ACU and UTRGV meet in second round Wednesday

LAS VEGAS – The post-season journey for the ACU women's basketball team begins Wednesday, March 9 at the 2022 WAC Basketball Tournament. After an 18-game league schedule and a 29-game regular season, the biggest week is upon us. The No. 5 seed Wildcats (17-2, 9-9 WAC) take on the No. 8 seed UTRGV (13-18, 8-10 WAC) in the second round for a chance to move into the quarterfinals on Thursday, and a date with the No. 4 seed Utah Valley. The game tips at 12 p.m. PT (2 p.m. CT) at The Orleans Arena, and the game will air on ESPN+ and 102.7 The Bear.

SERIES HISTORY VS. UTRGV

• ALL-TIME | 4th meeting (ACU leads, 2-1)
• LAST MEETING | UTRGV 82, ACU 62 (Feb. 5, 2022 - Edinburg, Texas)
• STREAK | UTRGV, w1
• IN ABILENE | ACU leads, 2-0
• IN EDINBURG | UTRGV leads, 1-0
• NEUTRAL | n/a
• POSTSEASON | First meeting

ACU STORYLINES

• POSTSEASON BOUND AGAIN
  • ACU punched its ticket to its fifth-consecutive conference tournament, earning the No. 5 seed in its inaugural season in the WAC. The Wildcats went to four-straight Southland Conference tournaments from 2018-21, and went 5-2 in Katy, Texas in that span, including winning the 2019 bracket. ACU never played less than two games in each trip to the Southland Tournament (aside from the 2020 tournament, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and looks to have the same success in WAC Vegas.
• SNAPPING THE SKID, HEADING TO LAS VEGAS IN STYLE
  • ACU dominated Tarleton on the final day of the regular season last Saturday, beating the rival Texans, 80-60. Jamie Bonnarens scored 26 points, there were 41 second-half points scored, and 'Cats ran away with a 20-point win. After a 39-39 tie at halftime, the Wildcats pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Texans 41-21 in the second half to secure the win, cementing the No. 5 seed in the WAC Tournament.
• NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR, FIRST TEAM ALL-WAC
  • Grad transfer Jamie Bonnarens was named the WAC Newcomer of the Year and first team Al-WAC Monday when the league awards were announced. The Cache, Okla. native led ACU in scoring at 14.9 points per game, and tallied 22 double-digit scoring games, including five 20-point games this season. Bonnarens recorded a season-high 26 points in the regular-season finale against Tarleton, and finished the season ranked in the top 15 in the WAC in both shooting percentage (43.1% - 15th) and three-point percentage (41.5% - 4th). Bonnarens averaged 5.0 rebounds per game and recorded 47 assists and 24 steals.
• FRESHMAN PHENOM
  • Bella Earle has been one of the top freshmen in the conference this season, averaging 7.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, and is shooting 36.3 percent from the floor. The rookie has nine double-digit scoring games in her inaugural season in Purple and White.
• THREE-POINT PARTY
  • ACU has hit 277 three-pointers so far this season, the eighth-highest mark in the nation, and the top number in the WAC. The Wildcats have 14 games with double-digit makes from distance, and five more games with nine three-pointers. The team ranks 22nd nationally with a 35.6 clip from behind the arc.
• COACH GOODENOUGH’S MILESTONES
  • Head coach Julie Goodenough coached her 800th career game against Chicago State, and has earned 488 career victories, including 199 as the coach at ACU. Goodenough is in her 28th season overall and her 10th with the Wildcats.

SCOUTING #8 UTRGV (13-18, 8-10 WAC)

• The Vaqueros beat No. 9 Seattle U, 71-61, in the opening game of the tournament Tuesday. Sara Bershers dropped 24 points, and UTRGV made 13 three-pointers in the win.
• UTRGV is on a roll, topping WAC champ SFA on the final day of the regular season, 76-74, in Nacogdoches, before winning Tuesday. UTRGV has made 29 three-pointers in the last two games.
• Taylor Muff was named All-WAC Second Team and to the All-WAC Newcomer Team.

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