ABILENE – The Wildcats pretty much did whatever whenever during their 109-52 beatdown of Southland Conference rival McNeese Wednesday night at Moody Coliseum.
The Wildcats' (10-4, 3-0 Southland) 109 points were the most they've scored against a D1 opponent since joining the Southland Conference in 2013-14, and marked the team's first 100-point performance since a Dec. 28, 2016 home game vs. Sul Ross State (W, 106-58). ACU additionally established the school's single-game record (D1 era) and a Southland season high with 45 field goals, and tied the league's season best with 27 assists. The Wildcats' .608 field-goal percentage was second only in the Southland this year to Northwestern State's 61.3 clip vs. LeTourneau (Nov. 12, 2018), and their point total was one off Lamar's 110 at Denver (Nov. 23, 2018).
Postgame interview with head coach Julie Goodenough and junior Dominique Golightly
All five ACU starters scored in double figures for the first time this season led by senior
Sara Williamson's 24 points. The Rowlett, Texas, native made 9-of-11 field goals, including a 3-pointer, and sank all five of her free throws in finishing one point shy of her career single-game high. She also dished out nine assists for the second consecutive game, blocked a shot, and was credited with three steals as the Wildcats converted 24 McNeese (2-12, 0-3 Southland) turnovers into 39 points.
ACU additionally scored 62 points in the paint while also hitting on 41.2 percent of its 3-point attempts (14-34). The 14 treys were four shy of the team record of 18 set in 2014 vs. Arlington Baptist. The Wildcats also turned 16 offensive rebounds into 18 second-chance points, and totaled 32 on the fast break.
The reserves were very much involved in this one as well, scoring 26 points overall and putting together a game-ending 8-0 run.
Finishing behind Williamson in the point column with 18 apiece were juniors
Dominique Golightly and
Lexie Ducat. Golightly recorded eight field goals for the seventh time in her career, buried a pair of treys, and tied Ducat for the team lead with seven rebounds. She also led her side with two rejections.
Ducat, like Williamson, hardly missed from the floor either, connecting on 8-of-10 attempts including both of her long-distance shots.
Breanna Wright hit on 5-of-6 field-goal attempts (one 3-pointer) in finishing with 11 points and six assists (24 minutes), while post player and sophomore
Makayla Mabry went 4-of-8 from 3-point range in scoring a dozen points to go along with six rebounds and a career-high four assists.
McNeese led for a brief 90 seconds in the first quarter until the Wildcats essentially put the game away with a 22-4 run during a three-minute span that gave them a 31-13 lead. The home team then held the Cowgirls scoreless for the better part of five minutes in the second quarter in taking a 59-25 lead into halftime, and started the third quarter with back-to-back treys from Mabry.
Williamson put the game further out of reach by leading a 14-3 run late in the third, and in the fourth quarter, it was a layup by
Lexi Kirgan that lifted the Wildcats over the century mark for the first time in two seasons.
In the 48-year history of ACU women's basketball tonight's point total is tied for 11th as the Wildcats also scored 109 on Central Oklahoma (1995-96) and Alaska Fairbanks (1988-89). The 57-point margin of victory is the Wildcats' highest against any Southland or D1 school, an in years past they've defeated New Orleans by 44 (2014), Northwestern State by 39 (2018) and Sam Houston State by 33 (2017), but the all-time program record of 86 points was set against Southwestern Adventist in head coach
Julie Goodenough's first season of 2012-13 (W, 108-21).
Next up for the Wildcats is a 1 p.m. game Saturday at Southeastern La. ACU split last year's season series with the Lady Lions, winning 86-80, and losing 78-76. The Wildcats lead their all-time series, 7-2.
