Cats Come Up Short at Western Kentucky

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Abilene Christian missed a last-chance shot in a tough battle at Western Kentucky and fell 86-84 on Saturday.
 
Ali Abdou Dibba had his first double-double as a Wildcat with a strong 25-point, 10-rebound performance.
 
The Hilltoppers used a 13-0 run to take the lead, 74-69, with 4:54 remaining in the game and from there it was an intense, offense-oriented contest.
 
Dibba hit a jumper to end ACU's four-minute scoring drought and after a steal by Immanuel Allen, Hunter Jack Madden tied the game with a three-pointer, 74-74 with 4:32 to go.
 
WKU got back out to a four-point lead but Kavion McClain made four free throws in a row to tie it with 3:21 remaining.
 
WKU had an 80-78 lead but Dibba answered with a jumper with 2:30 to go.  After both teams misfired on three-pointers, Don McHenry gave the Toppers an 82-80 lead with 1:45 left but Madden had the answer 20 seconds later.
 
The Hilltoppers scored after an offensive rebound with 49 seconds to play but Dibba was true on two free throw attempts with 35 seconds to go.
 
After a timeout, Khristian Lander landed the game-winner with seven seconds left. ACU missed on a last-second shot.
 
The Wildcats, who have been among the NCAA leaders in getting to the free throw line, only got there nine times on Saturday and knocked down all nine attempts.
 
Madden had his second 20-point game of the season, scoring 21. McClain added 14 and Leonardo Bettiol added scored 10. McClain had five assists and Nasir DeGruy led the team with two steals.
 
ACU comes home to re-start Western Athletic Conference action with a 5 p.m. contest on Saturday, Jan. 6, against Texas-Rio Grande Valley.