Sunday, February 22
Cedar City, Utah
3 p.m. (CT)
Abilene Christian
at
Southern Utah
Photo by: Aly Bayliss
Hull Carries Hot Streak To Southern Utah With First Place in WAC On The Line
2/21/2026 10:51:00 AM | Women's Basketball
CEDAR CITY, Utah - Consistency has defined Payton Hull's career with Abilene Christian women's basketball, with the junior guard establishing herself as one of the top scorers at the mid-major level since bursting onto the scene as a freshman in 2023-24.
Hull has scored 10 points or more in 45 of her last 46 games and landed in the double digits in 72 of 78 career contests. In three seasons, she has averaged 17.3 points per game to etch her name throughout the program record book. The past three weeks, though, have seen Hull elevate her game to a new level.
The Peaster, Texas product has spearheaded the Wildcats' pursuit of a conference championship, rattling off 25.8 points in her last six games with 20 points in six of ACU's last eight matchups. She's clicking at the right time as the Wildcats enter the final stretch of the regular season with five games to go.
With a week of rest, Hull will lead ACU into a rubber match with Southern Utah at the America First Event Center at 3 p.m. (CT) Sunday. First place in the Western Athletic Conference is on the line for the Wildcats, who have the opportunity to move atop the standings alongside California Baptist at 11-3. It's the finale of a three-game road trip for ACU before playing three straight games at Moody Coliseum.
ACU and Southern Utah split their first two meetings this season, with the Wildcats cruising to an 82-54 win in Abilene on Jan. 17 before suffering a narrow 71-68 loss in Cedar City on Jan. 31. ACU is searching for its first victory in its fourth and final trip to the America First Event Center before the Thunderbirds flock to the Big Sky Conference in 2026-27.
Hull punctuated her six-game run with a program Division I-record 36 points in ACU's 72-67 win at Tarleton State on Feb. 14. It's the most points scored by a WAC player this season as she became the third Wildcat in the Division I era to score 30 points or more on three occasions, joining Breanna Wright and Alexis Mason.
"She just has such an elite scoring mentality," head coach Julie Goodenough said. "I just feel like she is reading the defense so well right now. We chart how many times you get the ball in the paint, that's a big deal. She got the ball in the paint 19 times [at Tarleton State]. … She's just filling up the stat sheet. It's not just about points."
Hull kicked off her run on Jan. 31 at Southern Utah with a 21-point effort to pace ACU. She also scored 21 when the Wildcats and Thunderbirds met at Moody Coliseum. In her last six games, Hull has connected on over half her shots at a .515 clip with a .426 mark from beyond the arc. Her 51 field goals, 20 three-pointers and 33 free throws are each tops in the WAC in that span.
Hull has been recognized as the back-to-back Jersey Mike's A Sub Above WAC Player of the Week for her efforts. She has also found her success in doing the small things, adding 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. While her achievements have been gained through her play on gamedays, Goodenough said it starts with her preparation and taking care of business off the court. For Hull, it represents her commitment to the program and university.
"I would credit her success to how she comes to practice everyday," Goodenough said. "She just comes in ready to work, she loves basketball. Another thing is that this is her third year in our system. It's her third year to be an ACU women's basketball player. It's her third year to be a student at ACU. What Payton has done, she came here and she planted roots. Everybody on campus knows Payton. She found a major that she's enjoying, she's making great grades in the classroom. Just leaving it all out on the court everyday for practice and for games.
"She just planted roots, planted roots in our program and I think we're really seeing her grow through that. Just embracing that 'Team First Wins' mentality is helping her have a really great junior season."
Hull has boosted her season scoring average each game to a WAC-leading 18.8 points per game while ranking fourth in field goal percentage and free throw shooting at .429 and .825, respectively. Her 167 field goals and 61 three-pointers pace the conference. Beyond scoring, Hull also lands in the top 10 for assists and steals.
Hull's impact hasn't been limited to her play on the court, either. Her terrific season is part of a greater comeback after missing the final 13 games of WAC play last year with an injury. Now, Hull finds herself in a position to support and provide guidance to two teammates — Meredith Mayes and Emma Daugherty — battling long-term injuries of their own.
