's basketball game.
The Wildcats are now 9-13 overall and 3-6 in the LSC South. ACU returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m. when it hosts Midwestern State, and the Wildcats enter that game needing to win out and get some help just to earn a spot in the LSC Post-Season Tournament.
Just like in the game between the two teams nine days ago in Abilene, the Wildcats fell behind early, trailing 22-12 midway through the first half. The Wildcats, though, battled back on the strength of an 13-2 run to take a 25-24 lead. But Tarleton closed the first half on a 13-6 run to take a 37-31 halftime advantage.
The TexAnns then opened the second half with a 15-8 run to push their lead to 52-39 with 14:44 to play in the game. But ACU responded by going on a 9-2 run – keyed by four points from Ashley King – to cut the lead to 54-48 with 10:36 left in the contest.
Tarleton State, however, put the game away with a 13-0 run over the next 2:16 that was led by senior point guard Katie Crawford's eight points. She scored the first eight points in the run with a 3-pointer, short jumper, and 3-pointer. D'Anna Dingler had a 3-pointer in the run, and Isha Brown – who scored 22 points – capped the run with two free throws at the 8:20 mark to make it 67-48.
ACU would get no closer than 16 points the rest of the way as it fell into sixth place in the LSC South Division standings. Senior forward Kierstan Barbee was the only Wildcat in double figures, finishing with 10 points. Jamie Lord, Audrey Maxwell, King and Lacey Blau each finished with eight points.
The Wildcats hurt themselves by hitting just 17 of 31 free-throw attempts – including starting 2 of 15 from the line – and committing 23 turnovers.
