ABILENE - In its final tuneup before the start of the 2025-26 campaign, Abilene Christian women's basketball took down Houston Christian, 76-48, in an exhibition matchup at Moody Coliseum on Friday night. Eleven of 13 Wildcats logged points as ACU never trailed, leading by as much as 41 points in the third quarter.
ACU lifts the lid on the new season versus Howard Payne at Moody Coliseum on Monday, Nov. 3 at 5:30 p.m.
Meredith Mayes, a 2024-25 All-Western Athletic Conference Second Team honoree, paced the Wildcats with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 18 minutes. She added four rebounds and a block.
Payton Hull, ESPN's WAC Preseason Player of the Year, and
Emma Troxell scored 12 points apiece. Both players hit four of eight shots and combined for five three-pointers on nine shots from long distance.
Troxell led ACU with three steals, while freshman
Riley Grohman added a couple.
Erin Woodson brought down five rebounds with nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and five assists. The Wildcats forced 24 Husky turnovers and tallied 11 steals.
ACU got off to a roaring start on both sides of the ball, outscoring Houston Christian 24-6 in the first quarter. Hull led the Wildcats with eight points on 3-of-6 shooting, including a 2-of-4 mark from three-point range. ACU nailed 10 of 20 shots while holding Houston Christian to one make on 10 attempts. The Huskies committed 11 turnovers in the quarter.
The Wildcats kept their feet on the gas en route to a 48-21 halftime advantage. Mayes collected eight points, while Grohman contributed six behind a pair of three-point shots. Five Wildcats came away with steals while the team shot 55.6%.
ACU shot over 50% for the third quarter in a row to lead 67-31 entering the final period. Troxell and Woodson recorded five points each while Mayes added four.
Emma Daugherty's layup after a missed free throw gave the Wildcats their biggest lead of the night. They nailed eight of 15 shots, including three of five three-point tries. ACU limited Houston Christian to a 3-of-11 clip from the field.
The Huskies outscored the Wildcats 17-9 in the fourth quarter, with
Emma Troxell scoring five points to lead ACU.
