Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Podcasts
    • Optimist Overtime
    • Top of the Key
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / Sports / Transition offense leads Wildcats to first conference win since the new year
Senior guard Coryon Mason charges toward the net. (Photo by Meghan Long)

Transition offense leads Wildcats to first conference win since the new year

January 23, 2022 by Connor Mullins Leave a Comment

The Wildcats (12-7, 3-5) got back to winning ways on Saturday at the Teague Special Events Center by defeating the California Baptist Lancers (12-7, 2-4), 77-68.

The Wildcats lost five straight heading into Saturday against the Lancers but a 17-0 run to start the matchup led to the nine-point win. Coach Brette Tanner’s squad scored a season-high 36 points off of 23 turnovers and dished out 17 assists. The Wildcats are eighth in the Western Athletic Conference despite the previous five straight conference losses. 

“I told them in film the other day that if you’ll play on the defensive end, let it go, play loose, and play ACU basketball,” Tanner said. “We talked to each other about what is ACU basketball, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. We all answered and we were all on the same page, and I said why aren’t we doing that, let’s go out there and do it. I don’t care if we win, we lose, but we’re going to play ACU basketball.”

After the loss to Seattle U on Thursday, Tanner said they needed to reinvent some things on offense. The offense was different against the Lancers as the Wildcats started off 8-11 from the field on the 17-0 run in the blink of an eye.

“We started the game with energy and we haven’t done that for a while. When you start that way it fuels everything which amounted to a 17 point lead,” Tanner said. “I hope we’ll play the rest of the year this way. We were way better today than we were on Thursday so I’m proud of them.”

Despite the 17 point deficit to start, the Lancers rallied back to make it a 33-25 lead for the Wildcats at halftime. The Wildcats scored 19 points off of 14 turnovers in the first half to spark the eight-point lead.

“It’s amazing what happens when we get out there and we guard and we turn people over and we go and we play loose offensively,” Tanner said. “Those are the same turnovers we were forcing the other night but we were pulling it back. It’s amazing when you start doing that because all of a sudden you are in your halfcourt offense, you start swinging the ball, and those shots start going down.”

The Lancers lost all three of their WAC matchups heading into Saturday by a combined 12 points. The loss to the Wildcats was the Lancers’ largest conference loss. Sophomore guard Tre Armstrong led the Lancers with 13 points and they outrebounded the Wildcats 39-26 but it wasn’t enough to seal their third WAC win. 

The Wildcats defended the three much better against the Lancers only allowing the Lancers to shoot 25 percent from downtown. On the other side of the stat sheet, the Wildcats shot 43 percent on 9-21 shooting from the three-point line. 

“The same team that lost those games here in the last two weeks is the same team that won those 11 straight,” Tanner said. “That’s always what I kept reminding them over the last couple days. We just knew if they score, they would have to earn everything.”

Junior forward Airion Simmons made his presence known for the Wildcats after missing last week with COVID and finished with 18 points on 7-9 shooting. A key aspect of the nine-point victory for the Wildcats was the 36 points off of 23 turnovers. The Wildcats still rank first in the NCAA in turnover margin (9.1) and turnovers forced (21.9) and are second in steals per game (11.3) behind Louisiana State University (11.9). 

“I told them for the rest of the year if you’re not playing on the defensive end, then you’re going to come over to me and watch everybody else play,” Tanner said. “If you’re playing on the defensive end, as long as you’re playing with some passion and fire, then let it go and play loose.”

Coach Tanner and the Wildcats now head on the road to face the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (6-13, 1-5) on Wednesday and the Lamar Cardinals on Saturday (2-17, 0-8). The Wildcats first face the Vaqueros for their first Wednesday night WAC game of the season at 7 p.m. at the UTRGV Fieldhouse, with the game airing live on ESPN+.

Filed Under: Showcase, Sports

Other Showcase:

  • Cullen Auditorium still set for a name change alongside renovations

  • Wildcats conclude season with preparations for WAC Championships

  • FilmFest winners awarded, gala and student productions back to normal

About Connor Mullins

I'm a sophomore journalism major from Abilene, Texas. I'm really passionate about sports and I want to pursue a career in sports broadcast/writing.

Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

You are here: Home / Sports / Transition offense leads Wildcats to first conference win since the new year

Other Showcase:

  • Cullen Auditorium still set for a name change alongside renovations

  • Wildcats conclude season with preparations for WAC Championships

  • FilmFest winners awarded, gala and student productions back to normal

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimistThe Optimist@acuoptimist·
4 May

"Maybe we just don’t care enough. But if we do start caring, and if we become the loudest fans in the WAC, let’s stick to supportive cheering." Read more from Guest Columnist Londyn Gray:
https://acuoptimist.com/2022/04/not-so-friendly-competition/

Reply on Twitter 1521918832738144257Retweet on Twitter 15219188327381442571Like on Twitter 15219188327381442578Twitter 1521918832738144257
acuoptimistThe Optimist@acuoptimist·
3 May

Royce Clough and Jael Morel have been named as Mr. and Miss ACU for the class of 2022, a traditional honor voted on by the student body and awarded to two members of each graduating class.

Reply on Twitter 1521607087553458178Retweet on Twitter 1521607087553458178Like on Twitter 152160708755345817819Twitter 1521607087553458178

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

2 weeks ago

The Optimist
"Maybe we just don’t care enough. But if we do start caring, and if we become the loudest fans in the WAC, let’s stick to supportive cheering." Read more from Guest Columnist Londyn Gray: ... See MoreSee Less

Not-so-friendly competition - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

BY: LONDYN GRAY “Number 18, you look like you don’t shower!” I chuckled and shrugged it off. “Londyn!” They had looked up the roster. “Do you even brush your teeth?” I laughed again, rol...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 weeks ago

The Optimist
Cullen Auditorium is expected to be handed over to the university in June 2022, alongside a name change that coupled with the renovation will create new future for the Cornerstone class, Chapel and the Department of Theatre. ... See MoreSee Less

Cullen Auditorium still set for a name change alongside renovations - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

Cullen Auditorium is expected to be handed over to the university in June 2022, alongside a name change that coupled with the renovation will create new future for the Cornerstone class, Chapel and th...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Women’s tournament run ended by first-round exit against UTRGV

The Wildcats’ Western Athletic Conference tournament run and season came to a ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 22. 2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.16.2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.9.2022

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Weekly Ads
  • Classifieds

© 2022 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved

Posting....