MBB opens Southland Conference slate against Lamar

ABILENE, Texas - After an impressive 8-2 start to the 2020-21 campaign, the Wildcats are primed to get Southland play underway this weekend. The team has played a difficult non-conference schedule but the real test begins on Saturday. ACU has been the 2-seed in each of the last two conference tournaments, they remain the reigning conference tournament champions due to the pandemic canceling last year's postseason, and they are looking forward to getting back to Katy to prove they have what it takes to earn another tournament title. The Wildcats have dominated the series of late and will look to extend their win streak against the Cardinals to eight. 

GOLDING DCC POST GAME

FOLLOW THE GAME

SERIES HISTORY

The Wildcats hold the 18-14 advantage in the series with ACU winning the last seven games. In their last meeting the Wildcats trounced the Cardinals 84-49 behind a career-day from Payten Ricks and one of the teams best offensive performances of the year.  

ACU STORYLINES

• The Wildcats are looking to start Southland play with a win for the third-straight season. Both of the last two seasons the Wildcats have opened with wins over New Orleans and while the opponent is different they hope to continue the streak on Saturday.
• Joe Pleasant and Coryon Mason are each averaging just over 10 points per game to lead the Wildcats in scoring and both have scored in double figures over their last four contests (Mason has hit the threshold in his last five outings). 
• After starting the season hot from three-point range, the team has struggle from deep of late. The team shot .500 or better from deep in their first three contests but have yet to shoot better than .333 over their last seven contests.
• ACU has put together the top defense in the Southland Conference so far on the season and remain one of the the best defenses in the country as well. They rank in the top 10 nationally for scoring defense (10), steals per game (8), turnover margin (4), and turnovers forced (2). 
• Pleasant moved from ninth to seventh on ACU's DI scoring list with his 15-point performance against Dallas Christian. He sits at 603 points passing Harrison Hawkins and Hayden Farquar. 

SCOUTING LAMAR

• Lamar is 2-7 on the season, but have faced a tough non-conference slate that featured only DI competition. The team also played their first four contests without their star junior guard, Davion Buster.
• Buster is averaging almost 32 minutes in his five games and has led the way with 17 points per game. 
• The Cardinals have used a short rotation on the season with six players averaging 27 minutes or more of action and only nine players who have seen at least 10 minutes of action per game. 
• Lamar earned a big win and some national attention after a last second win over Louisiana-Monroe where Buster made the winning shot from almost half-court. The shot was featured on several sports outlets and earned a No. 1 spot on SportsCenter Top 10. 
• In their last game out, the Cardinals played a non-conference contest against Southeastern Louisiana earning a 74-64 win against a shorthanded Lions team. The Lions were without four players and their head coach in the contest. 

SOUTHLAND OUTLOOK

PRESEASON POLL:

The Wildcats come into the season as one of three teams who have played at least 10 games. As a team they rank atop the conference in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, turnover margin, and steals per game. They rank in the top three of the conference in scoring offense, scoring margin, 3-point field goal percentage defense, assist-to-turnover ratio, and assists per game.