STEPHENVILLE, Texas — In a physical WAC opener, the Wildcat women's basketball team never trailed, played physical on both ends of the floor, and walked away with a hard-fought, 61-43 win at Tarleton on Thursday night. ACU (7-5, 1-0 WAC) scored the first eight points of the game, led by eight at halftime, and pulled away late to win its ninth consecutive conference opener, and take the first of two meetings with the Texans (6-6, 0-1 WAC) this season.
Bella Earle,
Aspen Thornton, and
Addison Martin all finished in double digits in points in the win, ACU's third in a row.
Key Plays
- The Wildcats got off to the 8-0 start and it was fueled by Martin, who scored six of those points early.
- ACU hit five of its first nine shots from the floor and led 12-8 at the first media timeout.
- The 'Cats got key baskets at the end of both quarters in the first half. Zoe Jackson was at the forefront of both. The point guard hit a running layup in the final seconds of the first frame, and the lead was 20-12 after one. More on Jackson in a moment.
- The second quarter was all defensive. Both teams scored 13 points, and the teams shot a nearly identical percentage from the floor (ACU - 6-15, Tarleton - 5-15). The Wildcats would hit just one three in the first half, but led 33-25 at the intermission.
- Jackson hit a big three-pointer, the only one of the first half, in the waning moments of the second to push the lead to eight at halftime.
- If the second quarter was a defensive battle, the third quarter took that to the next level. In the first five minutes of the period, ACU held a 4-2 lead.
- There were 13 total points in the third, but there were a pair of big plays made from Aspen Thornton. The sophomore hit a shot over defenders in the paint at the shot clock buzzer and then turn ed a missed shot into a put-back layup as well. ACU led 42-29 after three periods.
- ACU opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back scores off Tarleton turnovers, and the foundation was being set for a 19-point quarter to close the game.
- ACU shot only two three-pointers in the fourth quarter, but made both. Madi Miller buried one from the right wing, and on the next possession, Earle came off a screen on the left wing and drained one. ACU built up as much as a 23-point lead in the fourth before holding on by 18.
Turning Point
ACU's early success in the fourth quarter proved to be large. The two three-pointers coupled with the early baskets off turnovers but the game away. Tarleton shot six free throws in the fourth, but shot just 4-15 from the floor in the period.
Stat Pack
- ACU shot 41% from the floor and despite only hitting four three-pointers, out-scored Tarleton 36-18 in the paint.
- The Wildcats held a 42-33 edge in rebounding including 16 offensive rebounds to score 12 second-chance points.
- Three players finished in double figures, led by Earle's dozen. The sophomore hit a pair of three-pointers and added six rebounds to go with three assists and a steal.
- Martin and Thornton each dropped in 10 points and five rebounds. Thornton dished out four assists and swiped four steals as well.
- Jackson scored seven huge points off the bench including a huge three at the end of the first half.
- Maleeah Langstaff tallied six points and secured a team-high nine rebounds to go with three steals and three helpers.
- Miller and Raychael Harjo eached scored five points Thursday night.
- ACU scored 19 points off 19 Tarleton turnovers. Tarleton only scored 10 points off ACU's 17 giveaways.
- It is the first true road win of the season for ACU; the only other win away from Abilene was the Nov. 25 win over Montana State in Denton at the UNT Thanksgiving Classic, serving as a neutral site victory.
Up Next
The Wildcats are off to Nacogdoches to face long-time rival SFA on Saturday, Dec. 31. Tip-off on New Year's Eve is at 2 p.m., and the game will air on ESPN+.
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