Men's Basketball | 1/4/2017 7:15:00 PM
ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats begin their home Southland Conference schedule this weekend with a pair of games against Central Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin in Moody Coliseum, including a game that will be broadcast to a national audience.
The Wildcats will host Central Arkansas at 7 p.m. Thursday before returning to the floor Saturday for a 4:30 p.m. contest against four-time defending Southland Conference champion Stephen F. Austin. ACU enters Thursday night's game at 6-7 overall and 0-2 in the league and having lost four straight, including Southland games last week at New Orleans (75-66) and Southeastern Louisiana (75-53).
Central Arkansas enters the game at 2-13 overall and 1-1 in the league after a 67-65 home win over pre-season conference favorite Sam Houston State on New Year's Eve in Conway, Ark. Prior to that win, the Bears had lost nine straight to fall to 1-12 on the season. After the win over Sam Houston, the Bears lost to Lamar, 78-75, at home Monday night.
The Lumberjacks roll into Abilene for the second game of a doubleheader in Moody Coliseum that will be broadcast on ESPN3 after the ACU women host Central Arkansas at 2 p.m. The 'Jacks have dominated the league in recent years, but lost at McNeese, 69-54, Monday night to snap a 26-game Southland Conference winning streak. SFA is 6-8 overall and 1-1 in the league and is 0-5 on the road.
Central Arkansas junior guard Jordan Howard is one of the Southland Conference's leading scorers, averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting 44.4 percent from 3-point range (48 of 108). Derrick Brooks is second on the club in scoring at 12.9 ppg, while Mathieu Kamba is third on the team in scoring at 11.7 ppg and first in rebounding at 7.1 rebounds per game.
SFA is led by Ivan Canete, who leads the team at 12.2 ppg, while T.J. Holyfield leads team in rebounding at 6.8 rpg while averaging 11.8 ppg. Junior guard Ty Charles has fought through injuries and is now back in the Lumberjacks' lineup and is averaging 6.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in just four games.
ACU is led by the trio of sophomore forward
Jaren Lewis, redshirt freshman post
Jalone Friday and sophomore point guard
Jaylen Franklin. Lewis leads the team in scoring (15.0 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg), while Friday is second in both categories (13.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and Franklin is third in both categories (11.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg).
After these two home games, the Wildcats will be back home next week to host Southeastern Louisiana (7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12) and Lamar (4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14).
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OTHER NOTES
• Eastern Little League is hosting a registration event on Saturday, Jan. 7, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in the foyer of the Teague Special Events Center on the ACU campus. Any little leaguer who registers Saturday at the Teague Center will be given free admission to the ACU basketball doubleheader with a paying adult. For more information,
click here.
• ACU Athletics will host a Wildcat Club event Saturday between games of the doubleheader in Gym C of the Money Recreation and Wellness Center.
Click here for more information.
