ABILENE – In a game that was more of a battle than the Wildcat men's basketball team wanted, ACU used a big run to open the second half and pulled away in the final 20 minutes from the Tigers of Champion Christian College, 90-58, Thursday afternoon. After playing on the road just three days prior, the Wildcats returned home in front of 3,000 raucous students on Kids' Day inside Moody Coliseum. The win snaps a three-game losing streak and pushes ACU to 2-3 on the young season.
Turning Point
- The Wildcats led just 44-37 at halftime and saw the Tigers shoot 50% in the first half. But ACU came out of the locker room strongly, jumping out to a 19-point lead after a 14-2 run to open the second period.
Kolton Kohl got the half started with a jumper from the short corner, and the center combined with
Joe Pleasant and
Damien Daniels to work the ball inside to start the run. ACU led 63-39 at the first media timeout.
"...And Bright Stars"
- Prior to opening tipoff this morning, three-year-old Jack Hall May stole the hearts of everyone in the arena with the singing of the National Anthem.
Key Plays
- With the game tied at 13 in the first half,
Joe Pleasant flushed down a dunk to give ACU the lead.
Mahki Morris then hit the first of his two three-pointers in the game to push the lead to five.
- There were five lead changes and five ties in the first 20 minutes, with ACU leading 9-6 at the first media timeout, 24-19 at the second, and 26-22 at the eight-minute mark.
- Morris hit a three with 3:27 left in the first half to push ACU's advantage to 39-34; the Philly native got a put-back layup to go to give the Wildcats a nine-point lead. ACU led 44-37 at halftime.
- The 14-2 run to open the second frame was fueled by six straight points from
Joe Pleasant, who finished with 14 points in 18 minutes.
- ACU struggled from the three-point line, but
Damien Daniels got one to go for the first time this season. Morris hit a pair, while
Payten Ricks,
Tobias Cameron,
Clay Gayman, and
Paul Hiepler connected on a triple as well.
Stat Pack
- Morris played well in his fifth game at ACU, tallying 15 points off the bench on 4-of-6 from the floor and 5-of-6 at the foul line. The Wildcats hit 17 of their 23 shots from the charity stripe.
- Pleasant had a 14-point game, while
Coryon Mason recorded 13 points in a starting role. Gayman and Kohl each tallied a dozen points.
- After Champion Christian shot 50% in the first half, the Tigers were held to just 6-of-25 (24%) in the final 20 minutes from the floor.
- Gayman's eight rebounds and Mason's six assists led the way for the Wildcats.
Up Next
- ACU has a busy Thanksgiving week away from Abilene, as the Wildcat travel to San Marcos for a date with the Texas State Bobcats on Monday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. ACU wraps the holiday week at SMU in Dallas on Friday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.
