Women's hoops opens 2023 with two home dates

ABILENE – The new year begins this week for the Abilene Christian women's basketball team back home in the friendly confines of Moody Coliseum for a pair of WAC games. The Wildcats (7-6, 1-1 WAC) will host long-time rival Sam Houston on Thursday, Jan. 5 to open the weekend, and two days later will welcome in league newcomer UT Arlington on Saturday, Jan. 7. ACU and Sam Houston will get together for the 18th time, while the Wildcats and Mavericks will play for the first time since 2013, ACU's first year in Division I. Both games will air on ESPN+ as well as the ACU Sports Network.

SERIES HISTORY VS. SAM HOUSTON

• ALL-TIME | 18th meeting (ACU leads, 13-4)
• LAST MEETING | ACU 88, Sam Houston 71 (Feb. 17, 2022 - Abilene)
• STREAK | ACU, w2
• IN ABILENE | ACU leads, 6-3
• IN HUNTSVILLE | ACU leads, 7-1
• NEUTRAL | n/a
• POSTSEASON | n/a

SERIES HISTORY VS. UT ARLINGTON

• ALL-TIME | 2nd meeting (ACU leads, 1-0)
• LAST MEETING | ACU 79, UTA 72 (Nov. 27, 2013 - Arlington)
• STREAK | ACU, w1
• IN ABILENE | 1st meeting
• IN ARLINGTON | ACU leads, 1-0
• NEUTRAL | n/a
• POSTSEASON | n/a

ACU STORYLINES

• OPENING WEEKEND SPLIT
  • The Wildcats went on the road for two games last weekend and split the games at Tarleton and SFA. ACU topped the Texans in a defensive slugfest, 61-43, on Dec. 29 before falling in a high-scoring affair against the Ladyjacks, 83-78, on New Year's Eve. ACU never trailed in a physical WAC opener in Stephenville, never trailed, and walked away with a hard-fought win. Bella Earle, Aspen Thornton, and Addison Martin all finished in double digits in points in the win, the third in a row at the time. The winning streak ended in Nac despite Thornton dominating with 20 points, Madi Miller and Martin each scoring 18, and Miller hitting a career-best six three-pointers.
• THORNTON'S BIG WEEKEND
  • Sophomore transfer Aspen Thornton is playing her best basketball as a Wildcat, scoring in double figures in six of her last seven games. Thornton averaged 15 points per game and five rebounds per game in two games, including 20 points at SFA on Saturday. The sophomore filled the stat sheet in Nacogdoches with five rebounds, six steals, and five assists. Thornton hit nine of her 22 field goal attempts, 10 of her 14 free throws, and averaged five steals per game in the weekend split.
• MARTIN FINDING A RHYTHM INSIDE
  • Redshirt freshman Addison Martin averaged 14 points per game this weekend on the road, including a career-high 18 points at SFA. Martin established herself as a dominant force inside averaging five rebounds per game. Martin hit 11 of her 19 shots, and hit six free throws in Nacogdoches as well.
• CONFERENCE OPENERS
  • ACU has now won nine consecutive conference openers. The last loss on the opening night of the conference season was during the 2014-15 season, the Wildcats’ second year as a member of NCAA Division I. Since moving to Division I in 2013, the program is 9-1 in league openers, combining the eight years in the Southland and the first two years in the WAC. ACU won on the road at Tarleton on Thursday night.
• COACH GOODENOUGH’S MILESTONES
  • Head coach Julie Goodenough will coach her 821st career game on Thursday, and has earned 495 career victories, including 206 as the coach at ACU. Goodenough is in her 29th season overall and her 11th with the Wildcats.

SCOUTING SAM HOUSTON (5-6, 1-0 WAC)

• The Bearkats hosted Seattle U last Thursday to open league play and topped the Redhawks, 92-72. Sam Houston is a great offensive team that is rebounding the ball well on the offensive side as well.
• Ravon Justice is in her fifth year leading the Bearkats, but is looking for her first win over ACU since the 2020-21 season.
• Chyna Allen is leading the way with 15.0 points per game this season and is dishing out a team-best 28 assists as well.

SCOUTING UT ARLINGTON (7-7, 1-1 WAC)

• The Mavericks split the opening weekend just like ACU, falling to California Baptist on the road on Thursday before topping Tarleton at home on Saturday. UTA scored just 61 points in the loss at CBU, but put up 92 in a route over Tarleton (92-68).
• Three players lead the Mavs in double digits in points per game, led by Starr Jacobs' 15.4 PPG. Kayla White is averaging 13.5 points per game, while Jireh Washington is dropping in 12.0 points each night.

Follow ACU Women's Basketball on Social Media
Twitter: @ACUWBB | @ACUsports
Instagram: @acuwbb | @acusports
Facebook: /ACUWomensBasketball | /ACUSports

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