HOUSTON - ACU's
Bradyn Hubbard put together his fourth 20-point game of the season and the ACU men's basketball team shook off a slow start to slip by Texas Southern, 75-68 on Monday afternoon.
Hubbard scored a game-high 22 points, and also tied his season-high with four steals. He led the charge of ACU at the free throw as Hubbard had eight of the Wildcats' 22 makes at the line -- a new season-best.
The Wildcats may have shown some signs of the wear-and-tear that last week's road trip to play the country's No. 1 and No. 10 teams produced. The Tigers led by 11 points just over eight minutes into the game before ACU awoke with a 14-3 run to force a tie at 22-all. Texas Southern held a slim 36-33 edge at halftime.
Zy Wright's 3-pointer with 12:02 remaining gave the Wildcats their first lead at 51-49, and they did not trail for the rest of the game. ACU's defense clamped down on allowing easy looks at the basket as Texas Southern missed five of its last seven shots.
STAT PACK
- The Wildcats only forced 14 turnovers, but maximized their opportunities as they scored 19 points off the turnovers -- a new season-high vs. Division I opponents (the previous high was 18, set last Friday at No. 10 BYU).
- Rich Smith dropped in 14 points, his most in a Wildcat uniform. He also recorded his eighth game this season with at least five assists.
- Transfer Zy Wright came off the bench to set a new season-high with 14 points, which is his highest total vs. a Division I team. He was 3-for-5 from behind the arc.
- Bradyn Hubbard's 22 points gives him 1,912 for his collegiate career when including his two seasons in junior college.
- Hubbard has been ACU's leading scorer in seven games, and the leading rebounder five times this season. Monday was the third time where he has done both.
- The Wildcats limited Texas Southern to just 25 rebounds -- a new season-low. The Tigers' 13 made free throws are the fewest by an ACU opponent this season, and their three 3-pointers made tie a season-low with UTSA.
WHAT THE WIN MEANS
- ACU went 3-2 in December, marking its first winning record in the month of December since the 2022-23 season.
- The Wildcats won eight nonconference games -- its most since winning nine during the 2021-22 campaign.
- Head coach Brette Tanner now has 78 career victories.
UP NEXT
ACU has ten days before its next game, which is the WAC lid-lifter against Utah Tech on Thursday, Jan. 1, at 7 p.m. The Wildcats begin conference action with two consecutive home games, including Jan. 3 vs. Utah Valley.
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