ABILENE – Point guards
Kamryn Mraz and
Taylor Morgan combined for 28 points, the offense hit 17 three-pointers, and the Abilene Christian women's basketball team got off to a 1-0 start yet again with a 99-43 win over the University of the Southwest Tuesday night at the Teague Center. The Wildcats got off to a ridiculous 34-8 start in the first quarter, including scoring the game's 21 points, and never looked back. 14 of the 15 players scored for ACU, and five players finished in double figures in the season-opening win.
Turning Point: The first 4:55 of the game.
If you take an 18-0 lead into the first media timeout, the chances of winning feel pretty good. ACU would end up scoring the first 21 of the game, and in that stretch were five three-pointers. Mraz buried the first one, then
Paige Emborsky and
Tatum Barber followed with triples of their own.
Sarah Griswold hit a rare corner three and
Bella Earle hit the final one in that stretch to build the three-touchdown lead. ACU started 8-10 shooting and built up a lead in five minutes they would never surrender.
Key Plays
- 1Q |
Sarah Griswold had a big moment, hitting a corner three-pointer just seven months after tearing her ACL in March prior to the WBI Tournament. In that time, Griswold rehabbed and got back to game action and contributed with four points in 12 minutes.
- 1Q |
Tatum Barber's first layup of the game were the first points of the season and the first points in an ACU uniform for the Georgia Southern transfer.
- 1Q | Freshman
Nykale Cramer buried a three-pointer with a minute left in the opening quarter to put ACU up 31-5. It capped off a performance of seven made three-pointers in the opening frame.
- 2Q | ACU backed up the first quarter with seven more three's in the second 10 minutes. Emborsky got the scoring started 30 seconds into the period.
- 2Q |
Taylor Morgan starting hitting big three's in the second quarter coming off the bench; the sophomore buried a pair in the frame.
- 3Q |
Bella Earle buried a three-pointer halfway through the period to give ACU its first field goal of the third.
- 4Q | Morgan found teammate
Katie Horyna in the corner for a three-pointer, the second of her two makes in the game from the outside.
Stat Pack
- The 17 three-pointers made are tied for third-most in program history in a single game. ACU made 17 in Nov. 2013 against Texas Lutheran.
- 14 of the 17 three-pointers were made in the first half.
- Mraz's four three-pointers made are a team-high.
- Emborsky hit three of them in the game, while Earle, Horyna, Morgan, and Cramer hit two apiece.
- Barber led the way with a team-high seven rebounds.
- Morgan went 6-for-6 from the foul line, while
Jamie Bonnarens made all four of her attempts.
- Mraz tallied 16 points, while Earle scored 13 in her collegiate debut. Morgan added 12, and Barber and Cramer each contributed with 11.
Up Next
The three-game home stand to open the season continues on Saturday, Nov. 13 when ACU hosts UTSA at the Teague Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. following the football game. The game will air on ESPN+ and 102.7 The Bear.
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