Editor's note -- Abilene Christian's media relations office this year (2020-21) has teamed with Grant Abston's
Topics in Journalism class to bring additional feature content onto ACUSports.com. The following story on
Reggie Miller was contributed by junior convergence journalism major Kayla Montano with additional reporting by Prof. Abston and ACU media relations director
Chris Macaluso.
ABILENE --
Reggie Miller's ascent into the all-conference defensive playmaker he is today required years of discipline.
As a youngster competing at the AAU level, Miller admitted he, "got blew by every time." He was then small and slow. But his work ethic was unmatched as he learned to pair his shooting skills with defensive tactics that elevated his high school and college teams into championship contenders.
"I could already shoot, but I had to learn how to do something on the other end of the floor," said Miller by phone from the team hotel in Indianapolis. "I worked at it, embraced it, and never backed down from an opponent.
"As the years went on I developed into a better and smarter defender by taking the right angles, knowing how to play within my size, and beating people to spots -- knowing their games. It's a lot more mental than people think."
Toward the end of his high school career at Klein Forest, Miller was being recognized as one of the top players in Texas. His senior year team finished 34-1, after which he was selected First Team All-Region and District and voted District Defensive MVP. The Eagles additionally furnished a 59-8 record with Miller as their starting point guard.
His collegiate career started with the defensive-minded Texas State Bobcats in 2017-18, seeing time in 18 games, and the following year he transferred to Seward County (Kan.) Community College, which won the 2019 NJCAA Region VI Championship.
Miller frequently started for the Saints, averaging 10.2 points, 4.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game, but if he wanted to return to DI hoops, he'd have to follow the advice of head coach Jason Sautter and focus on something that'd allow his size (6-0 / 150) to go unnoticed.
"It was the defense for me," said Miller. "I chose to be on the other end the floor and create turnovers and opportunities for the offense … (and) it was a dream come true to make it out of JUCO. I had a couple of offers, but ACU was the closest (geographically), which was good for my parents (Keisha and Reginald Miller)."
Miller came to ACU ready to stay and was a late addition to the 2019-20 team, officially signing on July 15, a mere three weeks before the Wildcats took off on their foreign tour of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In the two years since that trip, ACU has won 43 games with Miller on its roster as he has averaged 4.5 points, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game to go along with a 1.9 assist/turnover ratio.
"The school has been the perfect fit," said Miller, "because it wasn't centered around one specific individual – it was about the team, and I'm all about team basketball."
The team-first approaches and methods utilized by 10th-year head coach
Joe Golding and his longtime Wildcat associates
Brette Tanner and
Antonio Bostic have resulted in the best stretch of ACU basketball in its 100-year history.
The Wildcats are in the midst of their third-consecutive 20-win season and have won the last two Southland Conference Tournament Championships. They also go into their second NCAA Championship appearance winners of 12 of their last 13 games and have defeated their last three opponents (UIW, Lamar and Nicholls) by an average of 22.0 points per game.
ACU this season ranks first nationally in turnover margin (+6.4) and turnovers forced (20.26), second with 9.9 steals per game, seventh in scoring defense (60.5 points per game) and fifth with a +17.1-scoring margin. They also have the NCAAs ninth-highest winning percentage at 85.2 (23-4).
The Wildcats' consistent success vs. the Southland (13-2) combined with impressive performances vs. Texas Tech and Arkansas vaulted them to a No. 14 seed for the NCAA Tournament, which starts this weekend in Indiana. The Wildcats will be matched up against the third-seed Texas Longhorns Saturday night (8:50 p.m.), marking the first game between these two programs despite being separated by only 215 miles.
Miller grew up a fan of Longhorn legend Kevin Durant and has two Houston-area friends on the team in Royce Hamm and Jase Febres, but he still keeps his emotions in check as the Wildcats inch their way toward game night and glow of the national spotlight.
"The first couple of days here are like a dream, but now (Tuesday night) it's back to basketball," he said. "We have an opponent Saturday and we're locked into executing our game plan. We're no longer caught up in the awe. It's worn off a little bit since we've been here so long (since Sunday morning). We're just waiting to play and preparing day-by-day.
"I'm definitely looking forward to the game and I'm enjoying the experience because not everyone gets to compete at March Madness, but I have to keep in mind it's still a business trip."
Should the Wildcats pull off the upset, they'll play again Monday against either BYU or another of college basketball's bluebloods: Michigan State or UCLA. If not, Miller will return to an Abilene community that has embraced him since day one.
"On my first visit to campus Coach Tanner told me I'd have the best time of my life here at ACU and that I wouldn't regret coming here," recalled Miller, "and he's been true to his word.
"ACU has been everything to me. The playing style fits my game, the coaches let me play, and off the court, this city, my classmates and teachers have welcomed me. The teacher involvement here is like no other. I talk to my teachers all the time. They understand the demands of the student-athlete, congratulate me on a game, and wish me a happy birthday through email. I've never had that happen before. It's a true family environment at ACU."
