As the game gets ready to get started here, I notice a few maroon shirts up in the crowd and I wonder ... who are they rooting for here? They'll either have to play the only team that's shown it can beat them or a team playing in an environment that is, essentially, a home game.

That's assuming a WT win, of course, but I think that's a safe assumtion.

In-game next ...

We're about five minutes from tipoff here, and both teams looked pretty pumped in warmups. Of course, when you are playing for a shot in the conference championship game, how can you not be pumped, right?

For ACU, it's their first appearance in the semis since the 1997-98 season, which also happens to be the last time the team made the tournament. There they lost a 134-129 thriller to UCO.

Ranked No. 9 in the region coming in, ACU beat No. 7 Southwestern Oklahoma State in the first round. Now they've got two wins over SWO this season -- which might be enough to push the Wildcats into the regional tournament. A win here, and I would think a regional berth for the Cats is a certainty, regardless of what happens in the championship game.

In-game is next ...

Well, it looks like ACU will have to win this tournament to make the regionals -- which is absolutely ridiculous.

For the third straight week the Wildcat women have waited for the Wednesday release of the South Central Region poll, thinking each time that, finally, this will be the week they’ll see Abilene Christian listed.

And, for the third straight week, the Wildcats were jilted in the poll that will, at season’s end, determine the eight teams that will advance to the Division II regional playoffs.

The hottest team in the conference, ACU has beaten multiple regionally ranked teams this season, including No. 1 West Texas A&M. In the rematch with the Lady Buffs, ACU fell by just two on the road. It was the only loss ACU suffered the entire month of February. None of that, however, has swayed the voters.

The Lady Buffs still sit atop the poll, while Angelo State -- despite being upset in the last week of the season by a Texas A&M-Kingsville team that finished the season 7-20 overall and 3-11 in South Division Play -- is still No. 8. Northeastern State is No. 9 and Texas A&M-Commerce is No. 10. ACU split the season series with Angelo State, beat Northeastern in the lone matchup and fell in overtime at Commerce, the team ACU will face today in the first round of the conference tournament.

In-game updates coming soon.

(Oh, and the PA guy? I'm pretty sure it's either Reverend Lovejoy or Principal Skinner. Kudos to the LSC and Bartlesville for footing the bill to get him here from Springfield. That's good stuff.)

The gym and facilities here in Bartlesville are as advertised. Great atmosphere for a game here, and while the crowd for the first game isn’t huge, it is making a fair amount of noise, which is great.

I’ve successfully raided the media room for every media guide I was previously missing, and also managed to get my hands on the media guide put together for the tournament. If you get a chance to get down here, track one down. The thing is full-color and full of great stuff. The folks at the LSC and Bartlesville, once again, doing an outstanding job.

And a note for the Abilene folks: I caught up with former local sports anchor Cayden McFarland, now working in Tulsa. He’s loving the new gig, he said, as is his wife. Look for his Game 1 highlights to show up on KRBC and KTAB tonight.

The local newspaper today (Tuesday) had a welcome to the players and fans on the front page, a story in sports and there was a full-page, full-color ad in there as well, which looked very professional. There were also signs with the conference tournament logo hung in the lobby of the hotel, and the folks here seem genuinely excited about the event. Stan Lambert and the rest of his crew in the LSC office, it seems, have this thing ready to go.

Be sure to check back often throughout the tournament. While I’ll be primarily covering ACU, Tarleton and Angelo State, I will also have a chance to see and talk with fans and players from most of the teams here, I’m sure. I’ll try to let you know what’s going on here as it happens, and hopefully will be able to offer some in-game insight while sitting courtside.

13:34 -- Kingsville turns it over on downs on the ACU 35 ... I'd look for backups, but Jerale Badon is 44 yards shy of the conference yards record - not sure if Thomsen will leave him in to take a crack at it or not. I'm headed to the field ... this one's pretty much a yawner at this point.

12:03 -- Ramirez runs in from two out and suddenly ACU's lead shrinks to four, 28-24.

