THIBODAUX, La. – Abilene Christian women's basketball suffered a tough 81-60 loss at Nicholls Wednesday night at Stopher Gymnasium. Three Wildcats reached double figures in scoring led by sophomore
Dominique Golightly, who totaled 14 points.
Sierra Allen totaled 10 points in finishing one rebound shy of a double-double, while sophomore
Breanna Wright scored 13 points with two 3-pointers and five free throws.
The Colonels countered with a game-high 26 points from Cassidy Barrios plus 15 points from Tykeria Williams and 13 from Airi Hamilton. Nicholls also outrebounded ACU, 40-25, with Barrios and Marina Lilly each pulled down 11 boards.
The loss dropped ACU's overall and Southland Conference records to 14-8 and 8-4, while the Colonels improved to 10-12 and 5-6.
The Wildcats went into the fourth quarter down 17 points, but a quick 7-3 start in the first two minutes forced the Colonels' to call a timeout.
Kayla Galindo hit a 3-pointer on ACU's first possession, Wright hit two free throws, and then Golightly sank an uncontested layup following a steal from
Lexi Kirgan. Golightly's bucket made it a 69-42 game, but each time the Wildcats' started to climb back into the game Barrios responded with a 3-pointer.
Barrios hit her second trey of the fourth quarter at the 7:40 mark, and after the Wildcats once again cut their deficit to 13-points at 5:47 mark, Barrios buried another triple following an offensive rebound. That basket sparked an 8-0 run that resulted in a 21-point lead (76-57).
Nicholls shot 51.8 percent (29-56) for the game, scoring 38 points in the paint and 17 off 16 Wildcat turnovers. The home team also netted 23 fast-break points and received 16 from its bench.
The Wildcats shot 38.5 percent (20-52) with 10 of their field goals coming from beyond the 3-point arc.
ACU started the game down 6-0 and went into the break trailing by eight points at 41-33. The Wildcats trailed by 10 points with 3:39 left in the half but cut their deficit to five points following a 3-pointer by Allen and had a chance to make it a one-possession game following a turnover by Lily. Unfortunately, ACU was called for its own travel seven seconds later and Williams made the Wildcats pay with her third trey of the half.
The Wildcats return to action Saturday, Feb. 10 vs. Incarnate Word. Tip off for the women's and men's doubleheader and annual Go Pink Game presented by Hendrick Health is 2 p.m.
Go Pink T-shirts will be available for purchase for a minimum donation of $5 with all proceeds benefiting the Hendrick Health Hope Fund, and afterward the Wildcats signing autographs on the concourse.
ACU is 11-1 this season at Moody Coliseum, but have not played on its home court in more than three weeks with its last decision (a 61-59 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) taking place there on Jan. 24.
