ABILENE – The Wildcat women's basketball program opens its 50th season on the court in 2019-20, and it all gets going with a pair of home games this week. ACU takes on Abilene's own McMurry Warhawks at 5:30 p.m. as part of a men's and women's basketball doubleheader in Moody Coliseum. Prior to the game, the team will unveil its 2019 Southland Conference Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament banner. The Wildcats will then host the Mustangs of the University of the Southwest on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. for the annual Kids Day.
FOLLOW THE GAMES
- ACU vs. McMurry: Tuesday, Nov. 5 – 5:30 p.m. – ESPN3 (Live Stats, Live Video)
- ACU vs. Southwest: Thursday, Nov. 7 – 11 a.m. (Live Stats, Live Video)
SERIES HISTORY
- ACU leads the series 13-5 against McMurry, but the two have not played a meaningful game since the 1979-80 season. The teams met during the 2016-17 year in an exhibition game, but have not played a game that means anything on the schedule in 40 seasons.
- The Wildcats are 3-0 all-time against Southwest, winning in nearly identical fashion every time: 91-39, 91-47, 90-47. The teams will get together for the fourth time in the last five seasons on Thursday morning.
ACU STORYLINES
- ACU is receiving a vote in the USA Today Women's Basketball Coaches' Poll for the first time in program history. Joining ACU in the receiving votes category are programs like Iowa (an Elite 8 team a year ago), Tennessee, California (who played in Waco against North Carolina just before ACU took the floor in the NCAA Tournament), JMU, Kansas State, Florida Gulf Coast, USC, and Oklahoma State.
- The Wildcats look to build on their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament after the 2018-19 season, and appear to be set to do so as the team returns 12 of its 13 players from a season ago. The team went to new heights after winning the regular season championship in both 2015-16 and 2016-17, claiming the Southland Conference Tournament Championship with wins over Central Arkansas, Lamar, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in Katy, Texas.
- ACU was picked to win the league in 2019-20, with
Breanna Wright and
Dominique Golightly named to the preseason all-Southland first team.
Lexie Ducat was named preseason second team.
- ACU returns the Southland Tournament MVP
Breanna Wright, who finished on the All-Southland Conference Second Team, as well as fellow second-teamer
Dominique Golightly. The two join a star-studded lineup that includes former Rice transfer
Lexie Ducat, as well as juniors
Makayla Mabry and
Alyssa Adams. Transfer
Anna McLeod will join the squad on the court this season after sitting out during her transfer year due to NCAA rules.
- ACU's 23 wins a season ago mark the third time in the last four seasons the program reached the 20-win plateau, and the fourth time under head coach
Julie Goodenough. Goodenough has now coached the team to three postseason appearances, including the first-round game against Baylor last season in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Wildcats finished third in the Southland Conference in scoring last season with 73.2 points per game, and made 265 three-pointers, the most in the league. ACU broke the Southland Conference Tournament record with 16 three-pointers made and 35 three-pointers attempted against Central Arkansas. Wright also broke the tournament record for free throws made, going 16-for-16 in the semifinal win over Lamar.
- Wright has now scored 1,084 points in her career, moving into the club late last season, while Golightly is 85 points away from joining her teammate in the 1,000-point club.
SCOUTING McMURRY
- The Warhawks were picked to finish fifth in the American Southwest Conference West Division preseason poll, and placed three returning starters on the preseason watch list, including seniors Skyler Reyna and Sarah Doherty along with sophomore forward Savannah Johnson.
- A new-look McMurry squad looks to improve upon an 8-18 overall record from 2018-19. The War Hawks also clinched a spot in the ASC postseason tournament last season with a 5-11 conference record, taking the fourth and final spot in the West Division.
- The War Hawks have five total returners to join a balanced mix of 17 newcomers this season.
SCOUTING SOUTHWEST
- The Lady Mustangs enter their third week of regular season action at 0-4 after playing last week on the road in Kansas, falling to Tabor College and Bethel College.
- Kenedi Tanks led the way in scoring for the Lady Mustangs against Tabor with 12 points on 4-9 shooting in 27 minutes of play. The junior also had 6 rebounds and 1 steal. Isabel Rodriguez grabbed 4 offensive boards and 2 defensive rebounds to go along with 9 points and 2 assists.
- A slow first half left the Mustangs playing catchup and they were unable to mount a comeback against Bethel. Isabel Rodriguez led USW in scoring with 10 points on 5-8 shooting in 30 minutes. Rodriguez also had 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. Rhianna Bortoli scored 9 points in 15 minutes on 4-13 shooting. Mykal Thomas led the team in steals with 5 total on the afternoon.
