by ABILENE — Fifth-year senior Madi Miller scored a career-high 29 points, sophomore Aspen Thornton added 25 points, and the Wildcat women’s basketball team dominated the UT Arlington Mavericks on Saturday afternoon at Moody Coliseum, capping the first weekend of January in style. ACU (8-7, 2-2 WAC) hit a season-high 14 three-pointers and scored a season-best 92 points in a 92-72 win over the Mavericks (7-9, 1-3 WAC). ACU’s lead grew to as much as 25 in the third quarter as the team ended its two-game losing streak with its best performance of the season. Nine players scored, the team forced 21 turnovers, and the ‘Cats topped UTA in the first meeting between the schools since 2013.
Key Plays
- ACU started the game with an 8-0 lead, led by a pair of three-pointers from Miller. The super senior set the tone for what would be an incredible shooting day for the Wildcats.
- Miller’s third three in three tries pushed the early lead to 11-2.
- UTA got within 18-13 with 2:46 left in the first quarter, but the Wildcats weren’t done scoring. Harjo got a layup, and Thornton hit a buzzer-beater from half-court to close the period. ACU led 24-19 after one.
- Starr Jacobs, the preseason WAC Player of the Year, made a layup off a turnover to open the second quarter, and it was a 24-21 game. UTA would get within 25-24, but then the ‘Cats separated. Thornton scored eight in a row after that, including back-to-back three’s, and ACU led 33-24.
- Miller hit her fourth three to push the lead to 40-29, the largest lead to that point.
- Miller then hit her fifth three, this one in dramatic style at the buzzer, to give ACU a 49-36 lead at intermission.
- Thornton set the tone with a three to open the third quarter, and later Miller would score five in a row to open up the lead to 19, 59-40.
- The lead hovered around 19 points for most of the period, then Raychael Harjo and Zoe Jackson made big baskets inside to extend the lead to 23. The ‘Cats led by 18, 74-56, going to the fourth.
- Thornton and Miller teamed up to open the fourth with a layup and a three, and it was officially game over.
- Hampton Williams hit a three to give ACU 14 for the game, the most in a single game this season.
Stat Pack
- The 92 points and 14 three-pointers are the most in a game this season for ACU. The 92 points is the most against a Division I opponent since Dec. 4, 2021 when ACU beat Nicholls, 97-71. It is also the most points in a conference game since Feb. 29, 2020 against Central Arkansas (93-71).
- Harjo scored a big-time 11 off the bench, subbing in for Addison Martin, who was in foul trouble. Martin finished with eight points anyway to go with seven rebounds. Harjo had a big five rebounds as well.
- Martin, Langstaff, and Miller all battled foul trouble Saturday. Miller fouled out, while Martin and Langstaff finished with four each. Enter Claire Graham, Zoe Jackson, and Tristin Keller, who contributed with HUGE minutes off the bench.
- ACU was outscored 46-38 in the paint, but outside the arc the edge was 42-0. UTA did not make a three-pointer Saturday.
- ACU forced 21 turnovers and scored 29 points off them in the game.