"If you've ever been through an injury that sidelined you, you have some sympathy and empathy for those folks that are currently sidelined," Goodenough said. " … Any of our players that have had injuries, they know it's a hard role to have to just jump in when you don't really want that. For sure, Payton knows it's so hard being sidelined, so I'm sure she has been a really good resource for our injured players."
Hull has scored 10 points or more in 45 of her last 46 games and landed in the double digits in 72 of 78 career contests. In three seasons, she has averaged 17.3 points per game to etch her name throughout the program record book. The past three weeks, though, have seen Hull elevate her game to a new level.
The Peaster, Texas product has spearheaded the Wildcats' pursuit of a conference championship, rattling off 25.8 points in her last six games with 20 points in six of ACU's last eight matchups. She's clicking at the right time as the Wildcats enter the final stretch of the regular season with five games to go.
With a week of rest, Hull will lead ACU into a rubber match with Southern Utah at the America First Event Center at 3 p.m. (CT) Sunday. First place in the Western Athletic Conference is on the line for the Wildcats, who have the opportunity to move atop the standings alongside California Baptist at 11-3. It's the finale of a three-game road trip for ACU before playing three straight games at Moody Coliseum.
ACU and Southern Utah split their first two meetings this season, with the Wildcats cruising to an 82-54 win in Abilene on Jan. 17 before suffering a narrow 71-68 loss in Cedar City on Jan. 31. ACU is searching for its first victory in its fourth and final trip to the America First Event Center before the Thunderbirds flock to the Big Sky Conference in 2026-27.
Hull punctuated her six-game run with a program Division I-record 36 points in ACU's 72-67 win at Tarleton State on Feb. 14. It's the most points scored by a WAC player this season as she became the third Wildcat in the Division I era to score 30 points or more on three occasions, joining Breanna Wright and Alexis Mason.
"She just has such an elite scoring mentality," head coach Julie Goodenough said. "I just feel like she is reading the defense so well right now. We chart how many times you get the ball in the paint, that's a big deal. She got the ball in the paint 19 times [at Tarleton State]. … She's just filling up the stat sheet. It's not just about points."
Hull kicked off her run on Jan. 31 at Southern Utah with a 21-point effort to pace ACU. She also scored 21 when the Wildcats and Thunderbirds met at Moody Coliseum. In her last six games, Hull has connected on over half her shots at a .515 clip with a .426 mark from beyond the arc. Her 51 field goals, 20 three-pointers and 33 free throws are each tops in the WAC in that span.
Hull has been recognized as the back-to-back Jersey Mike's A Sub Above WAC Player of the Week for her efforts. She has also found her success in doing the small things, adding 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. While her achievements have been gained through her play on gamedays, Goodenough said it starts with her preparation and taking care of business off the court. For Hull, it represents her commitment to the program and university.
"I would credit her success to how she comes to practice everyday," Goodenough said. "She just comes in ready to work, she loves basketball. Another thing is that this is her third year in our system. It's her third year to be an ACU women's basketball player. It's her third year to be a student at ACU. What Payton has done, she came here and she planted roots. Everybody on campus knows Payton. She found a major that she's enjoying, she's making great grades in the classroom. Just leaving it all out on the court everyday for practice and for games.
"She just planted roots, planted roots in our program and I think we're really seeing her grow through that. Just embracing that 'Team First Wins' mentality is helping her have a really great junior season."
Hull has boosted her season scoring average each game to a WAC-leading 18.8 points per game while ranking fourth in field goal percentage and free throw shooting at .429 and .825, respectively. Her 167 field goals and 61 three-pointers pace the conference. Beyond scoring, Hull also lands in the top 10 for assists and steals.
Hull's impact hasn't been limited to her play on the court, either. Her terrific season is part of a greater comeback after missing the final 13 games of WAC play last year with an injury. Now, Hull finds herself in a position to support and provide guidance to two teammates — Meredith Mayes and Emma Daugherty — battling long-term injuries of their own.
"If you've ever been through an injury that sidelined you, you have some sympathy and empathy for those folks that are currently sidelined," Goodenough said. " … Any of our players that have had injuries, they know it's a hard role to have to just jump in when you don't really want that. For sure, Payton knows it's so hard being sidelined, so I'm sure she has been a really good resource for our injured players."
Players Mentioned
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