ABILENE - Abilene Christian women's basketball opened the 2025-26 campaign with a resounding 103-33 win over Howard Payne at Moody Coliseum on Monday night. Six Wildcats scored in the double digits as they allowed their fewest points in a game since an 81-26 win over UT Tyler in 2020.
ACU returns to Moody Coliseum at 6 p.m. Friday versus Incarnate Word for Big Country Night.
ACU connected on 41 of 66 shots at a .621 clip, its highest shooting percentage since a 111-43 win versus McMurry in 2019. The Wildcats hit 11 of 34 three-point tries at .344 and were 10-of-12 from the charity stripe. The Lady Jackets were held to a .300 shooting percentage and were 6-of-21 from beyond the arc.
ACU forced 40 Howard Payne turnovers with 24 steals, both marking the program's highest totals in the Division I era. The Wildcats turned those turnovers into 55 points.
Preseason Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year
Payton Hull fueled ACU with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting with a block.
Emma Troxell and
Erin Woodson combined for 25 points with an 11-of-16 clip from the field. Troxell led the Wildcats with six rebounds, and Woodson added five steals and five assists.
Freshman
Molly Daugherty tallied 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range, while
Meredith Mayes and
Natalia Chavez totaled 21 points as they hit each of their nine combined shots.
Breanna Davis scored eight points with a 4-of-6 clip.
The Wildcats wasted little time setting the tempo, outsourcing the Lady Jackets 26-7 in a first quarter that featured a 24-0 scoring run. Hull and Woodson totaled 13 points as ACU recorded seven steals and forced 11 turnovers. The Wildcats shot 10-of-17 from the field and hit a trio of three-pointers. They collected 17 points off turnovers.
ACU's most productive offensive performance came in the second quarter, scoring 27 points and limiting Howard Payne to 8. Hull and Woodson churned out five points apiece as the Wildcats opened the period on an 11-0 run. They shot .571 to go with nine steals and 14 forced turnovers on defense. Woodson was responsible for three steals.
The Wildcats played their most efficient period in the third quarter, outscoring the Lady Jackets 25-6 and shooting at a .714 clip. Mayes picked up six points by nailing each of her three shots. The Wildcats built a 15-0 rally across nearly four and a half minutes.
ACU closed the game by winning the fourth quarter, 25-12, thanks to six points each by Troxell and Daugherty. The pair made each of their five shots, including two three-pointers by Daugherty. Freshman
Bree Riley reeled in three steals as the Wildcats shined on both sides of the ball.
