WBB hosts UTRGV in lone game of the week on Saturday

ABILENE – The ACU women's basketball team earned a much-needed bye on Thursday before it returns to Moody Coliseum for a pivotal game on Saturday afternoon against UTRGV. The Wildcats (9-8, 3-3 WAC) look to build a winning streak in league play with a game against the Vaqueros (7-10, 1-5 WAC), who are coming off a home game on Thursday night before making the long trip up to Abilene. The team will host Alumni Day at Moody, bringing back alumni from the program to honor throughout the game. The game tips at 1 p.m. on Saturday and will air on ESPN+.

SERIES HISTORY VS. UTRGV

• ALL-TIME | 5th meeting (Tied, 2-2)
• LAST MEETING | UTRGV 73, ACU 70 (March 9, 2022 - Las Vegas)
• STREAK | UTRGV, w2
• IN ABILENE | ACU leads, 2-0
• IN EDINBURG | UTRGV leads, 1-0
• NEUTRAL | UTRGV leads, 1-0
• POSTSEASON | UTRGV leads, 1-0

ACU STORYLINES

• UTAH SPLIT
  • ACU fell to Utah Tech last Wednesday night in a high-scoring affair, 85-74, before bouncing back with a win over Utah Valley last Saturday, 71-50. Both teams hit 11 three-pointers in the Wednesday game, but Utah Tech shot over 50% from the floor and kept the lead around double digits the entire night. Meanwhile, it was the opposite on Saturday, with ACU leading the majority of the way. After trailing 10-5, the Wildcats went on an 18-2 run to end the first quarter, and it was off and running. The ‘Cats shot 44% from the floor and held Utah Valley to just 38% offensively with 18 turnovers.
• MILLER TIME
  • Fifth-year senior Madi Miller eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau with a 20-point game against Utah Valley. The senior now has scored 1,003 points to go with 167 three-pointers made, 430 rebounds, 325 assists, and 141 steals. She has played in more games than anyone in ACU’s Division I history (134). Miller averaged 17.5 points per game last week and made seven three-pointers, including five more against Utah Valley.
• DOUBLE-DOUBLE
  • Fifth-year transfer Maleeah Langstaff led the way with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double against Utah Tech. It was the 13th double-digit scoring game of the season and the 49th of her career. It was also her fourth double-double of the season, and the 15th of her career.
• ADDI-BALL
  • Redshirt freshman Addison Martin averaged 8.5 points per game last week to go with 4.5 rebounds. She continues to excel inside, and also put together her best assist totals last week as well. Martin averaged three helpers per game, and is starting to kick it out when the defense draws in on her inside. Martin went 8-13 from the floor in the Utah split last week as well.
• #1 IN THE PROGRAM AND OUR HEARTS
  • Sophomore transfer Aspen Thornton is playing her best basketball as a Wildcat, scoring in double figures in 10 of her last 11 games, including five in a row. Thornton is averaging 16.2 points during this 11-game stretch, and has three 20-point efforts in that stretch. Thornton dropped 18 points last Saturday against Utah Valley, and went 6-6 at the foul line. Thornton has played for 30-plus minutes in each of the last five games as well.
• CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
  • 1,000-Point Club: Madi Miller - 1,003 points, Aspen Thornton - 799 points
  • 150-Steal Club: Madi Miller - 141 steals
  • Aspen Thornton just joined the 100-assist club with four against Utah Tech. She now has 105 for her two-year career.
• COACH GOODENOUGH’S MILESTONES
  • Head coach Julie Goodenough will coach her 825th career game on Saturday, and has earned 497 career victories, including 208 as the coach at ACU. Goodenough is in her 29th season overall and her 11th with the Wildcats.

SCOUTING UTRGV (7-10, 1-5 WAC)

• The Vaqueros are looking to end their three-game losing streak that continued with a tough loss to UT Arlington on Thursday night, 71-65, at home.
• UTRGV is scoring 60 points per game, and is led by Iyana Dorsey's 15.8 points per game. Deborah Ogayemi is scoring 10.2 ppg, while Mele Kailahi caps the trio in double figures with 10.0 ppg.
• UTRGV shoots it just 28% from the three-point line and turns it over nearly 16 times per night.

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#GoWildcats