Wildcats Earn First WAC Tournament Victory, Head to Championship

Women's basketball team defeats UT Arlington, will face regular season champion CBU in title game

Mar. 14, 2026 at 1:10am

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The No. 2-seeded Abilene Christian University women's basketball team defeated the sixth-seeded UT Arlington Mavericks 70-50 in the Western Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals, earning the program's first-ever WAC tournament victory. Junior guard Payton Hull led the Wildcats with 21 points as they built an early lead and never relinquished it. The win sets up a championship game rematch with regular season champion California Baptist University, who the Wildcats lost to twice during the regular season.

Why it matters

This victory marks a significant milestone for the Wildcats' women's basketball program, which joined the WAC in 2021. Reaching the tournament championship game gives the team a chance to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which would be the program's first appearance since 2019.

The details

The Wildcats jumped out to a 23-12 lead after the first quarter and extended their advantage to as much as 26 points in the fourth quarter. In addition to Hull's 21 points, Jazmyn Stone and Aimee Flippen each scored 10 points off the bench for ACU. The Wildcats' defense held the Mavericks, who had upset the third-seeded Southern Utah Thunderbirds in the previous round, to just 50 points.

  • The Wildcats and Mavericks faced off just six days prior in the regular season finale.
  • This was the third game in three days for the sixth-seeded Mavericks.

The players

Payton Hull

A junior guard from Peaster who led the Wildcats with 21 points.

Jazmyn Stone

A redshirt junior from Federal Way, Washington who scored 10 points off the bench for ACU.

Aimee Flippen

A sophomore center from Glen Rose who scored 10 points off the bench for the Wildcats.

Erin Woodson

A junior guard from Richmond, Virginia who led the team with 9 rebounds and also had 5 points, 2 steals, and 4 assists.

Kira Reynolds

A standout freshman for UT Arlington who played just 15 minutes despite shooting 50% from the field and scoring 8 points.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Wildcats will face the regular season WAC champion California Baptist University Lancers in the tournament championship game. The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This victory marks a significant milestone for the Abilene Christian University women's basketball program, which is seeking its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019. Reaching the WAC Tournament championship game gives the Wildcats a chance to earn an automatic bid and continue their postseason run.