The Wildcats look to snap their three-game losing streak Saturday afternoon against the Schreiner Mountaineers at home. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Moody Coliseum.
ACU currently sits at 3-5 through eight non-conference games, while the Div. III member Mountaineers come in at 2-4. The last three games came against established Div. I programs in Oakland University (85-57), New Hampshire and Nebraska.
The Mountaineers come off of a 95-92 overtime win over LeTourneau University on Nov. 28. It’s been two weeks since their last game, where as ACU’s last game came last weekend.
The Wildcats look to rebound from a 73-63 loss to Nebraska and an 86-75 defeat at home against New Hampshire. So far, ACU has posted a 2-1 record at home, with the next two games against Schreiner and then California-Riverside to be played at Moody Coliseum.
Freshman Jaylen Franklin leads the Wildcats in scoring at 13.8 points per game and has recorded 14 steals in eight games. He also has been successful in getting to the free throw line, as he has 20 more attempts than anyone else on the roster. Senior Parker Wentz averages just under 10 points per game (9.9) and junior transfer Jovan Crnic along with senior big man Duran Porter average 9.3 and 9.9 points per game, respectively.
Freshman Jaren Lewis is the top rebounder for ACU at 6.4 rebounds per game, and adding 8.1 points and 46 percent shooting per game. Porter has recorded 12 blocks on the year and had a season-high three blocks against Colorado State in ACU’s 108-100 double overtime loss.
Against the Cornhuskers, the Wildcats trailed 36-34 at halftime in Lincoln, Neb. Despite holding Nebraska to under 40 percent, ACU still gave up 37 points in the second half, compared to the 29 they put up. Nebraska went 27-36 from the free throw line, compared to ACU’s 14-17 attempts, in what clearly turned out to be the difference maker.
Porter recorded a season-high 17 points on 6-10 shooting and an impressive 5-6 from the charity stripe. Franklin (14 points) and Crnic (13 points) were the other two Wildcats to finish in double digits. Franklin added four steals and 5-9 shooting. Senior Austin Cooke recorded all nine points from beyond the arc, going 3-6 from three.