9:34 -- Third-down conversion no good, Matt Adams in to attempt a 40-yard field goal. It's good, ACU back up by seven, 31-24.

5:34 -- Following a huge 50-yard pass to Johnny Knox, ACU looked to score another six on a pass to Jerale Badon, but a holding call nixed that.

5:17 -- Bernard Scott, again. The guy takes a little dump screen and turns it into a 28-yard touchdown. (That's the fifth game this season the guy has scored at least three touchdowns.)ACU 38-24

4:42 -- Fred Thompson gets a nice pick right on the ACU sideline, ending what was looking to be a good start on Kingsville's ensuing drive. ACU ball with the chance to go up 21.

3:40 -- Johnny Knox and Billy Malone connect again, this time from 50 out. Three Javs had an angle, but Knox is just too fast. His second score - on his 21st birthday - makes it 45-24.

A few numbers at the half:

TAMUK actually has 245 yards of total offense, most of that on a couple of long passes. ACU's got 313.

ACU leaders - Bernard Scott has 11 carries for 135 yards and two scores and 36 yards on four catches. Johnny Knox has two catches for 62 yards and a score. Malone's 10-19-2-143-1.

TAMUK leaders - Miller's got 8 carries for 34 yards, Garza was 19-19-1-136-1 before going out and Chase Nesbitt is leading receivers with three for 47 and a score.

Cody Stutts has been all over for ACU in the first half, it's worth mentioning. The guy's got nine total tackles (1.5 for loss), 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception and 1 blocked kick. Think this guy's pumped for his last home game?

11:52 -- Kingsville put together a nice little drive, but it stalled out and the Javs went for a 45-yard field goal. Fittingly, it was No. 45 - Cody Stutts - for ACU that blew through the line and blocked the attempt.

9:09 -- After a bobbled ball gives Kingsville the ball, Garza lobbed up a pass to the end zone and Chase Nesbitt came down with the ball, giving the Javelinas another score and making this one a little closer. ACU's lead is now 21-10

8:24 -- Bernard Scott. The best single player in the Lone Star Conference. Just a little draw play and the guy blows through the line and outruns the Kingsville secondary to the end zone from 55 out. ACU 28, Kingsville 10.

5:16 -- Seems like we're in a bit of a slow down. ACU's moved in a few backups at running back and receiver and they're not catching balls hitting them in the hands. ACU punts and pins Kingsville on its own 1, though.

3:39 -- Looks like Garza's out. The play looked like it was supposed to be an option and, as he planted to make the toss, his right knee buckled and he dropped. It looked to me an awful lot like an ACL. Replacing Garza is Daniel Ramirez, who is also hurt - he's got a shoulder injury on his throwing arm. That, I believe, makes three injured quarterbacks for Kingsville this season.

1:17 -- Anthony Bates picks Billy Malone. That's his second pick of the day - he's certainly doing what he can to keep the Javs in it.

1:08 -- Yikes. ACU gets a pair of 15-yarders (pass interference and roughing the passer), moving the Javs down to the ACU 45.

:07 -- Kingsville tacks on another seven on a nice catch by George Reyes in the back of the end zone (from 14 out). ACU's lead just before half, 28-17.

10:49 -- Cody Stutts just got himself a leaping interception at the ACU 26. Pretty impressive ups for a guy listed at 6-1, 235.

7:38 -- Redshirt freshman Kebron Lampkin gives ACU another six on a short run. And the rout is on.

2:55 -- David Garza is actually not looking all that bad. Part of his problem - a big part - is that his offensive line isn't giving him any time at all to pass. He's pushing the Javs downfield now with his feet, taking off as the pocket collapses rather than trying to force in a pass. It's working, and Kingsville is down to the ACU 11.

1:03 -- Javs score on a 27-yard field goal. Garza got the best protection he's had all afternoon on third-and-goal, but he overthrew his receiver in the back of the end zone.

