The ACU women’s basketball team started the season off right with a big win in its first game. The Wildcats outshot Lubbock Christian 81-61 in an exhibition game Saturday that was never in doubt.
“We played great team basketball,” said Head Coach Shawna Lavender. “We had three players in double figures and almost a fourth. When we can have that many players in double figures, teams won’t know who to focus on.”
The three players are Jamie Meyer, 22, Jody Meyer, 15, and Courtney Laing, 14. Those numbers, along with a 44-34 rebounding advantage, led the Wildcats to a wire-to-wire victory. The closest the Lady Chaps got to the ‘Cats was at the beginning of the second half, when they cut the deficit to six.
Although the win was important, Lubbock Christian is only an NAIA school and the win doesn’t count toward the Wildcats win-loss record.
Jamie Meyer’s performance will be a trend this season, according to the Lone Star Conference preseason rankings. Meyer was chosen as the Preseason South Division Player of the Year.
Meyer averaged 14 points per game last year, while shooting a remarkable 42 percent from behind the three-point line. Meyer hasn’t missed a game in her three years here; he has played in 87 straight games for the Wildcats.
“She was one of our go-to players last year,” Lavender said. “It’s going to be hard for teams to key in on her when we have so many other good players.”
Along with Meyer’s honor, the Wildcats were picked to finish a close third in the South Conference behind West Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville.
“I don’t put a lot of stock in the preseason polls,” Lavender said. “I’m glad they think we are in the top four, but I don’t really care about the polls.”
The Wildcats made it to the NCAA regional tournament last year for the first time since 2005. If the Wildcats play up to their potential this year, they will be making that trip again.
“Our goal this season is to be at that regional tournament,” Lavender said. “We need to have the mindset of getting better every game. If we do that, you will see us in that tournament.”
ACU has one more exhibition game before they start their season. They will take on SMU at 7 p.m. Monday in the Mustangs’ own Moody Coliseum in Dallas.