Box Score
ABILENE, Texas –
Alex Richman hit the game-sealing free throw with four seconds remaining and Abilene Christian University took a 72-68 victory over Dallas Christian at Moody Coliseum Monday night.
After a dismal first half from the field, the Wildcats hit 13 of 18 shots from the field in the second half and used an 8-0 run midway through the second half to take a 57-50 lead from which they never surrendered. The Crusaders got within three points of the lead at 71-68 when Isaac Gonzales hit two free throws with 1:51 remaining. However, neither team scored again until four seconds left when Richman was able to hit the second of two free throws to ensure the victory.
Giordan Cole scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench to pace ACU who out-rebounded DCC 35-23 for the contest. After shooting just 12 of 34 from the field in the first period, the Wildcats finished with a 48-percent shooting effort making 25 of 52 shots from the floor.
DCC's Chris Guillory hit two free throws with 11:38 remaining in the game to give the Crusaders their final lead of the game at 50-49. The Wildcats countered with eight consecutive points keyed by two buckets from
Ben Warton and a field goal apiece from Desmond Woodbery and
Preston Davis. Woodbery finished with 11 points.
In the losing effort, Isaac Gonzalez had 21 points and nine rebounds while Serafin Valdivia came off the bench to score 13. The Crusaders shot 49 percent from the floor, converted 6 of 12 3-point attempts and shot 82 percent from the free-throw line connecting on 14 of 27 attempts. However, DCC couldn't overcome 22 turnovers and lost the paint battle on the glass, and the Wildcats took 40 of its 72 points from the paint.
ACU improved to 2-1 on the season and returns to action Dec. 1 on the road against Texas-Permian Basin in Odessa.
