by ST. GEORGE, Utah – Abilene Christian women’s basketball rang in the new year with an 81-51 win over Utah Tech at Burns Arena on Thursday afternoon. The Wildcats opened Western Athletic Conference action on a high note, kicking off league play with a win for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons and the 12th time in 14 seasons under head coach Julie Goodenough.
ACU looks to pick up its fourth consecutive road victory when it heads upstate to take on Utah Valley in Orem, Utah at 3 p.m. (CT) Saturday. The Wildcats have won six of their last seven games after defeating the Trailblazers for the fourth straight meeting.
ACU limited Utah Tech to a .317 field goal percentage, the lowest it has allowed to a Division I opponent this season. The Trailblazers shot just .185 in the second half at 5 of 27 with 14 points after halftime. The Wildcats blocked a season-high six shots, their most since Feb. 1, 2024. ACU has held six of its last seven opponents to 60 points or less.
Meredith Mayes earned her fourth double-double of the season with a 19-point, 10-rebound effort. She knocked down nine of 14 field goal attempts, including the second three-pointer of the junior’s career. The Bixby, Okla. product and Jordyn Coleman each blocked a pair of shots, with Mayes adding two steals with no turnovers.
Erin Woodson complemented her with 16 points and six boards with a 7-of-11 mark from the floor. Natalia Chavez delivered 14 points at a 6-of-9 clip and matched Payton Hull for the team lead with three steals. Hull registered her 34th consecutive game in double digits with 13 points while tying her career best with eight assists.
Breanna Davis registered five assists, four rebounds and two steals. The Wildcats boasted a .458 shooting percentage at 33 of 72.
ACU grabbed a 27-16 lead through the game’s first quarter after sinking 11 of 22 field goal tries. Mayes and Hull collected eight points apiece, with Hull dishing out four assists. The Wildcats launched a 17-point rally over 3:17 of game time, including six points from Hull. They forced seven Utah Valley turnovers.
The Wildcats took a 45-37 lead into the break as Woodson led the way with six points in the second quarter. Mayes brought down four rebounds and Davis distributed three assists. The Trailblazers got within five points at the 8:08 mark with a 6-0 run, but ACU responded with six straight points of its own to restore a double-digit advantage. Hull, Mayes and Woodson had each scored 10 points or more by halftime.
ACU opened the floodgates in the third period, outscoring Utah Valley 25-8. The Wildcats hit 11 of 19 shots in the quarter, compared to a 3-of-14 showing by the Trailblazers. The Wildcats forced 10 turnovers behind seven steals and took a 70-45 lead into the fourth quarter.
Mayes fueled ACU with seven points on a perfect 3-of-3 clip that included her first three-pointer of the season. She added two assists, a steal and a block.
For the third time in its last four games, ACU surrendered just six points in a quarter after Utah Valley made two of 13 shots in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats rattled off nine consecutive points to move ahead by as much as 34 halfway through the period.
