ABILENE — Redshirt freshman
Addison Martin scored 21 points, grad transfer
Maleeah Langstaff scored 18, and the ACU women's basketball team held on in a wild game against UTRGV at Moody Coliseum on Saturday. The Wildcats (10-8, 4-3 WAC) survived a 34-point game from Iyana Dorsey and went 18-22 at the free throw line to hold on for a 69-65 victory over the Vaqueros (7-11, 1-6 WAC). ACU avenged last year's loss in the WAC Tournament to UTRGV, and has now won two in a row in conference play for the first time this season. ACU won the fourth quarter 22-20 and hit 10 free throws in the final 10 minutes to hold on for the win.
Key Plays
- UTRGV took a 10-0 lead in the game right away, and head coach Julie Goodenough took a quick timeout. Out of the timeout, Martin scored inside and it settled everything down. ACU slowly worked its way back into the game and eventually took a 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter. Raychael Harjo made a key basket to go down 15-9 and Aspen Thornton followed it up with a three. Langstaff and Madi Miller then each scored to close the period, and the 'Cats took their first lead of the game into the second quarter.
- Miller and Harjo opened the second with back-to-back three-pointers, and ACU led by seven, which would be its largest lead of the afternoon. UTRGV kept it close the rest of the game.
- UTRGV tied it up at 29-29 with 2:46 to go in the half, then Martin scored inside to take the lead only to see the Vaqueros hit a three before the break to go in front by one, 32-31.
- Langstaff took over in the second half, scoring multiple times inside to tie the game at 37-37.
- UTRGV hit a three to get within one in the fourth quarter, 49-48, with 8:20 to play. Langstaff then hit a three to go right back up four, 52-48.
- With three minutes to play, Martin scored inside and was fouled, hit the free throw, and the lead was 59-55. ACU had to close out the game. Dorsey, however, scored back-to-back buckets to tie it up at 59, and a few moments later, Martin hit one of her two foul shots to go up one, 60-59.
- After a UTRGV turnover, Zoe Jackson hit a corner three with 45 seconds left. It was her first points of the game and it pushed the lead to four, 63-59. But it was not over.
- UTRGV scored, Langstaff hit two free throws, and then Dorsey was fouled and nearly converted inside on what would have been an and-one. It rimmed out, then Dorsey missed a free throw, keeping it at a three-point lead, 65-62. Langstaff then hit two more foul shots, UTRGV threw up a prayer of a three that went in, and then Miller hit two free throws with seven seconds left to hold on, 69-65.
Turning Point
ACU was able to survive the 10-point lead to start the game. The Wildcats held UTRGV to 10 more points total after that for the next 13 minutes of game play. ACU led 16-15 after one quarter, and was able to stay in the game the rest of the way.
Stat Pack
- Martin led ACU with 21 points and went to the foul line 12 times, making nine attempts. She added five boards as well, and drew nine fouls in the game.
- Langstaff tallied 18 on 6-11 shooting and added nine rebounds as well. The nine boards led the team.
- Miller scored nine with five rebounds and added a team-high four assists.
- Harjo scored seven off the bench, all in the first half, and was huge in creating the early comeback.
- Claire Graham scored six off the bench with four boards as well.
- ACU hit seven three-pointers but went 18-22 at the foul line and scored 28 points in the paint. ACU forced 14 turnovers and scored 15 points off the turnovers Saturday.
- The win creates the first winning streak in league play this season for ACU.
Up Next
The Wildcats will hit the road next week at NM State and Grand Canyon. It is a Thursday night game in Las Cruces at 7 p.m. against the Aggies before closing the weekend on Saturday in Phoenix at 3 p.m. Both games will air on ESPN+.
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