ST. GEORGE, Utah - Returning to the court for the first time in nearly two weeks, Abilene Christian women's basketball pulled away late for a 54-46 victory over Utah Tech at Burns Arena on Thursday night. The Wildcats won their fifth game in a row while, at 6-1, continuing their hottest start to conference play since 2019-20.
ACU aims for its ninth victory in its last 10 games when it takes on Southern Utah in Cedar City, Utah at 3 p.m. (CT) Saturday. The Wildcats met the Thunderbirds on Jan. 17 at Moody Coliseum, cruising to an 82-54 win.
The Wildcats only trailed for 1:20 of game time but saw their lead shrink to two points with 3:31 to go following an 8-2 Trailblazer rally. ACU ended the game on a 10-4 run behind six free throws. It's the fewest points it has allowed to a Division I opponent this season while surrendering less than 60 points in nine of its last 10 games.
The Wildcats held their opponent to less than a .200 clip from three-point range in their third consecutive matchup, with the Trailblazers connecting on one of 12 attempts from beyond the arc. ACU forced 24 Utah Tech turnovers.
Natalia Chavez paced the Wildcats in scoring for the second time this season with 12 points. She's scored in the double figures in each of her four games since entering the starting lineup. The Cochiti Pueblo, N.M. native matched her season high with three steals.
Payton Hull tallied 11 points in 39 minutes of action with six rebounds, three assists and a trio of steals.
Erin Woodson joined her with 11 points in 38 minutes with a team-high seven boards and two steals.
Emma Troxell and
Breanna Davis rounded out the starting lineup, with Troxell scoring eight points and Davis leading the Wildcats with four assists.
Both teams were deadlocked at 12 through the first quarter after ACU jumped to a 9-0 advantage. The Wildcats knocked down three of their first four three-point tries, including a pair of makes from Davis, before the Trailblazers answered with a 10-point streak. ACU sourced all of its scoring from beyond the arc, while Utah Tech registered 10 points in the paint.
Defense continued to be the story of the game in the second quarter as ACU and Utah Tech reached a 22-22 tie at halftime. Both squads traded points in the period as the Wildcats induced 14 first-half turnovers.
ACU began to build a cushion for itself in the third quarter as it rattled off seven straight points to open the half. The Wildcats attempted 22 field goals to the Trailblazers' eight, with Chavez leading the way with six points and ACU's only made three-pointer. After earning the majority of their scoring from beyond the arc, the Wildcats attacked the paint for 12 points and a 38-32 edge entering the final quarter.
The Wildcats saw their most efficient performance in the fourth quarter as they sank four of 10 field goal tries with an 8-of-10 showing from the free throw line. A Troxell layup pushed them ahead, 42-34, with 8:40 remaining before Utah Tech cut the lead to two points. ACU responded with six unanswered points to restore its eight-point advantage and seal the win.
