Wildcats fall to Regis, 60-54

Saturday, January 2

Pueblo, Colo.

3 p.m.

Abilene Christian

Regis

1/2/2010 7:05:01 PM | Women's Basketball

PUEBLO, Colo. -- Playing their first game in 12 days, the ACU Wildcats never found their shooting touch Saturday afternoon as they dropped a 60-54 decision to Regis (Colo.) in the opener of the CSU-Pueblo Chuck Stephens Women's Basketball Classic.

The Wildcats, who have dropped two straight games to fall to 7-5 on the season, will return to action Sunday at 7 p.m. (Abilene time) when they take on tournament host Colorado State-Pueblo. Regis, meanwhile, improves to 7-4 with the victory.

ACU killed its chances for its first win in 2010 with poor shooting throughout, but especially in the first half. The Wildcats trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half and went into halftime trailing 28-17 after shooting just 27.6 percent (8 for 29) from the field.

But the Wildcats responded with a quick 16-2 spurt to start the second half to take a 33-30 lead. ACU's leading scorer, Jamie Meyer, was held to six points in the first half, but she scored 14 of ACU's 16 points in the run to begin the second half.

But that's when Regis' leading scorer, Emily Kuipers, began to get hot. She scored nine points and grabbbed seven rebounds in the second half to lead Regis back into the lead.

Meyer got the Wildcats to withing 55-54 with a pair of free throws with 1:17 to play, but Chelsea Porter responded with a jumper with 50 seconds to play to make it 57-54, and Regis hit three free throws down the stretch to win it. The Wildcats went 0 for 3 from the field down the stretch as Regis sealed the win.

Meyer finished with 25 points and five rebounds, while Jody Meyer had 11 points and 14 rebounds. ACU shot just 31.7 percent from the field (20 of 63).