WBB: Santa kind to WAC women's basketball teams during final week before break
ACU and GCU won MTE's while Utah Valley and Tarleton also went 2-0 on the week
Saturday’s slate of games involving Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball teams wrapped up action until after Christmas Break.
And Santa was kind to WAC teams, bringing the conference an 11-7 record against Division I competition during this final week of play, winning two MTE’s. Let’s take a look at the highlights.
Wildcats come away with pair of wins in Albuquerque:
After spending Thanksgiving Week in Miami, ACU’s women’s basketball team spent this week before Christmas at New Mexico, playing a pair of games at the Pit and extending their winning streak to eight games.
On Friday the Wildcats completed a sweep of Sacramento State with an 80-49 victory to start Lobo Invitational play. Payton Hull had 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists to lead the way. Bella Earle added 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists while Breanna Davis chipped in a career-high 13 points. The Wildcats led for nearly 32 minutes.
Meanwhile, on Saturday against UNM, the Wildcats used a 30-20 third quarter to grab a lead and survive a late Lobo run…prevailing 77-69. It avenges a 71-61 loss at the Pit in 2022. Hull continued an impressive start to her sophomore campaign with a season-high 29 points, hitting six 3-pointers to lead ACU in the win.
Earle added 15 points, eight rebounds, and four assists while Emma Troxell chipped in another 15 points with six rebounds. With 1:57 left UNM’s Alyssa Hargrove hit a 3-pointer, cutting ACU’s lead to 72-69 but Troxell’s layup with 43 seconds to go gave the Wildcats a two-possession lead. Earle and Hull went 3-4 on free throws when New Mexico played the foul game to preserve the win.
The Wildcats hit Christmas Break on an 8-game winning streak.
Lopes extend winning streak to nine with trio wins in Have Fayth Christmas Classic:
There aren’t too many teams hotter than GCU, who with a pair of wins this week in their Have Fayth Christmas Classic will hit Christmas Break on a 9-game winning streak.
On Wednesday against Wright State, the Lopes used a 20-point and 14-rebound performance from Laura Erikstrup to pull away from Wright State in an 82-69 win. Trinity San Antonio added a double-double of her own with 17 points and 10 assists in the win.
A day later, playing Florida Atlantic, GCU led for nearly the entire game in an 81-60 win. Alyssa Durazo-Frescas, who finishes the week second in made 3-pointers nationally, led the way with 22 points and six shots from beyond the arc while Erikstrup added another double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
In the tournament finale on Saturday against Georgia Southern it was Nneka Obiazor’s turn to lead the charge with a 20-point effort as five Lopes scored double-digit points.
GCU hits the Christmas Break on a nine-game winning streak.
Texans hit the break with a 3-game winning streak:
Tarleton hit the break with a perfect 3-0 week with a pair of Division I wins against New Mexico State and Arkansas State and a win over Division II St. Mary’s.
Faith Acker had a near double-double in Monday’s 65-55 win over the Aggies with 18 points and eight rebounds as Tarleton led for nearly the entire game.
At Arkansas State on Wednesday, Arieona Rosborough scared a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Acker missed a double-double by a rebound in the win.
Tarleton finished the week with a 64-31 win over Lone Star Conference member St. Mary’s. The Texans set a program record in total rebounds with 59 in their win.
Wolverines win a pair of games in final seconds:
Utah Valley reaches Christmas Break after winning a pair of games in the final seconds last week.
In Monday’s 49-45 win over Jacksonville State, the Wolverines were balanced offensively, without a double-digit scorer. Halle Nelson scored four of the last six Utah Valley points in the win.
At Weber State on Friday the Wolverines defense forced 28 Wildcat turnovers in a 57-55 win. Danja Stafford-Collins recorded 18 of the Wolverines’ 35 rebounds while Ally Criddle had a season-high 16 points and Tahlia White added 14 points in the win.
Criddle’s two free throws with four seconds left were the difference after a Weber State basket as time expired.
Lancers finish homestand on winning note:
CBU finished a 3-game holiday homestand on a winning note Thursday afternoon with a 72-58 win over Texas Southern.
Grace Schmidt’s double-double of 22 points with a career-high 17 rebounds led the way. Anaiyah Tu’ua, Claudia Fiel and Nhug Bosch Duran each added 14 points in the win. Tu’ua added six assists.
Bosch Duran returned to the lineup after a 2-game absence.
WAC teams return to action between December 27 and 30 with the opening day of conference play on January 4.