West-coast bound Wildcats look to build a win streak

GAME #18
Abilene Christian (12-5, 4-2 WAC) at Seattle U (5-9, 0-3 WAC)
Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022  |  8 p.m. CT  |  Redhawk Center  |  Seattle, Wash.

GAME #19
Abilene Christian (12-5, 4-2 WAC) at California Baptist (13-2, 4-0 WAC)
Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022  |  3 p.m. CT  |  CBU Events Center  |  Riverside, Calif.

SEATTLE, Wash. / RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The ACU women’s basketball team heads to the west coast this week for two first-ever matchups against WAC opponents. Seattle U welcomes in the Wildcats on Thursday before reigning conference champion California Baptist hosts ACU on Saturday. The 'Cats look to build off their come-from-behind win over NM State last weekend, and they will put their 4-2 record away from Abilene to the test. Both games will air on ESPN+ this weekend.

ACU STORYLINES

• COMEBACK WIN FOR THE AGES
  • Down 19 late in the third quarter, ACU turned to its motto: Grit Don’t Quit. The Wildcats came back to top the New Mexico State Aggies Saturday night, 76-73, outscoring their guests 22-8 in the final quarter, and snapping a two-game losing streak to close out a busy week. ACU got a layup from freshman Bella Earle to take the lead with 1:15 left, and after a key stop, the Wildcats hit free throws to seal it. The ‘Cats split the week in which they played four games in eight days, capping it in style with a big home win.
• UNCONVENTIONAL METHOD
  • ACU overcame just one three-pointer made, the lowest number of the its Division I era, but scored 46 points in the paint, and outscored NM State 23-12 in points off turnovers.
• UNDER MY UM-BELLA, BELLA, BELLA
  • Freshman Bella Earle had a career-night against New Mexico State. The rook scored 16 points, matched a career-high with seven rebounds, and played a career-high 33 minutes. Earle has now scored 41 points over the last three games (13.7 ppg), and is shooting 14-23 (60.8%) from the floor in that stretch. The Corinth, Texas native is averaging five rebounds per game in the last three games as well.
• MORGAN’S BEST STRETCH
  • Sophomore Taylor Morgan has having her best run as a Wildcat over the last four games. After the Fort Worth native scored 21 points against Sam Houston and was named the WAC Player of the Week, she has continued her nice stretch with two more double-digit efforts. Over the last four games, Morgan has scored 56 points (14 ppg) and has hit 25-28 from the foul ine (89.2%). The guard has six double-digit scoring efforts this season after having just four a year ago.
• PROGRAM MILESTONE
  • The next win for the Wildcats will be the 900th as a program. ACU started women’s basketball in 1971, and is in its 51st season on the hardwood. The ‘Cats have averaged almost 18 wins per season to date.
• THREE-POINT PARTY
  • ACU has hit 168 three-pointers so far this season, the fifth-highest mark in the nation. The Wildcats have nine games with double-digit makes from distance. The team ranks 22nd nationally with a 36.4 clip from behind the arc, which was moved back to match the men’s line in the off-season.
• SHARP SHOOTER
  • Kamryn Mraz has been outstanding from behind the arc this season. The fourth-year Wildcat is hitting 47.8 percent of her looks, the fourth-best mark in the country. Mraz has 32 makes from downtown, and is hitting 2.1 three’s per game.
• COACH GOODENOUGH’S MILESTONES
  • Head coach Julie Goodenough earned her 483rd career win against New Mexico State, and her 194th as the coach at ACU. Goodenough is in her 28th season overall and her 10th with the Wildcats.

SCOUTING SEATTLE U (5-9, 0-3 WAC)

• The Redhawks have dropped their first three games in WAC play after not having a game to play for three weeks due to COVID-19. Seattle U is in the midst of a three-game home stand after falling to California Baptist last Saturday.
• Bree Calhoun leads the way with 11.1 points per game, while McKenzi Williams joins her in double figures with a 10.1 PPG clip this season.

SCOUTING CALIFORNIA BAPTIST (13-2, 4-0 WAC)

• The Lancers have not lost a WAC game in two seasons, and are riding an eight-game winning streak going into the weekend.
• CBU is led by Caitlyn Harper's 19.3 points per game, while Ane Olaeta (15.7 PPG) and Britney Thomas (10.5 PPG) also average over 10 points per contest.

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