ABILENE — Maleeah Langstaff set a new ACU Division I program record with 34 points, and the Abilene Christian women's basketball team got the signature win it was looking for Thursday night against the team with the best record in the WAC, Southern Utah. The Wildcats (13-14, 7-9 WAC) used a 15-9 overtime period to top the Thunderbirds (17-9, 13-2 WAC), 89-83. ACU attempted 36 three-pointers, hauled in 15 offensive rebounds, and kept the turnovers to just seven against one of the top defenses in the league. ACU led by 14 going to the fourth quarter, but Southern Utah stormed back in the fourth to grab the lead and eventually force OT. The Wildcats took over in the extra period and walked out of Moody Coliseum with its biggest win since joining the WAC last season.
"We just said we weren't going to lose this one," said head coach
Julie Goodenough. "We played too well to lose this one. We've done everything we need to do to win, but we just needed to go close it out. I'm proud of the way we fought and finished tonight. That's a great team over there. We've never seen them before, and they are a really good basketball team. This is the one that hopefully propels us moving forward."
Key Plays
- After trailing 4-0 to start the game, Addison Martin showed she could play with one of the tallest teams in the conference, scoring back-to-back buckets to tie it up.
- Aspen Thornton would hit a three-pointer later on to go up 11-10, but the teams would trade baskets multiple times in the opening quarter.
- Langstaff drove inside to score with 57 seconds left in the first period, and the 'Cats led 19-18 after 10 minutes of play.
- The second quarter was a defensive battle that featured a total of 23 points, but both sides got quality looks at the basket. Southern Utah went 5-15 from the field, while ACU went 5-16 on its side of the floor.
- ACU trailed 29-24 with 3:12 to play until halftime, but the 'Cats used a 7-0 run to close the gap and take the lead heading into halftime. Thornton drove inside and scored to make it a three-point game, and then the final moments of the half were wild. Madi Miller drained a three-pointer with 51 seconds left and on the final possession of the half for Southern Utah, Thornton stole it away and converted a layup in transition to take the lead going to the break, 31-29.
- The end of the first half propelled a tremendous start to the third quarter. Langstaff scored the first eight of the third for ACU, including a three-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play, and ACU led 40-38.
- After back-to-back stops, Martin hit a mid-range jumper, Thornton converted inside, and Langstaff buried another three.
- Langstaff and Graham would combine for three-pointers with 1:42 to go in the third, and the lead blossomed to 14, the largest of the game, 60-46. ACU led by 14 going to the fourth.
- Southern Utah blitzed out of the gate in the fourth quarter after switching to a zone defense, and scored the first 12 of the frame to get within to, 60-58. At the halfway point of the fourth ACU trailed 68-66, but Miller changed that with a three-pointer on the next possession.
- With the game tied at 69 with 3:53 to go, Thornton made one-out-of-two foul shots to go back up one. Southern Utah responded with a three to go up two, 72-70, but Langstaff responded again to tie it up. She then converted to take the lead, 74-72, with 1:48 to go, but the Thunderbirds responded with a basket to tie it up with 1:18 to play. Both teams had possessions to win it at the end, but both teams missed their shot attempts and the game went to overtime.
Overtime
- Bella Earle, who dominated on the glass the entire game, converted her first three-pointer of the night to open the extra period and the lead was 77-74.
- After Southern Utah scored to make it a one-point game, Langstaff went back to work and converted to go back up three.
- SUU missed its ensuing three-pointer that would have tied it, and the 'Cats answered with a Martin bucket at the other end to take a huge five-point lead, 81-76, with 3:11 to go in the overtime.
- After back-to-back missed shot attempts from the Thunderbirds, Thornton converted a layup inside to go up seven, and you could smell the upset in the building. ACU got three huge offensive rebounds the remainder of the game, hit its free throws, and walked out six-point winners, 89-83, in OT.
Turning Point
The end of the first half led to a beautiful third quarter, but the big key was the start of overtime. ACU outscored Southern Utah 15-9 in the overtime, and the start was key with a three and a defensive stand.
Stat Pack
- Langstaff's 34 points are the most by a Wildcat individual in the Division I history of the program. Langstaff surpassed Dominique Golightly's 33 points in March 2020 against Stephen F. Austin. The grad transfer went 14-21 from the floor and hit three from downtown to go along with eight rebounds. Mal played 42 minutes Thursday night. Her 14 field goals made also set a new D1 program record.
- Thornton scored 17 points to go with six rebounds and seven assists in 41 minutes without a turnover.
- Martin added 13 and nine in 41 minutes, shooting 6-13 from the floor.
- Earle scored just seven points, but pulled in a career-high 13 rebounds Thursday to go with a career-best six assists.
- The 34 points is a career-high for Langstaff; she scored 32 points last season for Northeastern State.
- The 80 shot attempts are the fourth-most in a single game in ACU's Division I history. The game combined for 153 shot attempts.
- ACU scored 40 points in the paint.
- The game featured 12 ties and 15 lead changes.
Up Next
The Wildcats have their final bye on Saturday before the final week of the season. ACU heads to Sam Houston next Tuesday, Feb. 28 before hosting Seattle U on Thursday, March 2.
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