WICHITA FALLS -- Faced with an opportunity to take a large step toward a spot in the Lone Star Conference Post-Season Tournament, the ACU Wildcats instead took a huge step backwards in their pursuit of the post-season.
Midwestern State outscored ACU 13-3 in the final 4:08 of the game Saturday night on its way to a 64-61 win over the Wildcats in a key LSC South Division contest at D.L. Ligon Coliseum.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 15-10 overall and 5-5 in the LSC South and into a fourth-place tie with Angelo State (12-12 and 5-5), which beat Eastern New Mexico on Saturday. The Mustangs, meanwhile, won their first division game of the season to improve to 7-17 and 1-10.
In order to reach the LSC tournament, ACU must at least match what the Rambelles do over the final week of the season or finish one game ahead of ASU in the race for Bartlesville, Okla. ACU will host ENMU at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Moody Coliseum before closing the regular season next Saturday at West Texas A&M.
Angelo State, meanwhile, will play at Midwestern State next Wednesday before closing the regular season at home next Saturday against Tarleton State.
ACU appeared to be in good shape with 4:20 to play Saturday after two free throws by
Sara Montgomery put the Wildcats up 58-51.
But Savannah Carver scored three straight points to cut the lead to 58-54 with 3:47 to play before a free throw by Michelole Duff and a bucket by Nolisha Markham cut ACU's lead to 58-57 with 2:22 to play.
Jody Meyer hit 1 of 2 free throws with 1:26 to play to push ACU's lead to 59-57 before Carver buried a 3-pointer with 1:04 to play to put the Mustangs ahead 60-59.
Jamie Meyer answered with 45 seconds left to put ACU back in front 61-60, but Markham hit a jumper with 30 seconds to play to make it 62-61. She then hit two free throws with 13 seconds to play to push the lead to 64-61.
ACU called timeout with nine seconds to play, but didn't get a shot off before the buzzer sounded to end the contest.
The Wildcats dominated the first half, taking as much as a 15-point lead (34-19) on a layup by
Courtney Laing with 1:20 to play. ACU settled for an 11-point halftime lead (34-23), but the Mustangs rallied in the second half to deal the Wildcats' post-season hopes a severe blow.
Jamie Meyer finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while
Jody Meyer had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Wildcats.
