ACU at Southeast Missouri State
When: Friday, Dec. 21, 2018
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Where: Show Me Center (Cape Girardeau, Missouri)
Records: Abilene Christian 9-2; Southeast Missouri State 5-7
Series: Southeast Missouri State leads 3-0
Last Game: SEMO 94, ACU 72 (March 7, 1986 / Cape Girardeau, Missouri)
Streak: SEMO won 3
Last ACU win: N/A
Last SE Missouri State win: SEMO 94, ACU 72 (March 7, 1986 / Cape Girardeau, Missouri)
Radio:Â 98.1 FM (
98theticket.com)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: gosoutheast.com
Game Notes: ACU I
Southeast Missouri State
FRIDAY GAME NOTES
• Friday's game is the Wildcats' final non-conference road game of the season where they are 2-2 this season (4-2 when including neutral-site games). ACU has true road wins at Denver and Pacific and road losses at Pepperdine and last Saturday at No. 11 Texas Tech. The Wildcats also beat Elon (N.C.) and UC-Riverside in neutral-site games in Stockton, California, at the Tigers Thanksgiving Classic.
• The Wildcats' 9-2 start to the season is the program's best of the NCAA Division I era (since 2013-14) and the best since the 1998-99 team started 11-0 on its way to an appearance in the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament championship game.
• Friday's game marks the first time ACU and Southeast Missouri State have played outside an NCAA Tournament game. the teams played in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II regional tournament in 1962 with the Redhawks taking a 57-55 win. Two years later in 1964 the teams met in the regional tournament championship game with Southeast Missouri State once again winning, 90-87. And the teams met in the semifinals of the 1986 tournament in Cape Girardeau with the Redhawks taking a 27.
• ACU has three players averaging in double figures, led by senior forward
Jaren Lewis at 14.6 points per game and
Jalone Friday adding 12.9 and
Payten Ricks at 11.3 points per game. Lewis also leads the team with 5.4 rebounds, while Jaylen Franks has 55 assists (5.0 APG) and
Payten Ricks is at 2.5 steals (25 total).
• ACU has forced 185 turnovers and own a plus-5.3 margin, a mark that ranks first in the Southland Conference and 11th in the country. The Wildcats are also shooting 41.4 percent from 3-point range, which ranks ninth in the country. The Wildcats are also first in the Southland Conference and 11th in the nation in turnover margin (plus-5.3). ACU also ranks in the top 25 in the country in total steals (second in the league and 22nd in the country) with 96.
Payten Ricks leads the Southland and ranks tied for 19th in the country in steals per game (2.5). Ricks leads the league and is 17th in the country in total steals (27).
• Since re-joining the Southland Conference and moving to NCAA Division I affiliation prior to the 2013-14 season, the Wildcats are 0-8 against Power 5 opponents: 0-2 vs. TCU and Texas Tech of the Big 12 and 0-1 against Maryland, Iowa and Nebraska of the Big 10 and 0-1 against Oklahoma of the Big 12.
• For the first time in program history, ACU received votes (21) in the Nov. 26 collegeinsider.com Mid-Major poll. … The Wildcats are ranked 146 in the latest NET Daily Rankings.
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