KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Junior guard
Whitney West followed Friday night's heroics vs. George Mason with a career high 24 points Saturday at UMKC, leading the Wildcats to a convincing 80-55 triumph over the Roos during day two of the Plaza Lights Classic at the Swinney Recreation Center.
The victory lifted ACU's season record to 5-1 and gave them first place at the two-day four-team tournament with a 2-0 record. West was named tournament MVP after averaging 19.5 points per game, including the game-winner against the Patriots. Sophomore guard
Alexis Mason also made the all-tournament team with 22.0 points per game.
UMKC and George Mason tied for second at 1-1. Mississippi Valley State finished the weekend at 0-2.
Mason followed her 28 points vs. George Mason with 16 points today as she was one of four Wildcats to finish in double figures, joining West,
Lizzy Dimba (12 points, 10 rebounds) and
Sydney Shelstead, who just missed her third straight double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
West's performance was the third 20-point game of her career and first since netting 20 vs. Jacksonville at Texas Tech last December. Additionally, West reached 600 career points Friday vs. George Mason.
West and the Wildcats pretty much did everything right today against the Roos, finishing with a .438 shooting percentage and 46 points in the paint. They also converted 23 Roos' turnovers (14 steals) into 29 points and had 16 second chance points off 19 offensive rebounds. By comparison, the Wildcats turned over the ball only 11 times - a season low.
At the line, ACU made 7 of 8 free throw attempts while staying out of foul trouble itself.
Defensively, the Wildcats held UMKC to .364 shooting and only five threes. Kiana Law had a good night for the Roos, hitting 8-of-13 shots with three free throws, and Calli White nailed three late treys, but the rest of the UMKC offense struggled aside from those two in combining for just eight field goals.
The Wildcats started the game down 7-2 but three consecutive baskets by
Lizzy Dimba, Shelstead and West within a 90-second window gave ACU its first lead of the game at 9-8 withi 15:08 remaining. Then after a jumper by Chandler Roof made it a two-point contest, the Wildcats took off on a 9-0 run capped by a 3-pointer by West that gave ACU it first double-digit lead at 11 points .
Following the under 8-minute media time out, the Wildcats finished the first half on a 20-6 run that included eight points from West, and two treys from Mason. West's three-pointer with 34 seconds left gave the Wildcats a 43-20 lead going into halftime.
George Mason defeated Mississippi Valley State earlier Saturday, 71-62, to finish the classic with a 1-1 record while the Delta Demons fell to 0-2 on the weekend and 0-5 for the season.
The Wildcats return to action Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Texas Tech. ACU defeated the Red Raiders on the road last season, 58-57, for its first win in the series since 1978-79.
Plaza Lights Classic All-Tournament TeamWhitney West - MVP
Alexis Mason
