Texas-Rio Grande Valley deals Abilene Christian men second straight loss
EDINBURG – Justin Johnson and Dima Zdor combined for 49 points as Texas-Rio Grande Valley dealt Abilene Christian it’s second straight loss, a 103-86 decision Wednesday night in a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game.
Johnson hit 10-of-13 shots from the field, including 1-of-2 from 3-point range, and led the Vaqueros (9-8 overall, 1-4 WAC) with 25 points. Zdor followed with 24 points – hitting 6-of-7 shots from the field while converting 12-of-15 free throws.
Will Johnston added 19 points and 10 assists, while Sherman Brashear, Daylen Williams and Derrius Ward scored 10 points each.
Immanuel Allen led ACU (9-8, 1-3) with a game-high 26 points, and Tobias Cameron had 12 points. Ali Dibba rounded out the Wildcats in double figures with 10.
ACU led 5-2, and it was downhill from there. The Vaqueros reeled off a 14-2 run and never trailed again in building a 51-37 halftime lead.
UTRGV hit 67% from the field (31-of-46, including 7-of-15 from 3-point range. The Vaqueros went to the free-throw line 48 times, hitting 34.
ACU shot 40.3% from the field (29-72, 5-19 3-point range) and converted 23-of-27 free throws.
The Wildcats forced 26 turnovers and outscored the Vaqueros 36-11 off the miscues, but they still allowed UTRGV to shoot lights from the field and reach the free-throw line 48 times – less than a week after allowing Southern Utah to hit 22-of-35 free throws in a 74-72 win at Moody Coliseum.
ACU plays Tarleton in a WAC game at 4 p.m. Saturday in Stephenville.
WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Texas-Rio Grande Valley 103, Abilene Christian 86
ACU ... 37 ... 49 − 86
UTRGV ... 51 ... 52 − 103
ABILENE CHRISTIAN (9-8, 1-3) − Pleasant 3-5 2-3 8, Allen 6-9 13-14 26, Cameron 4-11 3-3 12, Daniels 3-6 0-0 6, Dibba 3-11 4-4 10, Madden 1-4 0-0 3, J. Jackson 1-4 0-0 3, Simmons 3-7 1-1 7, Steele 2-7 0-0 5, Bettiol 3-4 0-2 6, Gai 0-0 0-0 0, Seat 0-4 0-0 0, Muoneke 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-72 23-27 86.
TEXAS−RIO GRANDE VALLEY (9-8, 1-4) − Williams 3-4 4-6 10, Zdor 6-7 12-15 24, Brashear 4-7 0-0 10, Johnston 3-9 11-12 19, Johnson 10-13 4-7 25, Ward 3-4 2-4 10, Freeman 2-2 1-2 5, Shanu 0-0 0-2 0, C. Jackson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-46 34-48 103.
3-Point Goals − Abilene Christian 5-19 (Allen 1-1, Madden 1-2, Steele 1-2, Cameron 1-3, J. Jackson 1-4, Dibba 0-1, Pleasant 0-1, Seat 0-1, Simmons 0-4), UTRGV − 7-15 (Ward 2-3, Johnston 2-4, Brashear 2-5, Johnson 1-2, Williams 0-1). Fouled Out − ACU: Pleasant, Allen, Madden, Simmons; UTRGV: None. Rebounds − Abilene Christian 19 (Cameron 5), UTRGV 38 (Zdor 8). Assists − Abilene Christian 23 (Cameron 5), UTRGV 21 (Johnston 10). Total Fouls − Abilene Christian 34, UTRGV 23. Technical Fouls − ACU: Jackson; UTRGV: Team. A − 723 (2,500).
Trailblazers turn away ACU women
ST. GEORGE, Utah – Breaunna Gillen scored a game-high 21 points and still dished out 11 assists to lead Utah Tech past Abilene Christian 85-74 in a Western Athletic Conference women’s basketball game.
Averi Papa added 16 points for the Trailblazers (11-5 overall, 3-2 WAC), while Emily Isaacson and Kartchner had 14 each. Maggie McCord also had 12 points.
Maleeah Langstaff led ACU (8-8, 2-3) with 18 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Madi Miller had 15 points. Aspen Thornton followed with 13 points, and Claire Graham had 10.
ACU, which had its last lead at 4-3, trailed 25-19 at the end of the first quarter and went into halftime down five (43-38).
The Wildcats, down 64-55 to start the final quarter, managed to stay within striking distance until Utah Tech went on an 8-2 run, including two 3-point goals by McCord after two ACU turnovers, to take a 16-point lead (80-64) with 2:14 left in the game.
ACU hit 28-of-60 shots from the field, including 11-of-34 3-point goals. The Trailblazers hit 33-of-61 shots, including 11-of-20 treys.
ACU, which has lost three of its last four games, plays Utah Valley at 3 p.m. Saturday in Orem, Utah in a league game.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Texas-Rio Grande Valley tops Abilene Christian men in WAC basketball