STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Grad transfer
Jamie Bonnarens scored a season-high 26 points, there were 41 second-half points scored, and the ACU women's basketball team ran away from Tarleton on Saturday in the regular season finale, 80-60. After a 39-39 tie at halftime, the Wildcats (17-12, 9-9 WAC) pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Texans (16-13, 8-10 WAC) 41-21 in the second half to secure the win. It's another winning season, and ACU locks up the No. 5 seed heading into the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas next week.
Turning Point: The final 17 minutes of the game.
ACU held a four-point lead, 43-39, just three minutes into the third quarter. From that point forward, it was all Wildcats. ACU held Tarleton to just six points in the third period on 3-of-11 shooting, and outscored the home team 37-21 in the final 17 minutes of action.
Key Plays
- 1Q | Bonnarens set the tone for what would be her best day as a Wildcat, scoring the game's first points with a triple.
- 1Q |
Kamryn Mraz scored, and Bonnarens followed to push the early lead to 7-0.
- 1Q | ACU led 12-9 after a mini Tarleton run, but freshman
Bella Earle changed that with a three-pointer off the in-bound play after the media timeout.
- 2Q | ACU led 24-19 after the first quarter, but Tarleton got the second off to a good start with four quick points. Leading 24-23, Mraz buried a three to go up four again, 27-23.
- 2Q | Mraz and
Sarah Griswold converted layups to push the lead to 37-30.
- 3Q | Bonnarens got the third off the same way she opened the first, with a three-pointer, breaking the 39-39 tie.
- 3Q |
Tatum Barber and
Emma Middleton both converted inside to stretch ACU's lead to 47-39.
- 3Q |
Madi Miller ended the third with a bang, burying a three-pointer from the corner to lead 59-45.
- 4Q | Tarleton got back in it, trailing by seven points, 61-54. Then Bonnarens did it again. The grad hit a dagger three to give ACU another 10-point lead, 64-54.
- 4Q | Middleton converted an and-one inside to go up 11. ACU never trailed by less than that the rest of the way.
Stat Pack
- Bonnarens recorded her 10th-straight double-digit scoring effort, and her 22nd of the season. It's her fifth 20-point game as well. The grad scored a season-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-8 from downtown. She added four rebounds and a pair of assists.
- Middleton joined her double-figures with 14 off the bench, adding four rebounds and two blocks.
- Mraz and Earle scored 10 themselves, giving ACU four in double-figures. Mraz along with
Tatum Barber grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Earle added three boards, two helpers, and two blocks. Mraz also dished out a team-high five assists.
- ACU went 15-of-17 at the foul line.
- The 'Cats defense held Tarleton to 4-of-16 from the three-point line.
Up Next
ACU finished 9-9 in league play, tied with Sam Houston for the fifth spot. By virtue of ACU's sweep over Sam Houston, the Wildcats earned the fifth seed in the upcoming WAC Tournament. ACU is exempt into the second round, and will play the winner of the No. 8 seed UTRGV and the No. 9 seed Seattle U on Wednesday, March 9 at 2 p.m. CT / 12 p.m. PT at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.
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