CORPUS CHRISTI - The ACU men's basketball team made the final push in a back-and-forth affair, defeating Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 82-77 in an exhibition on Saturday afternoon.
The game featured 15 ties and 17 lead changes with neither side in front by more than eight points all day.
The Wildcats were led by Braydin Hubbard's 25 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Hubbard came out firing, going 9-of-14 from the field including making 4-of-6 shots from behind the arc.
Rich Smith and Grambling State transfer
Cbo Newton each chipped in 13 points. Smith also added nine assists and three steals.
Zy Wright, a transfer from Division II Chadron State, scored ten points off the bench.
ACU forced 15 turnovers and scored 16 points off Islander mistakes -- a calling card for
Brette Tanner's teams. The Wildcats shot 51% from the field, and 47% on 3-point attempts (8-of-17). A&M-Corpus Christi made 48% of its shots and was 6-of-16 from distance.
The Islanders led for much of the first half until a Smith steal turned into a three-pointer by Newton to beat the halftime buzzer. ACU edged in front 39-36 at the break. The lead seesawed back-and-forth until the Wildcats went ahead 72-70 on a pair of
Isaac Dye free throws. ACU did not surrender the lead for the remaining 3:35.
The Wildcats have another week to work before the 2025-26 regular season begins . ACU has a three-game homestand to kickoff the year, starting against crosstown foe McMurry on Monday, Nov. 3, at 8 p.m. at Moody Colisem. The Wildcats then welcome Omaha, which made the 2025 NCAA Tournament, on Thursday, Nov. 6, and Southwestern Adventist on Tuesday, Nov. 11.
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