ABILENE, Texas – HBU women's basketball forced a season-high 23 Abilene Christian turnovers, but ACU, combined with a decisive 50-27 advantage in rebounds, used a 24-8 run to close the third quarter to pull away from the Huskies, 77-60, Wednesday night from Moody Coliseum.
Anna Strickland recorded 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead HBU (8-10 overall, 3-5 SLC). She was one of four Huskies to score in double figures, as
Amanda Johnson (12),
Rachel Arthur (11), and
Monet Neal (10) followed. As a team, the Huskies shot 39 percent from the floor.
Three-time Southland Conference Player of the Week Alexis Mason started slow, but ended the night leading ACU (17-2, 8-0) with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Lizzy Dimba followed with 12 points, while Sydney Shelstead and Suzzy Dimba each dropped 11. The Wildcats as a team shot 42 percent from the floor.
After Johnson – earning her first collegiate start – nailed a trey to give HBU a 5-2 lead at the 7:26-mark of the first quarter, ACU used a 9-0 run to take an 11-5 lead, forcing the Huskies to take a timeout with just under four minutes left in the quarter. HBU came within two, 11-9, but the Wildcats closed the quarter outscoring HBU, 8-5, to lead 19-14.
With ACU leading by eight two minutes into the second quarter, HBU scored six straight to cut the deficit two, 24-22, with all the points coming from
Bria Johnson. After Mason hit a jumper,
Heidi Sihvola came back and swished a three-pointer to cut the deficit to one, 26-25, with over six minutes left in the first half. Still trailing by one possession, 31-29, with 3:55 remaining, HBU went cold, as ACU closed the quarter on a 9-0 run to lead HBU at the half, 40-29.
Strickland led HBU with seven first-half points, followed by Neal. Strickland had half of the team's rebounds, pulling down six. Mason and L. Dimba each scored eight points for the Wildcats, while Mason pulled down a team-best six rebounds. HBU shot 37 percent from the floor compared to 55 percent for ACU.
HBU scored the third quarter's first five points and cut the deficit to six, 40-34, following a pair of Arthur free throws, but HBU went cold on the offensive side as ACU heated up. The Wildcats ended the final 7:10 outscoring HBU, 24-8, and held a commanding 64-42 lead entering the fourth quarter. ACU led by as many as 28 before HBU used a run to end the game, outscoring the Wildcats, 11-1, in the final 4:28.
Strickland and A. Johnson each scored nine second-half points for HBU, as Johnson hit three 3-pointers. Sihvola had five assists in the game, all coming in the second half, which were two shy of tying her career high. S. Dimba paced the Wildcats with seven points. HBU shot 41 percent from the floor in the half compared to 31 percent for ACU.
HBU returns home to host Sam Houston State on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 4 p.m. in Sharp Gym.
