ABILENE – Abilene Christian and the Lone Star Conference's No. 1 ranked scoring offense with 80.0 points per game look to keep things rolling vs. the league when its plays host to Texas A&M-Commerce Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. for the Christmas Slam.
The game will be broadcast locally by
Grant Boone on 1280-AM KSLI and via the ACU Sports page at
SkyBoxlive.com.
ACU twice clubbed Commerce last season by scores of 77-65 and 93-55, but this year's pride of Lions appears to be vastly improved as its already off to a 3-1 start with wins over Southern Arkansas, Southeastern Oklahoma and Texas Woman's. Their lone defeat was a 78-50 decision last Friday vs. D-I Sam Houston State of the Southland Conference.
Commerce won all of two games in 2011-12 and its second loss to ACU on Feb. 22 was its 21st straight. Afterward, the Lions won their only conference game, beating Angelo State at home, 64-61.
In addition to being one of the conference's top defensive teams in terms of blocks (3.8) and steals (11.0), the Lions also rank fourth in scoring offense with 65.5 points per game and are No. 1 in the LSC with 19.8 offensive rebounds.
Breanna Harris – named as a Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week earlier this season – leads Commerce with 15.5 points per game followed by Amber Carver and Aubree Butts with a 9.5 average. Harris also is the league's top rebounder with 12.8 per game.
Harris, in her first year at Commerce last season, averaged 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the two games vs. ACU.
The Wildcats begin the week at 3-1 overall after last week defeating the Lady Buffs on the road, 81-76, for their first win in Canyon since Feb. 2010 and then extending their series-winning streak over Eastern to 15 games following a 74-56 home triumph. The Zias last beat ACU in Feb. of 2001.
The two victories pushed ACU to the top of the conference leaderboard in scoring (80.0 ppg), field-goal percentage (.464), assists (17.5), 3-point FG made (39), defensive rebounds (29.8), and 3-point field goal defense (.233) after the Zias connected on just 2 of 23 attempts.
Individually, three of ACU's starters are ranked among the top-10 in scoring led by
Sadie Dickinson (15.5 ppg), who averaged 21.5 points per game this past weekend.
Kelsey Smith is fifth with a 9.0 rebound average and is no. 2 in field goal percentage (.567) with Dickinson right behind at no. 3 (.550). Junior guard
Mackenzie Lankford is tied for fourth in assists with 3.3 per game.
Acrobatic slam-dunk performers from
Team BIG AIR will headline this year's Christmas Slam with a high-flying show at halftime. Additional treats include photos with Santa Claus, free food and drinks provided by ACU's student clubs and organizations, free pizza to the first 200 students in attendance, and a Christmas blessing from ACU President Dr. Phil Schubert.
Gift cards to Tin Cup and Shady Oaks golf courses, Primetime Family Entertainment Center, Xtreme Car Wash, Cotton Patch and Buffalo Wild Wings also will be given away.
Tickets start at $10 for adults and $5 for children 18 and under, with discounts being provided to church groups, military personnel, AYBA players and their families, as well as faculty and staff representing ACU and the Abilene Independent School District. Fans who bring unwrapped toys and children's undergarments for
Arms of Hope or canned food for the
KRBC Share Your Christmas Food Drive will also receive $5 tickets.
