ABILENE – The Southland Conference enjoyed its share of terrific road wins Wednesday, and the ACU Wildcats joined in the fun by beating Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo., to run its winning streak to a season-high three games.
In addition to ACU's 62-58 win over the Falcons, the league also saw Central Arkansas, which earlier this season lost in overtime at UCLA, dismantle California, and preseason league favorite Stephen F. Austin go on the road and beat Louisiana Tech.
The league is off to a solid start with seven of the league's 13 teams at .500 or better on the season and with wins over Kent State (by Southeastern Louisiana), Tulsa and UTEP (by Lamar), North Dakota State, Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Monroe (by SFA), Santa Clara (by Sam Houston State), Kent State (by Southeastern Louisiana), and Bowling Green and Air Force (by ACU).
The Wildcats enter today's annual Christmas Slam Game riding a three-game winning streak and having won four of its last five games. ACU is 6-3 on the season with more non-conference wins than in any other season outside the 2013-14 season (ACU's first in the transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I affiliation) when ACU played 10 non-Division I games, winning nine of them.
The Wildcats' win over over Air Force gives them three road or neutral-site wins over NCAA Division I programs in the lasttwo weeks. In their previous four seasons of NCAA Division I play, the Wildcats had four such wins: neutral-site wins vs. South Carolina State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2014-15, a neutral-site win over Florida A&M in 2015-16, and a road win over Charleston Southern last season.
Four Wildcats are averaging in double figures in scoring this season, led by 15.3 ppg from sophomore center Jalone Friday. Junior forward Jaren Lewis is averaging 14.4 ppg and leads the team in rebounding at 6.4 boards per contest. He's also among the nation's leaders in field goal percentage at 62.2 percent.
Graduate transfer Tevin Foster is averaging 13.6 ppg, while Jaylen Franklin is at 10.2 ppg.
CHRISTMAS SLAM DETAILS
• Apple watch will be given away
• $1,000 cash prizes to ACU students
• Ugly Christmas Sweater contest with a cash prize to the "winner"
• Free Christmas cookies and cookie decorating
• Halftime performance by ACU Cheerleaders
ACU IN CHRISTMAS SLAM GAMES (2-3)
Dec. 10, 2011 – Cameron 64, ACU 58
Dec. 4, 2012 – Texas A&M-Commerce 90, ACU 88
Dec. 3, 2013 – ACU 93, Hillsdale Freewill Baptist 53
Dec. 4, 2014 – ACU 72, Sacramento State 61
Dec. 3, 2015 – New Hampshire 86, ACU 75