(Kingsville does have a few fans up there, though. So far there are 11 up there.)

I’ve picked ACU by 28 in this one, but I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see it get away and get even uglier than that. But, I’ll be conservative and say ACU 45-17.

15:00 -- Another WT third down and ACU needs a stop. Third-and-6 at the ACU 41. Again, WT gets a big conversion. At the end of this thing, if the Buffs hold on, what will have won it for them will be third-down conversions, both for and against.

12:59 -- WT down to the ACU 2. They score a touchdown here, and I'm not sure if it isn't going to be too much for the Cats to come back from.

6:09 -- Sorry, guys -- somehow I nuked the last six minutes. In short, WT scored again but ACU responded with a score of its own. WT just went for a fourth-and-1 field goal from the ACU 20, with the wind, but it was off the mark, giving the ball to the Cats.

4:58 -- Again, a failed third-down conversion for ACU. Looks like they'll go for it here, two yards shot on their own 39. Gotta go with Scott. The pass has just been too hit-or-miss today for ACU.

4:54 -- They throw it. Tipped and no good. That might do it.

3:34 -- The crowd here is pretty much silent ... ACU's D stopped West Texas three times from the 1, but Jon Roberts came on and hit an 18-yarder to make the WT lead 10 with 3:34 to play ... even an ACU score quick is probably going to be too little. Then again, Notre Dame won earlier this season, so miracles can happen.

3:27 -- Should that miracle happen ... I'll be back. But otherwise I'm headed down to the field to talk to some upset young men. I'll check back with you all later on with a wrapup.

13:48 -- A nice return, a personal foul and a solid run by Scott and ACU's in field goal range here to start the second half.

12:26 -- Knox spins out of a tackle and loses about half a yard, fourth and less than one on the 14. Scott gets the conversion.

10:23 -- Following another WT penalty (offsides) Scott punches it in from two out to make it a one-score game.

(Like I said ... run the ball. That drive went eight plays. Scott carried the ball on six of them.)

9:10 -- WT loses 16 on a bad snap fumble, back to its own 14. Looking at third-and-22 and the pass to a wide open Flemming dropped. WT's punting into the wind, so looks like good position coming up for the Cats with an opportunity to tie.

8:07 -- ACU takes over on the WT 38.

7:59 -- Again ... ACU goes to the air? Three straight incomplete passes. Matt Adams has a 50-yard leg, but the Cats instead decide to punt. Again, WT is offsides on the punt. Matt Adams comes in for a 50-yard field goal attempt. His kick had the distance but was just off the mark. WT's ball on the 33.

6:51 -- ACU gets a pick if the pass isn't just behind the defender. Instead WT gets another third-down conversion on the next play.

5:57 -- WT false start. WT sideline warning (their second). WT false start.

5:24 -- WT's got a third-and-nine on its own 45. Null forced to get it away with the defense barreling down on him. ACU holds, will get the ball back in decent position.

4:59 -- Well, they got it back, anyway. Knox decided to watch it roll, and ACU will start on its own 15.

4:39 -- Scrambling away from a little pressure, Malone hits Knox on the far sideline for 39 yards! ACU ball at the WT 39 after a false start.

3:50 -- WT just can't stop itself. Malone's send-and-13 pass goes off the mark, but the Buffs give the Cats life with a 15-yard roughing the passer. (That's 106 yards in penalties so far compared to 30 for ACU.)

2:40 -- Malone pass to Holloway good, but he's ruled out of bounds in the end zone on a third-and-2 from the 14. They'll go for it, but they couldn't get the ball off in time and there was an illegal shift call at the snap. Turnover on downs -- that one could wind up being a big play when this is all done.

1:55 -- Third-and-8 for WT ... ACU D is playing great in the second half so far ... and WT is helping them out. False start. Now it's third-and-13 at the 11. Once again, though, pass complete to Kolo (just before Null got leveled). First down.

