NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Sophomore
Taylor Morgan led the way with 14 points, freshman
Bella Earle scored a career-high with 13 points, but the ACU women's basketball dropped its first conference game of the season Monday night at SFA, falling 81-65. The Wildcats (11-4, 3-1 WAC) led 5-2 early on, but the red-hot Ladyjacks hit shots early and built up a 17-point first half lead. ACU got it within five in the second quarter, but SFA pulled away in the second half to snap ACU's four-game winning streak. ACU, again without two starters in
Jamie Bonnarens and
Kamryn Mraz, put together another valient effort and had multiple players step up in the rescheduled game that was originally supposed to be played last Thursday night. ACU will return home for some much-needed rest before taking on GCU and NM State this week in the Teague Center.
Turning Point: SFA's final three of the half and the early moments of the third quarter.
ACU got the game within five with back-to-back steals and layups from Morgan and
Tatum Barber. The 'Cats trailed 39-34 before SFA hit a three-pointer to go up eight points at halftime. The Ladyjacks would then score the first nine points of the third quarter to stretch the lead back out, and ACU played catch up the rest of the ballgame.
Key Plays
- 1Q | ACU got off to another good start, getting a layup from Earle right away to tie the game at two. The 'Cats then led 5-2 after a Morgan triple.
- 1Q |
Sarah Griswold, who did not play on Saturday against Sam Houston, made her return wiith a quick basket to go up 7-5.
- 1Q | Trailing 23-8, Earle helped spark the first-half comeback with a three-pointer.
- 2Q | ACU trailed 33-16 halfway through the second period, but then the comeback began. Griswold got it started with a jumper, and Barber hit a triple on the next possession.
- 2Q | Trailing by 13, Barber scored in the paint, and Morgan then hit a pair of foul shots. Then Morgan and Barber got the back-to-back steals to help cut the deficit to five, 39-34.
- 3Q | SFA scored the first nine points of the third quarter to go up 17 points.
- 3Q | Earle hit another three, and had 13 points by the time the third quarter ended, giving her a new career-best.
- 4Q | Morgan hit a three-pointer, then
Madi Miller hit back-to-back triples to put her into double-digits in scoring.
Stat Pack
- Morgan tallied 14 points, giving her 35 points for the weekend in Mraz's absense. The sophomore again played all 40 minutes, proving how strong her future is at ACU. Her three triples tied a career-best. She also dished out six assists.
- Earle's career-high 13 points was highlighted by three connections from distance, also a career-best. The Denton Guyer HS product added six boards with an assist and a block.
- Miller was into double digits again with 10 points to go with five rebounds and a pair of assists.
- Barber added nine points with five boards.
- Griswold played 21 minutes back from the COVID list and scored seven points with a pair of boards.
Up Next
ACU will head back home to match up with Grand Canyon and New Mexico State on Thursday and Saturday. Both games will tip at 6 p.m., and both games will air on ESPN+.
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