Wildcats rout Hillsdale Freewill, 93-53, in first home game of season

Tuesday, December 3

Abilene

7:30 p.m.

Abilene Christian

3-8

Hillsdale Free Will Baptist

4-5

Hillsdale Free Will

Abilene Christian

Photo by: Gary Rhodes

Wildcats rout Hillsdale Freewill, 93-53, in first home game of season

12/3/2013 10:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

ABILENE – Playing at home for the first time in the 2013-14 season, the ACU Wildcats wasted little time jumping all over Hillsdale Freewill Baptist as the Wildcats cruised to a 93-53 win Tuesday night over the Saints at Moody Coliseum.

The win snaps a two-game losing streak for the Wildcats, who are now 3-8 on the season. ACU will return to action Friday at 6 p.m. when it hosts Open Bible College at Moody Coliseum, the second of four straight home games during the month of December before the Wildcats -- in their first year as an NCAA Division I program -- begin Southland Conference play Jan. 9 at New Orleans.

After 10 games on the road to open the season – including games against Duquesne, St. Bonaventure, Maryland, Iowa, TCU, Xavier and Towson – the Wildcats feasted on the Saints, who provided little resistance.

ACU led 24-8 at the third media timeout behind a strong start by sophomore forward Jacob Lancaster, who had nine of the Wildcats' first 24 points, including six on dunks as he dominated the game down low. The rapidly improving Lancaster finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks.

The Wildcats dominated every phase of the game against Hillsdale, outscoring the Saints 55-20 in the paint, 30-6 off turnovers, 14-10 on second-chance points, 23-6 on fast-break points and 29-18 from the bench.

ACU's lead at the break was 26 points (46-20) after reaching as high as 29 points in the first half. The Wildcats' first 30-point lead came early in the second half on a layup by LaDarrien Willaims and it climbed as high as 41 points twice late in the game (91-50 with 4:53 left in the game and 93-52 with 3:49 to play).

Junior guard Harrison Hawkins led the Wildcats with 16 points on 7 of 10 shooting, while Parker Wentz and Williams each had 14 points. Wentz was 6 of 8 from the field (2 of 4 from 3-point range) with four assists and four steals in 25 minutes. Williams had four assists, one block and two steals in 27 minutes.