LAS VEGAS – The run continues for the ACU men's basketball team at the WAC Tournament after a dominant victory over the co-regular season champion SFA on Thursday night in the quarterfinal round. The No. 6 seed Wildcats (22-9) used two dominant defensive stretches to pull away from the No. 3 seed Lumberjacks (22-9), 76-62. ACU did not allow a field goal in the final 7:15 of the first half, and then did not allow a field goal in a six-minute stretch late in the second half. Senior
Mahki Morris had a career night with 22 points, and
Coryon Mason added 12 in the win. After being swept in the regular season by SFA, ACU got the win that mattered most in the first-ever post-season matchup between the schools. ACU advances to the semifinal round on Friday at the Orleans Arena.
Turning Point: The two stretches of remarkable defense.
ACU turned it up a notch in two key stretches of game action. The 'Cats trailed by one, 23-22, with 7:15 to play in the first half after a Gavin Kensmil layup. From that point til the end of the first half, the Lumberjacks did not convert a field goal. SFA went 0-for-6 from the floor, ACU forced them into four turnovers, and the seven SFA points of the half were scored on free throws. ACU went on an 18-7 run to close the half, including a 9-0 run to push the lead to 10, 39-29. SFA had four turnovers in the final five minutes of the half and made just two of their final 14 shots of the period, as ACU led 41-30 at the break, and never looked back.
The Wildcats then turned it on again towards the end of the game. SFA got within 11 points, but ACU's defense was just too much. SFA again went on a stretch without field goal made, this time from the 8:30 mark to the 2:53 mark on the game clock in the second half. The Wildcats led by as many as 21 points, and ultimately held on by 14.
Key Plays
- 1st 17:14 | After trailing 5-0 for the second-straight night, ACU never waivered again, and scored seven in a row.
Tobias Cameron hit a pair of foul shots,
Airion Simmons scored inside, and
Reggie Miller hit a three-pointer to take the lead.
- 1st 12:31 | ACU trailed by as many as seven in the first half, 18-11, when
Damien Daniels scored to cut it right back to five. ACU never got down big, and eventually would lead for 27 minutes total.
- 1st 10:03 | Morris converted to give ACU the lead, and then hit a three to put the 'Cats up 22-18, capping an 11-0 run at the 8:21 mark.
- 1st 5:18 | While the defense was taking over,
Coryon Mason buried a triple to put ACU up 29-27. It put the 'Cats in front for good.
- 2nd 18:20 | Morris converted a layup to answer SFA's Kensmil, who scored the first basket of the period. It set the tone that SFA would not get back in the game.
- 2nd 13:06 | Leading by 15, Morris buried a triple to extend it to a 57-39.
- 2nd 10:04 |
Immanuel Allen tallied big minutes by hitting a three-pointer and a driving layup, both giving ACU 21-point leads.
- 2nd 1:11 | Steele put the exclamation point on the game with a dunk to ice the victory.
Stat Pack
- Morris led the 'Cats with a career-best 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including three from distance. He added four helpers and snatched two steals.
- Mason, who was in foul trouble against Utah Valley, played 30 minutes and scored 12 points while swiping a career-best five steals.
- Simmons, who was in foul trouble most of the night, tallied nine points and went 5-of-6 at the line with five rebounds and four assists.
- Miller and Steele eached scored eight points, with Miller nabbing four steals.
- Cameron was ACU's leading rebounder with a career-high seven, and added a career-best two blocks.
- ACU led by double digits for the final 19 minutes of the game.
- ACU picked up its first win against a team higher than them in the WAC standings this season.
- ACU scored 17 points off of 22 turnovers forced.
Up Next
- The No. 6 seed Wildcats will face the No. 2 seed Seattle U in the semifinal round on Friday, March 11 at The Orleans Arena. Tip-off is scheduled once again for 10:30 p.m. CT (8:30 p.m. PT). The game will air on ESPN+ and 102.7 The Bear.
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