By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
Peaster alum Payton Hull led all players with 24 points as the junior guard led Abilene Christian on the road against UT-Arlington 72-63 on Thursday night at College Park Center.
The Wildcats moved to 18-7 overall and 9-3 in the WAC.
Hull, who graduated from Peaster in 2023, played 38 minutes and finished 10 of 17 shooting from the field with two steals, two blocks, one assist and one rebound. She also made two 3-pointers for ACU.
“I think we executed really well and we stopped what they wanted offensively, and I think we really pushed through at the end,” she said.
Hull got off to a hot start with 12 points in the first quarter, and she didn’t score until the 6:38 mark. She converted on a three-point play to give ACU a 6-2 lead. Hull hit a three and layup to extend the edge to 11-4 with 4:06 left. Two more layups gave Hull 12 in the opening frame and the Wildcats led 17-6 before a late three from the Mavericks.
She had 16 at halftime – after coming in averaging 17.9 per game this season.
ACU led by 12 in the second quarter and 10 with 3:24 to play, but UTA closed the period on an 8-2 run. The Wildcats were up 32-28 at the break. The Mavs tied it three times in the third period, but ACU still led 53-48 entering the fourth.
Hull nailed a big three with 1:51 left in the third to give her team a 49-44 lead.
“We’ve been in a couple games like that. We just have that grit in us to not give up, to keep pushing and the outcome we want is to win the game,” she said.
Hull was WAC Freshman Of The Year in 2024 and during that season, was awarded WAC Newcomer Of The Week three times. She is coming off WAC Player Of The Week, her fourth honor of her career.
After the UTA game, she’s averaging 18.1 points per game this season and 17.1 points per game in her career. She’s also averaging 24.5 points in her past four contest. She averaged 19 as a sophomore. She has appeared in 77 games with 73 starts.
“Really reminds me of Peaster – that small town feeling,” Hull said. “We have so many supporters around women’s basketball, it really feels like Peaster.”
During her time at Peaster, Hull is regarded as one of the best athletes in school history – starring in three sports: basketball, volleyball and golf.
Hull’s basketball and volleyball teams were among the best in Class 3A and she also played in the state tournament for golf. Her basketball jersey was retired in May of her senior year.
“I miss the sports aspect and playing with my best friends,” she said. “I think back and I miss it, I miss it and I miss them, but I get to experience the same thing here. It’s so fun to play at ACU and with my teammates, and even more fun when we get the win.”
This was Hull’s fourth career game in the metroplex and her 24 points were most in any of those games. She’s averaging 17.5 points during road games in DFW.
