by ABILENE – It was a performance to remember for the ACU women’s basketball program Tuesday night inside a raucous Moody Coliseum. The Wildcats welcomed in the top team in the league in SFA, and the game could not have been more one-sided. Senior Dominique Golightly (Kiowa Tribe) scored a career-high 33 points on nine three-pointers, tying Wildcat single-game records, and ACU (23-5, 15-4 SLC) ran away from the Ladyjacks (22-6, 15-4 SLC), 88-62.
Southland Significance
- The win was huge for the Wildcats in multiple ways. ACU is now tied with SFA at 15-4 in conference play, and if Texas A&M-Corpus Christi loses to Sam Houston State on Wednesday night, there will be a four-way tie at the top of the league standings heading into the final day of the season.
- ACU beats SFA for the first time since Feb. 2017, snapping a five-game losing streak in the series. It was the largest margin of defeat for SFA all season long as well.
Turning Point: An incredible third quarter.
- ACU was red-hot on offense the entire game from start to finish. After leading by as many as 13 points in the first quarter, SFA made an initial comeback to get it to within four points at halftime. That’s where it would end.
- The Wildcats outscored the Ladyjacks 26-9 in the third period, and Golightly outscored SFA herself, 11-9. The senior hit three more triples and 25 points for the game at the end of three quarters.
- ACU led by 21 points at the end of the third quarter, and as that was happening, nearly 100 bats came out from hiding in the top of the bowl of Moody Coliseum, and the night got even crazier. SFA had no chance the rest of the way as ACU cruised to the win.
Key Plays
- ACU made its first eight shots of the night, including a mid-range jumper from Lexie Ducat to open the game. Golightly hit a three to open her big night at the 7:30 mark, and the first miss would not happen until there were 4:36 left in the first quarter.
- After the early 18-5 lead, SFA went on an 8-2 run to get within five, 20-15. On the next possession, Makayla Mabry hit a three-pointer to go back up eight points. The offense never slowed down for ACU Tuesday, shooting no worse than 50% in a single quarter.
- Golightly hit back-to-back three-pointers in the second quarter, and the senior was off and running. The Chickasha, Okla. native had 14 points at halftime, and was not even close to slowing down.
- An Alyssa Adams layup gave ACU its first double-digit lead of the game with 6:55 left in the second quarter, but the lead would shrink to four at the halftime break.
- ACU opened the third period on a 9-0 run fueled by two Brea Wright free throws, an Anna McLeod layup, and another three-pointer from Golightly. As folks were just settling back into their seats from the halftime break, it was a 13-point lead for the Wildcats.
- Golightly’s seventh three-pointer put ACU up 18 points with 38 seconds left in the third, and Wright put the nail in the coffin at the end of the period, hitting a three at the top to put the Wildcats up 21 points.
- Golightly would go on to hit two more three-pointers in the fourth quarter, with her final one put the ‘Cats up 31 points, and the team would win by 26.
Stat Pack
- Golightly’s nine shots made from distance tied former Wildcat Alexis Mason for the most in a single game in ACU’s Division I history. It was the most in a single game in the brilliant career of Golightly, and a very impressive way to close out her career in Moody Coliseum.
- Golightly’s 33-point night is a new career high, and also tied an ACU DI record with former Wildcat Suzzy Dimba, who did so in Feb. 2017 at Central Arkansas.
- Golightly finished 12-of-15 from the floor and 9-of-10 from distance. The senior added four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
