By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor

If the Wildcat men’s basketball team has any chance of making the postseason, it lies in its own hands.

The last-place Wildcats have a chance to make the Lone Star Conference tournament, but only if it wins all five of the remaining games on its schedule.

“We’re trying to play every game like it’s the last one,” said guard Tiago Souza. “We are last right now, but we still have a chance.”

ACU’s first chance to start a much-needed winning streak will be on Saturday against 5-2 Tarleton State. Although the Texans beat the Wildcats by more than any other team in the first half of conference play – Tarleton downed ACU 87-67 – the Wildcats are convinced anything can happen Saturday. 

“We’re going to bounce back like elastic,” said guard Cortnie Ross. “We’re going to go out there and out-execute them.”

The Wildcats, who are 1-6 in conference and 10-11 overall, will need to bounce back from the hole they dug themselves and a four-game losing streak since its first conference win against Angelo State on Jan. 23.

Guard Elmo Williams attributed his team’s recent slump to a lack of execution and small mistakes that added up.

“It’s the small mistakes, but that all can be easily fixed,” Williams said.

So far the problem for the Wildcats has been limiting the points from its opponents’ post players. The last time the Wildcats and Texans met, Tarleton’s post players outscored ACU’s 53-28.

“We’re a little outmatched inside,” said forward Cam Holson. “We know we’ll give up shots down low but we’ll have to make it up in the guard position.”

One advantage that might aid the Wildcats is the possibility of a larger crowd at the Tarleton game because of the promotional “Elmo night.” The promotion asks fans to bring an Elmo toy for free admission; all of the toys will be donated to the Children’s Miracle Network.

Guard Riley Lambert said an increased home crowd is something that would help the Wildcats.

“We need all the help we can get right now,” Lambert said.