After solid starts, both hoops teams looking for even more consistency

ACU’s basketball teams are sharing similar experiences now that each is a little over one-third of the way done with this season. Jason Copeland’s men are 6-4 and Shawna Lavender’s women reciprocate at 6-4. While many of the teams around the nation would appreciate a 6-4 record to start the season, it’s safe to say that more consistent play for both Wildcat teams could result in better records.

Luckily for ACU, the teams have a chance to continue ironing out the wrinkles as they prepare to head into Lone Star Conference South Division play. The Wildcats don’t begin South Division play until Jan. 13 in a home doubleheader against Eastern New Mexico.

Today, both teams play Texas A&M-Commerce, then the women have three crossover games and the men have two before the meeting with ENMU.

Another commonality for both teams is that when the Wildcat point guards are playing well, it seems that the rest of the players follow suit.

Riley Lambert, the men’s point guard, has 36 (six per game) assists and only 11 turnovers (1.8 per game) in ACU’s six wins. However, in the Wildcats’ four losses he has just 11 assists (2.75 per game) and has recorded 17 turnovers (4.25 per game).

On the women’s side, Kat Kundmueller averages 7.8 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.2 turnovers in Wildcat wins. When ACU loses the assists go down and the turnovers rise. She averages seven points, 3.5 assists and 3.3 turnovers in four ACU losses this season.

As I’m typing this post, it appears that the ACU women will move to 7-4 with a convincing win over Commerce where Kundmueller has seven points, nine assists and just one turnover; just further proof that ACU is feeding off her solid play this season.

Dante Adams and Jamie Meyer are each having much-improved seasons for ACU to help leading scorers Dejan Sencanski and Audrey Maxwell-Lively for the men and women respectively. While Sencanski and Maxwell-Lively are each in familiar spots among the top of ACU’s scoring charts, Adams and Meyer are bolstering their teams thus far in the season.

Through Dec. 31, Meyer is averaging 11.6 points per game after an 8.7 average last season. Adams, who nearly sat out this season with a medical redshirt is averaging 12.6 points (6.0 last season), his rebounding average is up a point and a half, and his 15 steals this season nearly equals the 18 he tallied in 29 games last season.

Check back for more updates, photo galleries, and be sure and come to Moody Coliseum Jan. 13 as the Wildcats open up conference play.