ACU looks to rebound against Northern Colorado Sunday

GAME #10
Abilene Christian (7-2, 0-0 WAC) vs. Northern Colorado (2-6, 0-2 Big Sky)
Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021  |  1 p.m.  |  Teague Special Events Center  |  Abilene, Texas

ABILENE – The ACU women’s basketball team is in the midst of a six-game home stand to close out the 2021 calendar year, and it continues with the third game on that list on Sunday when the Wildcats welcome in Northern Colorado. The Wildcats (7-2) are looking to bounce back after a loss on Wednesday to Oral Roberts, and will match up with the Bears (2-6) of the Big Sky Conference for just the second time ever. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. and the game will air both on ESPN+ and on 102.7 The Bear.

SERIES HISTORY

• ALL-TIME | 2nd meeting (ACU leads, 1-0)
• LAST MEETING | Dec. 4, 2020 (ACU 81, UNC 61) – in Greeley, Colo.
• STREAK | ACU, w1
• IN ABILENE | n/a
• IN GREELEY | ACU leads, 1-0
• NOTES | The game is a return trip from a home-and-home between the schools. ACU went to Greeley in 2020, and UNC comes to Abilene this season.

ACU STORYLINES

• #20 IN THE PROGRAM, #1 IN YOUR HEART
  • Grad transfer Jamie Bonnarens has been spectacular this season, and after coming off the bench the first six games, she has made three starts for ACU. The Oklahoma native scored has scored in double digits each of the last six games, and is averaging 18.0 PPG during that stretch. Bonnarens has hit 15 three-pointers in the last five games, and is shooting 57.6% (15-26) from deep in that stretch. Bonnarens scored a season-high 25 points against ORU, and hauled in a season-best eight rebounds as well.
• A HELPING HAND
  • ACU dished out 23 assists against UNT Dallas, the most in a game since it had 23 against Northwestern State on Feb. 5, 2020 in Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats went +20 in the assist-to-turnover ratio Sunday. ACU had 23 assists to just three turnovers. The +20 margin is the most in the Division I history of the program, which is now nine years old. The next closest is +18 (27-9) against McNeese on Jan. 9, 2019.
• A GRISWOLD CHRISTMAS
  • Sarah Griswold is coming off her best performance as a Wildcat, tallying 15 points on six field goals, both new career-bests. The Okarche, Okla. native has scored in double digits in three games this season (12, 13, 15).
• DOING IT DIFFERENTLY
  • Paige Emborsky, typically known for her three-point shooting, had her best game in other ways against UNT Dallas. The New York native tied a career-high with four assists in the game, and set a new career mark with three steals.
• THREE-POINT PARTY
  • ACU has hit 102 three-pointers so far this season, the 10th-highest mark in the nation. The Wildcats have six games with double-digit makes from distance. The team ranks 10th nationally with a 38.9 clip from behind the arc, which was moved back to match the men’s line in the off-season.
• NEW FACES
  • ACU has 15 players on the roster, the most in the Julie Goodenough era (2012). Included on that roster are eight new players, including three graduate transfers and five freshmen. The team brings in Emma Middleton, Jamie Bonnarens, and Tatum Barber as grad transfers, and freshmen include Bella Earle, Alexis Babineaux, Addison Martin (who will redshirt), Niyah Johnson, and Nykale Cramer.
• GIVIN’ IT MY BESTEST
  • Kamryn Mraz has been outstanding from behind the arc this season. The fourth-year Wildcat is hitting 52.3 percent of her looks, the 11th-best mark in the country. Mraz has 23 makes from downtown, and is hitting 2.6 three’s per game.
• COACH GOODENOUGH’S MILESTONES
  • Head coach Julie Goodenough earned her 478th career win against UNT Dallas, and her 189th as the coach at ACU. Goodenough is in her 28th season overall and her 10th with the Wildcats.

SCOUTING NORTHERN COLORADO (2-6, 0-2 BIG SKY)

• Northern Colorado's defense is allowing just 59.6 points per contest; the Bears rank second in the Big Sky Conference and No. 116 in the country.
• Sophomore Hannah Simental ranks fifth in both three-point field goals per game (2.33) and three-point percentage (38.9). As a team, the Bears average 7.4 made threes a game, fourth-best in the Big Sky.

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