TexAnns send cold-shooting Wildcats to first LSC loss of season, 78-60

Saturday, December 8

Stephenville, Texas

5:00 P.M.

Abilene Christian

Tarleton State

Photo by: Jeremy Enlow

TexAnns send cold-shooting Wildcats to first LSC loss of season, 78-60

12/8/2012 7:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball

STEPHENVILLE – A cold-shooting night from every spot on the floor Saturday night spelled doom for ACU on Saturday as the Wildcats lost for the first time this season in conference play, dropping a 78-60 decision to Tarleton State at Wisdom Gym.

The loss keeps the Wildcats from starting Lone Star Conference 4-0 for the first time since the 2004-05 season. The ACU women are now 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the LSC, while the TexAnns move into first place at 5-2 and 3-0.

The Wildcats led by as many as seven points in the first half before the TexAnns completely turned the game around, pushing out to as much as an 11-point first-half lead before settling for a nine-point lead at halftime (37-28).

But thanks to a pair of 3-pointers from Mackenzie Lankford and Kelsey Smith and a layup from Sadie Dickinson, the Wildcats were able to cut the Tarleton State lead to 37-36 in the first 49 seconds of the second half.

The TexAnns, however, ran off the next eight points to re-establish a nine-point lead (46-37) with 15:35 to play in the game. Tarleton's lead would not dip below seven points the rest of the way as the TexAnns won their eighth straight game over the Wildcats.

ACU missed 14 layups in the game, including eight in the first half, and they shot just 25.8 percent (17 of 66) from the field. The Wildcats also hit just 5 of 23 shots from 3-point range (21.7 percent) and only hit 67.7 percent (21 of 31) from the free throw line.

Lankford hit 6 of 16 shots from the field on her way to 16 points, while Sadie Dickinson was 4 of 16 for 11 points.

The Wildcats will return to action Dec. 17-18 when they play in the Lady Buff Christmas Classic. ACU will take on Arkansas-Fort Smith at 4 p.m. on Dec. 17 and will then play No. 21 Emporia State (Kan.) at 4 p.m. on Dec. 18.