LAS VEGAS — Crazy things happen in the postseason, and Sam Houston just defied the odds.
Mikayla Woods scored six straight points in the final 10 seconds to lift the Bearkats (13-16) to an improbably 82-81 victory over Abilene Christian in the opening round of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament at the Michelob Ultra Arena on Monday. Sam Houston will play rival Stephen F. Austin in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
The Bearkats trailed 72-57 with just under six minutes left in the game when they slowly started chipping away at the lead.
Mikayla Eddins led an 8-0 run with a pair of 3-pointers and a layup to pull Sam Houston to within five at the 2:12 mark. Each time the Kats got the lead down to three, the Wildcats answered with under a minute remaining.
Woods knocked down a 3 to make it 78-76, and again ACU scored to make it a two-possession game. Woods played her hero card and drilled another 3 to cut the lead to one with 16 seconds left, then after the Wildcats made one of two free throws, she drove to the basket with three seconds on the clock and was fouled making a layup.
With the game on the line, Woods calmly walked to the line and converted the three-point play, and ACU wildly missed a halfcourt heave as the Kats ran out onto the court to celebrate.
Woods finished with a team-high 18 points, and
Tierney Coleman added 17.
Madelyn Batista and Eddins each scored 12 points, and Kayle Jefferson game Sam Houston five players in double figures with 10.
