Wildcats Win Sixth Straight for WAC Berth

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Sitting at 3-9 in the Western Athletic Conference and on an eight-game slide in road games three weeks ago, Abilene Christian clinched a WAC Tournament berth on Saturday with its sixth consecutive victory, 86-79, at Utah Tech.
 
The Wildcats won their fourth consecutive road game after trailing at halftime.
 
Leonardo Bettiol had his best game of the season with 23 points and five of his teammates also reached double figures in the scoring column. Ali Abdou Dibba had 17 points, followed by Hunter Jack Madden with 12, Kavion McClain with 11 and Airion Simmons with 10.
 
The Wildcats led by as many as eight points in the first half but went without a field goal in the final four minutes as the Trailblazers took a 38-35 lead into halftime.
 
ACU trailed by as many as five points in the second half but took the lead for good on a three-pointer by Cameron Steele with 10:12 remaining in the game, 61-58.
 
Utah Tech cut the lead to 66-65 with 6:11 remaining but Bettiol scored inside and Madden added a pair of free throws for a 70-65 lead with 5:39 to go.
 
The Blazers made it a one-possession game but Bettiol and Madden had the answer each time. Bettiol put the Cats ahead 78-72 with 1:38 to go and Simmons made a dagger of a three-pointer for an 81-72 lead with 59 seconds to go. Utah Tech got no closer than the seven-point margin from there.
 
The Cats forced 18 turnovers and turned those into 23 points, ACU had 12 steals with Bettiol and Madden getting three each.
 
Aidan Igiehon led ACU with nine rebounds and McClain dished six assists.
 
The Wildcats finish off the regular season at home with Seattle visiting on Thursday before the regular season finale against Utah Valley on Saturday.