Box Score
ODESSA, Texas – Sophomore Mack Lankford sparked a late Abilene Christian rally with 29 second-half points, but the Wildcats' comeback bid ultimately fell short in a 77-67 loss at UT-Permian Basin Tuesday night.
Lankford, who finished the game with 33 points on 10-of-19 shooting, came alive after the Wildcats (1-1) trailed by as many as 12 with 17:54 remaining. First she hit one of two 3-pointers (with
Hillari Adam) that trimmed the deficit to six, and then rolled off 12 straight points in five minutes that got ACU within four at 53-49.
Lankford followed with consecutive 3-pointers that made it a one-point game with 3:42 left, and then her jumper at the 2:40 mark provided the Wildcats' their first lead at 63-62.
ACU's lead did not last long, however, as the Falcons responded with a 15-4 game ending run following the final media timeout. Nine of those points came from the free-throw line, from where UTPB shot 81 percent (21-of-26).
Tammy Acosta was one of four Falcons (4-2) to hit double figures with a team-best 21 points. Teisha King and Lauren Unger (5-of-7 from 3-point range) each contributed 15, while Taniqua Ards poured in 11.
Lankford's 33 points marked her second highest single-game total. Last year she scored 35 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State, and later tallied 32 vs. A&M-Commerce and 31 against Eastern New Mexico.
Junior
Kelsey Smith was the only other Wildcat to hit double figures with 13 points. She also added eight rebounds and two blocks.
ACU started the game trailing 8-0 before scoring its first points at 14:36 on a pair of free throws by
Cecilee Perez. A layup from Lankford would later get the Wildcats within striking distance at 15-12, but then UTPB went on a 14-0, five-minute run and led by 17 with 5:26 before halftime.
Smith helped bring the lead down to single digits by connecting on six of her final seven free throw attempts over the last 2:30 of the first half.
The Wildcats entered the break down 36-27 after shooting just 29 percent (7-of-24) from the field, while their 46 percent shooting in the second half was boosted by a 5-of-8 effort from 3-point range.
ACU returns to action Thursday, Dec. 1 for its home opener vs. St. Mary's. The game tips off at 5:30 p.m.
