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Contributed by: ACU Athletic Communications
SAN ANTONIO - Finishing up their Southland Conference-opening stretch that saw them play five of their first seven games on the road, the ACU Wildcats knew they would get everything they wanted and more from Incarnate Word in Saturday afternoon's game at the UIW Convocation Center.
But just like every other challenge thrown in their direction since early December, the Wildcats responded with clutch plays, strong fourth-quarter play and another dominating offensive effort from junior guard Alexis Mason to run away for an 86-71 win over the Cardinals.
The win pushed ACU's winning streak to 12 straight games, moving their record to 16-2 overall and 7-0 in league play. The Cardinals, meanwhile, fall to 5-12 and 2-4 with the loss and saw their two-game winning streak snapped.
"I give a lot of credit to our players for understanding that this would be a battle because Incarnate Word was going to give us their best shot," said ACU head coach Julie Goodenough, whose team has won nine games away from Moody Coliseum in the 12-game winning streak. "We're on top of the conference right now and we know we're going to get everyone's best game, and Incarnate Word certainly gave us that."
Just like last Saturday in Nacogdoches when the Wildcats pulled away in the fourth quarter for a double-digit win over Stephen F. Austin, the game against UIW was a taught, chaotic, frenetic battle for the first 32 minutes before the Wildcats eventually pulled away for the victory.
ACU led for more than 36 minutes of the game, but saw its lead shrink to five points (64-59) with 8:02 to play after a 3-pointer by Aricka Adams. But a a little more than 90 seconds later, Suzzy Dimba answered with a 3-pointer for the Wildcats to push the lead back to eight points (67-59), beginning a game-ending 22-12 run that would put the game firmly in ACU's hands.
Whitney Swinford hit a layup with 6:13 to play, followed by another layup by Dimba to push the lead to 71-59 with 5:46 to play. Mason - who has been the Southland Conference Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks and will be a strong contender for the award for the third straight week - buried a 3-pointer with 3:38 to play to give ACU a 74-62 lead, and then she hit three straight free throws before Whitney West converted a three-point play to make it 81-67 with 58 seconds to play.
Lizzy Dimba - who had 15 points and 10 rebounds - hit two free throws before Mason hit one and then a layup to finish off the game. The Wildcats outscored the Cardinals 27-19 in the fourth quarter after UIW won the third quarter 18-15.
"They beat us in the third quarter, and I was disappointed by our defensive effort in that quarter," Goodenough said. "We didn't match the intensity they had coming out in the third quarter. But we got back down to business and dominated the fourth quarter."
All five Wildcat starters scored in double figures, led by Mason's 26 points and Swinford's 17 points, 15 from Lizzy Dimba, 14 from Sydney Shelstead and 12 from Suzzy Dimba.
ACU is back home for back-to-back games at Moody Coliseum with the first one coming Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Houston Baptist followed by a 2 p.m. game Saturday against Lamar.
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SAN ANTONIO - Finishing up their Southland Conference-opening stretch that saw them play five of their first seven games on the road, the ACU Wildcats knew they would get everything they wanted and more from Incarnate Word in Saturday afternoon's game at the UIW Convocation Center.
But just like every other challenge thrown in their direction since early December, the Wildcats responded with clutch plays, strong fourth-quarter play and another dominating offensive effort from junior guard Alexis Mason to run away for an 86-71 win over the Cardinals.
The win pushed ACU's winning streak to 12 straight games, moving their record to 16-2 overall and 7-0 in league play. The Cardinals, meanwhile, fall to 5-12 and 2-4 with the loss and saw their two-game winning streak snapped.
"I give a lot of credit to our players for understanding that this would be a battle because Incarnate Word was going to give us their best shot," said ACU head coach Julie Goodenough, whose team has won nine games away from Moody Coliseum in the 12-game winning streak. "We're on top of the conference right now and we know we're going to get everyone's best game, and Incarnate Word certainly gave us that."
Just like last Saturday in Nacogdoches when the Wildcats pulled away in the fourth quarter for a double-digit win over Stephen F. Austin, the game against UIW was a taught, chaotic, frenetic battle for the first 32 minutes before the Wildcats eventually pulled away for the victory.
ACU led for more than 36 minutes of the game, but saw its lead shrink to five points (64-59) with 8:02 to play after a 3-pointer by Aricka Adams. But a a little more than 90 seconds later, Suzzy Dimba answered with a 3-pointer for the Wildcats to push the lead back to eight points (67-59), beginning a game-ending 22-12 run that would put the game firmly in ACU's hands.
Whitney Swinford hit a layup with 6:13 to play, followed by another layup by Dimba to push the lead to 71-59 with 5:46 to play. Mason - who has been the Southland Conference Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks and will be a strong contender for the award for the third straight week - buried a 3-pointer with 3:38 to play to give ACU a 74-62 lead, and then she hit three straight free throws before Whitney West converted a three-point play to make it 81-67 with 58 seconds to play.
Lizzy Dimba - who had 15 points and 10 rebounds - hit two free throws before Mason hit one and then a layup to finish off the game. The Wildcats outscored the Cardinals 27-19 in the fourth quarter after UIW won the third quarter 18-15.
"They beat us in the third quarter, and I was disappointed by our defensive effort in that quarter," Goodenough said. "We didn't match the intensity they had coming out in the third quarter. But we got back down to business and dominated the fourth quarter."
All five Wildcat starters scored in double figures, led by Mason's 26 points and Swinford's 17 points, 15 from Lizzy Dimba, 14 from Sydney Shelstead and 12 from Suzzy Dimba.
ACU is back home for back-to-back games at Moody Coliseum with the first one coming Wednesday at 7 p.m. against Houston Baptist followed by a 2 p.m. game Saturday against Lamar.
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