Abilene Christian
Stephen F. Austin
Wildcats to renew rivalry with SFA on Tuesday
11/11/2024 11:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ABILENE, Texas — The Wildcats return home to Moody Coliseum on Tuesday morning after starting opening week 2-0 for a matchup against longtime Div. I rival, Stephen F. Austin.
The Wildcats are still unbeaten this season, with their most recent win coming against the Florida International Panthers, 76-73. The win against FIU was the program's first road win against a team from Conference USA or a Group of Five conference since they entered Div. I. It was also the first win against a CUSA team since 2021, when ACU took down UTSA, 72-53.
As for their opponent, the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks are 1-0 this season after an opening night win against Texas Southern. SFA took home an 86-45 win against the Tigers and also broke their single-game 3-pointers made record by making 18 from beyond the arch in the game.
The morning game beginning at 11 a.m. will stream live on ESPN+. If fans cannot make it in person to see the Wildcats' annual Kids' Day game, fans can also keep up with the 'Cats by following the team on X, Instagram, Facebook and acusports.com.
ACU Storylines:
UNDEFEATED OPENING WEEK: This is the first time that the Wildcats have finished opening week 2-0 since the 2021-22 season. In that season, the Wildcats opened with wins against Southwest and UTSA and went on to start the season 3-0.
EARLE OF BUCKETS: Senior guard Bella Earle leads the team and conference in scoring averaging 22 points per game. Earle scored a career-high on Friday, scoring 26 points in the team's road matchup against FIU. She's also tied for first on the team in rebounding (5.5 per game) and in field goal percentage (53.8), plus is second on the team in assists per game at three.
TROXELL POINT MACHINE: Sophomore Emma Troxell has now had two straight games where she has scored in double digits, the first time in her career that she has done so. She had a career-high 16 points against Southwest and followed it up with a 15-point game in South Beach against FIU.
STRONG RIVERS: Graduate guard and transfer Mia Rivers played a major role in the Wildcats' win against FIU on Friday. She had her first double-digit performance of the year with 13 points and had a team-best five assists in the game. She now leads the team averaging four assists per game.
THREE POINT SHARPSHOOTERS: Sophomore Payton Hull and junior Natalia Chavez lead the team this season this season in 3-point shooting. Hull leads the way averaging 57.1 percent while Chavez averages 46.2 percent. Chavez also averages 50 percent from the field, second best on the team.
STORIED RIVALRY RENEWED: Tuesday marks the twentieth matchup in history between the Wildcats and the Ladyjacks. This will be the first time the two play as nonconference opponents, with both teams being in the Southland when ACU joined Div. I in 2013 and both making the jump to the WAC together in 2021, and now, SFA is back in the Southland Conference. ACU lost the last matchup on Feb. 17, 2024, 89-83, and the last time ACU beat the Ladyjacks was on March 3, 2020, when ACU won, 88-62.
History with Stephen F. Austin
- SFA leads the series, 16-3
- Current Streak: SFA, 8 wins
- Last ACU win: March 3, 2020, 88-62
- Last SFA win: Feb. 17, 2024, 89-83
Scouting the Ladyjacks
- The Ladyjacks are 1-0 this season after an opening night win against Texas Southern. SFA took home an 86-45 win against the Tigers and also broke their single-game 3-pointers made record by making 18 from beyond the arch in the game.
- Head coach Leonard Bishop is in his second season as the head coach of the program after serving as a longtime associate head coach, holding a 23-12 record in his first two years.
- Faith Blackstone led the team in the first game with 18 points. She also added two rebounds, two assists and one steal.
- Key Roseby recorded a double-double in the first matchup with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
#RowTheBoat #GoWildcats
