ABILENE - Abilene Christian women's basketball opens Western Athletic Conference action at Moody Coliseum this week with a pair of matchups versus in-state foes. The Wildcats meet Tarleton State in the latest installment of the I-20 Rivalry at 6 p.m. Thursday before taking on UT Arlington at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Thursday's meeting with the Texans will feature a Buy One, Get One ticket special for fans wearing ACU apparel at the ticket window. The Wildcats will host Girl Scout Day against the Lady Mavs to recognize local Girl Scouts in the Big Country.
Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.
ACU has played some of its best basketball at home this season, carrying an undefeated 7-0 mark at Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats have won their last 12 home games dating back to the 2024-25 campaign, with three straight victories against both Tarleton State and UT Arlington at Moody Coliseum.
The Wildcats earned a 59-56 win over the Texans in a defensive slugfest in Abilene last season, with
Meredith Mayes and
Emma Troxell scoring in the double digits. ACU followed with an 81-74 home win versus the Lady Mavs that featured a Mayes double-double and 15 points from
Erin Woodson.
The Wildcats tipped off conference play last week, splitting two contests in the state of Utah. ACU cruised to an 81-51 win at Utah Tech in the WAC opener on Jan. 1 before suffering a narrow 69-67 loss at Utah Valley on Jan. 3. The Wildcats' comeback bid fell just short as it battled back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter.
Mayes and
Payton Hull each totaled 34 points in ACU's first two WAC contests, with Mayes connecting on 13 of 22 field goal attempts. She brought down 18 rebounds with five steals and two blocks. Mayes dished out three assists in both games while maintaining the nation's third-ranked field goal percentage at .669.
Hull registered 13 assists and five steals between both games after matching her career best with eight assists at Utah Tech. Her 267 total points this season are a top-50 mark across the country.
