WBB heads to familiar foe Nicholls Saturday

GAME #7
Abilene Christian (5-1, 0-0 WAC) at Nicholls (2-5, 0-0 Southland)
Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021  |  1 p.m.  |  David R. Stopher Gymnasium  |  Thibodaux, La.

THIBODAUX, La. – The ACU women’s basketball team wraps up its four-game road trip this weekend when it heads to cajun country to take on former conference rival Nicholls. The Wildcats and Colonels will meet at non-conference opponents for the first time ever after ACU made the jump to the WAC this offseason. ACU (5-1) looks for win number three in a row as they tip off with the Colonels (2-5) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4.

SERIES HISTORY

• ALL-TIME | 9th meeting (ACU leads, 5-3)
• LAST MEETING | March 11, 2021 (Nicholls 67, ACU 57) – in Katy, Texas
• STREAK | Nicholls, w1
• IN ABILENE | Series tied, 1-1
• IN THIBODAUX | ACU leads, 4-1
• NOTES | Julie Goodenough and DoBee Plaisance have been the coaches for these teams every time ACU and Nicholls have met.

ACU STORYLINES

• BONNARENS’ WEEK
  • Grad transfer Jamie Bonnarens has been spectacular off the bench this season. The Oklahoma native scored in double digits in all three games over Thanksgiving week, including 16 against both Kansas State and Little Rock, and 13 more against Arkansas State. Bonnarens hit 14 of her 28 shots (50%), and was 8-for-13 from distance in the three games. She added 13 rebounds and three assists in the three contests as ACU went 2-1.
• 5-1 START
  • It is the fourth-straight season the women’s basketball program has started 5-1. ACU has wins over Southwest, UTSA, Angelo State, Little Rock, and Arkansas State. The Wildcats earned two huge wins in Tulsa over Thanksgiving weekend, coming from behind after being down as many as 11 against the Little Rock Trojans. ACU closed the game on a 20-5 run to get the win. The ‘Cats then topped Arkansas State, and built two separate 18-point leads in the route.
• THREE-POINT PARTY
  • ACU has hit 69 three-pointers so far this season, the 17th-highest mark in the nation. The Wildcats have four games with double-digit makes from distance, including both games in Tulsa, hitting 11 and 14. ACU ranks ninth nationally with a 40.1 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 60.7 percent of her looks, the third-best mark in the country. Mraz has 17 makes from downtown, the 60th-best clip in the nation, and is hitting 2.8 three’s per contest.
• COACH GOODENOUGH’S MILESTONES
  • Head coach Julie Goodenough earned her 475th career win against Little Rock, and her 186th as the coach at ACU. Goodenough is in her 28th season overall and her 10th with the Wildcats.

SCOUTING NICHOLLS (2-5, 0-0 SOUTHLAND)

• The Colonels have dropped three in a row after winning two of their first four games; the losses came to Louisiana Tech, Grand Canyon, and Montana.
• Chyna Allen leads the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game, and Chelsea Cain is right behind at 10.3 points per contest.

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