WBB wraps road trip at Oral Roberts

TULSA, Okla. – The ACU women's basketball team wraps up its road trip in northeast Oklahoma with a matchup against the Summit League's Oral Roberts. It's the return trip from last year's matchup in Abilene, and ACU (4-4) looks to close the road trip with its first win away from the Big Country this season. The Wildcats and Golden Eagles (2-7) will play for the third time ever, and for the second time as non-conference opponents. Tip-off inside the Mabee Center is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11, and the game will air on the ORU Sports Network.

SERIES HISTORY VS. ORAL ROBERTS

• ALL-TIME | Tied, 1-1
• LAST MEETING | ORU 69, ACU 66 (Dec. 15, 2021 - Abilene)
• STREAK | ORU, w1
• IN ABILENE | Tied, 1-1
• IN TULSA | n/a
• NEUTRAL | n/a
• POSTSEASON | n/a

ACU STORYLINES

• GUTSY SHOWING AT NEW MEXICO
  • Thornton led the way with 17 points, Madi Miller scored 12, and ACU put together one of the gutsier performances you will see, falling 71-61 on the road without two players at a good New Mexico team out of the Mountain West Conference. The Wildcats were within 10 points nearly the entire night Wednesday, and did so without the disposal of Bella Earle and Raychael Harjo, who did not make the trip due to illness and injury.
• ASPEN THORNTON DOMINATES
  • Point guard Aspen Thornton showed out at New Mexico on Wednesday night, dropping season-highs 17 points on 7-16 shooting. She added four rebounds and three assists Wednesday.
• HOME WIN OVER ALABAMA STATE
  • Five players scored in double figures, Addison Martin finished a rebound shy of a double-double, and ACU kept its undefeated start in Moody Coliseum in check with a 78-67 victory over Alabama State. The Wildcats outscored the Lady Hornets 48-26 in the second and third quarters, and held on in the fourth to win by double digits and to get back in the win column. The three-point shot was alive and well for the 'Cats, as ACU knocked down 13 triples en route to the 11-point victory. ACU moves to 3-0 in the newly renovated home arena.
• BEYOND THE BOX SCORE vs. ALABAMA STATE
  • ACU shot 46% from the floor against Alabama State, the second-highest shooting percentage of the season. The 13 three-pointers are the most in a game this year, and the second time the team hit double digits from the outside. Five players scored in double figures, the most in a game this season. Madi Miller keeps her nice stretch going with 17 more points on 6-10 shooting, including four makes from distance. The four three-pointers match a career-high, giving her now seven times in her career she's hit that mark. Miller added six rebounds and three assists. Maleeah Langstaff has now scored in double digits in six consecutive games with 16 more on Friday on 6-11 shooting. The forward hit three from downtown, a new career mark, and added six boards with three assists and a pair of blocks. Bella Earle dropped in 15, a new season-best, and hit all three of her attempts from downtown, matching a career number for the fifth time. Despite fouling out, Earle added a pair of assists with a pair of rebounds. Addison Martin dropped home a dozen points with nine boards, just missing her first career double-double. The forward blocked a season-best three shots as well, and dished out a trio of assists. Aspen Thornton rounded out all five starters in double digits with 10 points, and added three boards with a pair of helpers. The 10 points is the best in an ACU uniform for the Ouachita Baptist transfer.
• BELLA ON THE BOARDS
  • ACU is rebounding well this season, with four players averaging north of 5.5 per game. But the leader is the pack is Bella Earle. The sophomore guard leads the way with 7.3 rebounds per game, while Martin is at 6.1 and Miller is at 6.0 for the season. Maleeah Langstaff (5.9) is right behind as well, but it's the guard Earle who is dominating on the glass so far this season.
• LEADING SCORERS
  • Langstaff leads the way with 13.9 points per game, while Miller is right behind at 11.9 points per contest. Langstaff is shooting 55% from the floor, and also leads the 'Cats with nine steals defensively. Martin leads the way inside defensively with nine blocks, and is right behind Langstaff with eight steals.
• COACH GOODENOUGH’S MILESTONES
  • Head coach Julie Goodenough will coach her 816th career games Sunday, and has earned 492 career victories, including 203 as the coach at ACU. Goodenough is in her 29th season overall and her 11th with the Wildcats.

SCOUTING ORAL ROBERTS (2-7, 0-0 SUMMIT LEAGUE)

• The Golden Eagles are coming off a road loss at Arkansas, and the team has continued to play top-notch competition this season. ORU has lost to No. 15 Oklahoma, UNLV, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, and Arkansas on the road. They also have home losses to Tulsa and SMU.
• ORU is scoring 75.0 points per game, and are led by four players in double figures for the season. Hannah Cooper (18.2 ppg), Tirzah Moore (12.2 ppg), Ruthie Udoumoh (11.7 ppg), and Ariel Walker (10.6 ppg) lead the pack.

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