ABILENE – Four players scored in double-figures, 34 points were scored off of 26 turnovers, and the ACU women's basketball team picked up a huge home win over Sam Houston at the Teague Center Thursday night, 88-71. The Wildcats (16-6, 8-6 WAC) never trailed, and led by as many as 19 on their way to 16-point victory. The win snapped a seven-game Bearkat winning streak, and moved ACU into sole possession of fourth place in the conference standings heading into the final four games of the season. ACU has now swept Sam Houston (12-3, 7-7 WAC) this season, marking the second time in three years ACU swept the season series.
Turning Point: The first five minutes of the game.
ACU won the opening tip, and
Taylor Morgan immediately got it up to
Jamie Bonnarens for a layup less than 10 seconds in. After a missed shot for Sam Houston,
Tatum Barber hit a three-pointer in transition, and Bearkat head coach Ravon Justice called a timeout 34 seconds into the game. The 5-0 start ballooned up to 12-2 after a
Madi Miller layup, a Bonnarens jumper and a three-pointer for the grad transfer. It set the tone for the rest of the game. Sam Houston turned it over five times in the corner and ACU built up a double-digit lead they would not give back.
Key Plays
- 1Q | Sam Houston cut it to a 12-7 game, but freshman
Bella Earle immediately buried a three-pointer to go back up eight.
- 2Q | Bonnarens hit a three on the first possession of the quarter, and Earle converted a layup to score the first five, pushing the lead to 11, 29-18.
- 3Q | The Bearkats scored the first basket of the third to cut the ACU lead to 42-38, but the 'Cats rattled off seven in a row with a three-point play from Barber, a layup from Griswold and a layup from Morgan. The lead all of a sudden was 11 in less than two minutes.
- 3Q | Sam Houston again cut it to four points, 52-48, and the answer came from Bonnarens, who scored on a tough take to the rim and got a three-point play.
- 4Q | The visitors got it within nine early in the fourth, 70-61, but Earle responded with a big three to go back up by 12. ACU would never lead by less than 10 the rest of the way
Stat Pack
- Bonnarens' 24 points were the second-most of the season, and her fourth 20-point effort. The Oklahoma native went 9-of-19 from the floor and hit five three-pointers. Bonnarens added three rebounds and four assists. She also stole the ball four times.
- Earle added 15 off the bench with three boards and four helpers.
- Griswold worked hard in the paint all night, scoring 13 points and grabbing a pair of boards.
- Barber dropped in a dozen points with a team-high five rebounds. The grad transfer collected six steals and three assists as well.
- ACU forced a season-high 26 turnovers, and scored 34 points off them in the game.
- Sam Houston had seven players with at least three fouls, and ACU took advantage, hitting 17 free throws.
Up Next
ACU has Saturday off for its final bye of the season before heading on the road to Beaumont, Texas to take on Lamar on Thursday, Feb. 24. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and the game will air on ESPN+.
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