RIVERSIDE, Calif. -
Erin Woodson and
Natalia Chavez each matched their career scoring highs to power Abilene Christian women's basketball to a 70-58 win over California Baptist at the Fowler Events Center on Thursday afternoon. The Wildcats dealt the Lancers their first loss of Western Athletic Conference action.
ACU looks to pick up its fourth consecutive victory when it hosts Southern Utah at Moody Coliseum at 1 p.m. Saturday for ResLife Day.
At 4-1, the Wildcats secured their best start to WAC play in five seasons in the conference and their most successful opening to conference action since 2019-20. ACU has held nine of its last 11 opponents to 60 points or less.
The Wildcats limited CBU to a 2-of-25 showing from three-point range, the lowest percentage the Wildcats have allowed from beyond the arc in a conference matchup since holding UT Arlington to an 0-of-10 clip on Jan. 7, 2023. Conversely, ACU recorded its highest three-point percentage of the season, sinking nine of 21 shots at .429.
Woodson tied her career best with 23 points, previously set against the Lancers last season. She brought down five rebounds with a pair of steals while nailing each of her seven free throw attempts. Woodson has scored in the double digits in all but two games this season and is averaging 16.6 points per game in conference play.
Chavez, making just her third start of the season, registered 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting and a 4-of-6 mark from long distance. She collected a season-high seven rebounds and a block while matching her career best with seven made field goals.
Payton Hull rounded out the trio with 15 points and six boards to go with two steals and a block.
Breanna Davis matched her career high with her third seven-assist effort of the season.
Emma Troxell continued to do a bit of everything for the Wildcats with eight points, 11 rebounds and two steals. Freshman
Emma Daugherty added six rebounds in 18 minutes of action.
ACU jumped to an early 19-12 lead through the first quarter while limiting CBU to a 5-of-19 showing from the field. Hull tallied eight points, while Chavez knocked down both three-point tries for six points. The Wildcats rattled off eight points in a row just over two minutes in to set the tone and grab a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Three of ACU's five field goals were from beyond the arc.
ACU stretched its advantage to double digits with a 43-25 edge at halftime, outscoring the Lancers 24-13 in the second quarter. The Wildcats connected on half of their shots as Woodson led the way with 12 points on a 5-of-7 clip. Chavez stayed efficient with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting, with ACU turning three CBU turnovers into eight points. A 17-4 run by the Wildcats ate up much of the time in the quarter.
The Lancers' defense stepped up in holding ACU to 13 points in the third quarter, including five apiece from Woodson and Chavez. Davis assisted on three of the Wildcats' made field goals. An 8-0 run brought CBU within 11 points, but a 10-0 rally extended ACU's lead to over 20 points.
The Lancers mounted a final push in the fourth quarter, cutting the Wildcats' 17-point advantage down to four points at 62-58 with 1:11 left to play. CBU launched separate rallies of 8-0 and 11-2, but ACU responded with an 8-0 run of its own in the final minute to keep the Lancers at bay. The Wildcats' final six points came from the charity stripe with 10 free throws in the period.
