ABILENE – Grad transfer
Jamie Bonnarens had her best night as a Wildcat, senior
Madi Miller went for double-figures again, but the Abilene Christian women's basketball team fell at the hands of the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles at the Teague Center Wednesday night, dropping just its second game of the season. It was a back-and-forth game that featured four ties and six lead changes, and ORU (5-6) built up only as much as a seven-point lead, but the visitors held on with 25 points in the fourth quarter to knock off ACU (7-2). It was just the second matchup between the teams, and the first since 2014 when the teams met as members of the Southland Conference.
Turning Point: The final five minutes.
The game was back-and-forth the whole way. ACU had the lead the majority of the third quarter, but ORU got it tied in the fourth, then built a four-point lead six different times. Each time ACU got close again, the visitors pushed back. With 5:30 remaining, ACU's
Madi Miller banked in a three-pointer to get it back to a one-point game, but the biggest shot came from ORU's Hannah Cooper on the next possession to immediately go back up four points. Each time the visitors needed a basket, they were able to connect.
Key Plays
- 1Q | Miller hit the game's first three-pointer four minutes in to go up 5-4. It was a slow offensive start for both sides.
- 1Q | Trailing 6-5, ACU went on an 8-0 run to end the quarter, holding ORU to its lowest total in the first frame this season.
Madi Miller,
Emma Middleton, and Bonnarens all did damage inside to end the frame, with ACU leading 13-6.
- 2Q | ORU opened the quarter on an 8-0 run of its own to lead 14-13, and on the ensuing possession,
Kamryn Mraz buried a three to go right back up by two.
- 2Q | After a couple baskets in the paint by Bonnarens, Mraz hit her second three to go up 23-18 with just over two minutes to play until halftime.
- 2Q | With 14 seconds left until the break, ORU hit a three to tie the game. Moments later,
Tatum Barber buried a three at the buzzer to go back up three, 28-25, at halftime.
- 3Q | Miller buried a three to open the second half, pushing the lead to six.
- 3Q | ACU built two different eight-point leads, the largest of the game for the Wildcats, with baskets from
Sarah Griswold, who battled foul trouble all night, and Bonnarens.
- 3Q | Bonnarens hit another three, and ACU led 41-34 with 4:02 remaining.
- 4Q | The game was tied at 44 going to the fourth quarter, and after ORU led by four the first time, Bonnarens continued her dominance, this time by getting fouled and hitting a pair of foul shots to cut it to two.
- 4Q | It appeared as though the game was over with five seconds left when ORU hit two free throws to go up four, 67-63. However, Bonnarens put a bow on her night by hitting a three with two seconds left to go back down one. She pushed the game longer. ORU hit two foul shots again, and a half-court heave from Mraz fell short in a three-point defeat.
Stat Pack
- Bonnarens went for a season-best 25 points on 10-21 from the field, including 3-8 from distance. The grad transfer also tallied eight rebounds while adding an assist and a block. It is the sixth-straight double-digit game this season, and Bonnarens becomes the first Wildcat to have a 20-point game in the 2021-22 season.
- Miller dropped in 16 despite fouling out of the game late. The Wylie, Texas native hit three shots from deep and added three rebounds with two steals. Miller now has four-straight double-digit games.
- Griswold battled for eight points in limited action with foul troulbe. The Oklahoma native fouled out in 21 minutes and had a pair of rebounds.
- Barber tallied seven points with three boards.
- Mraz hit a pair of three's and tied Bonnarens for the team-high in boards with eight. The eight boards are a career-high.
Up Next
ACU will continue to stay home the rest of the month, and has a chance to bounce back on Sunday, Dec. 19 against Northern Colorado at the Teague Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+ and 102.7 The Bear.
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