KINGSVILLE -- The ACU Wildcats shot just 39 percent from the floor Saturday afternoon and Texas A&M-Kingsville took advantage as the Javelinas pulled away for a 76-65 win over the Wildcats in Lone Star Conference South Division men's basketball action at the Steinke Center.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 8-14 overall and 1-6 in the LSC South, while the Javelinas improve to 12-10 and 2-5. ACU is off for a week until it hosts Angelo State next SAturday at 4 p.m. at Moody Coliseum.
The Wildcats were cold from the field most of the day, hitting just 24 of 61 shots from the field (39.3 percent), including just 4 of 21 from 3-point range (19 percent).
Kingsville wasn't much better from the field, hitting just 25 of 60 shots (41.7 percent), including 4 of 19 from 3-point range (21.1 percent). The biggest difference in the game came at the free throw line where the Javelinas hit 22 of 31 compared to ACU's 13 of 15 and in turnovers where the Wildcats had 18 compared to only 11 for Kingsville.
After trailing by as many as eight points in the second half, the Wildcats were able to get their deficit to just five points with 6:53 to play when
Eddie Thompson hit a free throw to make it 53-48.
But Kingsville ran off a 15-8 run over the next five minutes to seal the victory, pushing its lead to 68-56 with 1:30 to play.
Thompson led the Wildcats with 13 points, while
Giordan Cole had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