So far the difference has really been the defense. WT's D has forced a pair of punts, and both times turned them into scores. ACU, meanwhile, had forced the Buffs into a third-down situation six times and allowed the visitors to convert on four of them. The Cats, meanwhile, are 1-of-6 on third-down conversions.

Flemming is leading WT with 100 rushing yards at the break. Kolo's got 58 yards through the air. ACU's top receiver is Johnny Knox with 73 and the leading rusher at the break is Bernard Scott. He's only got 54 yards, though, as for some reason ACU decided in the second quarter to get away from the ground game that was so effective in the first quarter. If they hope to turn this one around, they'll have to get it back to Scott in the second half and turn in more of those long, sustained drives.

The ACU crowd has been quieted a bit here by the WT push and that's a big part of the WT push as well. The crowd was causing problems early for the Buff offense, and that would certainly help out in any second-half push.

14:42 -- Billy Malone throws a pass to ... well, no one. No one in purple, that is. WT pick by Cashmin Thomas at the WT 43, returned to the ACU 43.

13:48 -- AGAIN. Back-to-back false starts on WT. They go from first-and-10 at the 29 to first-and-20 at the 39.

13:34 -- Seriously? Another false start? Yikes. First-and-25. We're approaching midfield.

13:17 -- Great run by Wayne McKnight (including a a jump over a potential tackle) picks up the penalty yards. A 10-yard pass, then, converts. ACU blew a great chance to hold on that one.

12:01 -- Null nearly sacked but steps out of it, hits Dale Davis from 12 out for a score. PAT's good, WT leads 14-10.

10:01 -- WT's grabbing some momentum here. They've forced a three-and-out punt that got caught in the wind and took a bad bounce, starting the drive on the ACU 36. Looks like ACU may be down a few scores here pretty quick -- the D has been on the field here for a little too long in this last stretch.

8:24 -- Fingertip catch by Kolo on a low pass and he rumbles in from 17 on a third-and-2. WT 22, ACU 10.

7:45 -- Johnny Knox just got the crowd - and ACU - right back into the game. He took a short pass from Malone along the left sideline. He cut back inside to make the initial defender miss and then used his feet and speed to make another four Buffs grab a handful of air before finally going down 60 yards later at the two. Scott punched it in on the next play, and the WT lead was cut back to five, 22-17.

5:23 -- WT's looking at third-and-2 on the ACU 31 and got just enough to covert. Other than that holding call that pretty much everyone in the place saw. (WT fans didn't even boo that one.) But again, ACU can't stop the conversion. Kolo's wide open (how can you not see that guy slipping into open space?) WT gets another penalty, though this one happened after the play, so they get the new set of downs.

3:45 -- When things are going your was .... Vickers makes a catch that wasn't even intended for him and went through the intended receiver's hands. WT to the 3.

2:50 -- Two nice defensive stops leaves WT looking at third-and-goal at the 2. (McKnight injured on the second stop ... helped off the field without touching his right leg to the turf. That will hurt if he can't come back.)

2:35 -- Pass in the end zone batted down, ACU holds the Buffs to three.

2:01 -- Pass is behind a wide open Johnny Knox running across the middle. Would have been a 20-plus yard gain, instead Cats punt again. (Looked as if there was holding on the play ... Buffs were offsides on the punt, too, but no flags flew.)

1:42 -- ACU defense looks to be tiring a bit being on the field for so long. Flemming breaks out with a 37-yard run. It's his longest of the day and he's been pretty much bottled up other than that one. His total on the ground so far is 89.

1:19 -- Make that an even 100. Touchdown Buffs. The only good news for ACU there: Despite only a slight block attempt, the PAT is off the mark. 31-17 WT.

:32 -- ACU's pushing to score before the half, but a screen didn't develop fast enough, third-and-8 at the ACU 37.

:25 -- ACU gets seven on the pass play. Fourth-and-1 on the 43 with two timeouts. ACU, though, elects to punt it away rather than risk it.

:13 -- WT's ball at their own 26. Null takes a knee.