EDINBURG – Abilene Christian got 2024 started in the right direction on Saturday with a 62-53 win at Texas-Rio Grande Valley.
The Wildcats picked up their first Western Athletic Conference road win and moved to 2-1 in WAC contests overall.
ACU fell behind 20-8 in the first quarter with 2:49 left in the first quarter but closed out the frame on a 6-0 run with baskets by
Bella Earle,
Emma Troxell and
Meredith Mayes.
The score remained tight in the second quarter with
Payton Hull scoring in the last minute to tie the game at 27-27 at halftime.
Gracy Wernli gave ACU the lead for good with 5:04 left in the game, canning a three-pointer for a 50-47 lead.
Hull hit a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left for the final margin and largest lead for the Wildcats.
Wernli led the Cats with 13 points, followed by
Addison Martin with 12 and Hull with 10. Earle finished with 10 rebounds, eight points and six assists.
ACU dominated on the boards, 53-28, and hauled in 18 offensive rebounds. Six Wildcats had multiple offensive rebounds, led by Mayes with three. Along with Earle's 10, Martin had eight boards and Mayes added seven.
Mayes and Martin had two blocks apiece and Wernli led ACU with two steals.
The Wildcats (6-6 overall and 2-1 in the WAC) return to action Thursday, hosting Grand Canyon at 6 p.m.
