ABILENE – Abilene Christian women's basketball splits up a seven-game road swing with a Wednesday night home contest vs. Southland Conference rival McNeese at Moody Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be streamed on
ACUSports.com with
Zach Carlyle handling the play-by-play.
The Wildcats (9-4, 2-0 Southland) last week snapped a three-game losing streak by winning back-to-back league games at New Orleans (W, 59-52) and Sam Houston State (W, 91-79). ACU has started 2-0 against the Southland Conference five times in the last six years, and its 91 points in Huntsville were its most against a league opponent since scoring 90 vs. Lamar in 2015. The Wildcats also scored 96 at Southeastern La. in 2014.
Four starters scored deep into double figures against the Bearkats, including junior
Dominique Golightly, who totaled a career-high 26 points, and senior
Sara Williamson, whose 23 points, nine assists and six steals helped her earn a honorable mention for Southland Conference Player of the Week.
Williamson also was a dynamo against the Privateers as her five baskets early in the third quarter (three on the fast break) gave the Wildcats a 10-point lead (36-26) en route to the seven-point win. ACU is now 6-1 all-time vs. the Privateers and 15-6 against the Bearkats.
The Wildcats additionally have been exceptional vs. McNeese, against whom they are 4-1 all-time since the 2013-14 season. ACU has won the last four meetings in the series, including last year's 80-75 decision in Lake Charles, La., during which Golightly and
Breanna Wright each scored 17 points.
McNeese went on to finish eighth last season with an 8-10 conference record (12-18 overall), but is off to an uncharacteristic 2-11 start this season that includes consecutive conference defeats vs. Incarnate Word (68-66) and Northwestern State (63-82). Callie Maddox is the Cowgirls' leading scorer with 13.5 points per game followed by Regan Bolton with 10.0 ppg.
ACU remains No. 1 in the league and top-50 nationally in three categories: assists per game (17.2), rebound margin (+8.5) and 3-point field goals attempted (340), and has four individuals ranked among the Southland's top-10.
Golightly is sixth with a .295 3-point field goal percentage and fifth with 2.15 treys per game, while sophomore
Makayla Mabry is No. 7 with 1.15 blocks per game.
Wright is up to No. 3 with 48 free throws and a .842 free throw percentage and is third with 4.6 assists per game. Williamson is right behind the junior from Jarrell with 4.5 assists per game, fourth with a 1.76 assist turnover ratio, and 10th with 1.85 steals per game.
