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STEPHENVILLE - Coming off a loss last Wednesday, Tarleton will return to the friendly confines of Wisdom Gym this weekend for a battle of the South Central region's best as the No. 6-seed TexAnns host the No. 3-seed Mustangs on Pack It Purple Night Saturday at 5 p.m.
After falling in this season's earlier meeting, Tarleton now trails the all-time series to Midwestern 29-24 dating back to 1980. Tarleton had won 14 straight games against the Mustangs prior to the loss this season, making the TexAnns winners of 14 of the last 15 meetings. They are 13-12 all-time against MSU in Stephenville.
Under head coach Ronnie Hearne, Tarleton is 14-3 against MSU.
GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
It's PACK IT PURPLE night in Wisdom Gym. All fans are encouraged to wear purple for the contest. It is also Gordon Night, in which all residents of Gordon will receive free admission with proof of residency. It is also Military Appreciation and Greek Night as well as Cozy Socks Night. Anyone who donates a new, unused pair of of socks for SISD's fundraiser will receive free popcorn.
AT A GLANCE
Records: Tarleton TexAnns 17-6 (13-4 LSC), Midwestern State Mustangs 19-5 (14-4 LSC)
Video: A live video broadcast of the game can be seen at TarletonSports.com
Radio: KSTV 93.1 FM The Mighty 93 in Stephenville has the call for the TexAnns with Mike Young (play-by-play) on air. An online link to the audio feed can be found at TarletonSports.com.
Last Time Out
Tarleton dropped a heartbreak on the road at Cameron 52-50. After struggling offensively throughout the night, Tarleton's Brianna Bledsoe banked in a 3-ball at the top of the key to bring the game within two points, but the TexAnns couldn't get off another shot in the final two seconds. Kiara Wright recorded the first double-double of her career against the Aggies, however, with 21 points and 16 rebounds while Bledsoe tied her career high with 16 points.
Early season meeting
Tarleton and Midwestern State went into overtime in the first meeting, with the TexAnns falling to Midwestern 78-71. The TexAnns found themselves having to recover from more than an in-game deficit as they were also forced to restructure the team after losing forwards Shanae Lowrance and Karli Moore to season-ending injuries during this game. Peyton Adamson scored 22 points while Wright scored 16 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in the overtime effort.
Bouncing Back from a Loss
Tarleton has only lost back-to-back LSC games just one time since the 2009-10 season. The only time came Feb. 18-22 of last season. The TexAnns are 9-1 over that stretch, including this season, following a regular season LSC loss.
Dropping Dimes
Freshman Morgan Ashmore is making a strong case for the Freshman of the Year Award. The newcomer from Spearman High School is leading the Lone Star Conference in assists (4.1 apg) as well as assist-turnover ratio (1.8). She is also making national noise with her passing, moving up to No. 29 in assist-turnover ratio. Since taking over as the starter in December, Ashmore and the TexAnns are 15-4.
Leading the Nation
Following her 15-rebound performance against Incarnate Word and 16 against Cmaeron, Kiara Wright has now moved into the top spot in the nation in rebounds with 13.8 per game. She is also tied for the national lead in double-doubles with 18.
Wright Milestone Watch
With three more defensive rebounds, Kiara Wright (525) will pass Kaelie Butler (527) as the school's all-time leader in recorded defensive rebounds. (Note: Rebounds were not counted as a divided statistic until the 1987 season.)
Big Game with Regional, LSC Implications
With a loss on the road to Cameron (5-19, 4-14) Wednesday night, Tarleton is in danger of dropping its current position in the No. 6 spot of the South Central Regional Rankings but will host the No. 3 team in the region - Midwestern State - with a chance to redeem the loss. There is currently a 1/2 game separating Tarleton and Midwestern in the Lone Star Conference standings. The winner of Saturday's game would control their own destiny for the No. 2 seed in the LSC Championship Tournament in Allen Mar. 6-9.
Postseason Tickets on Sale
The Lone Star Conference Basketball Championship is set to be played in Allen, Texas, for the second season. The tournament will feature eight men's and eight women's teams and is scheduled for an exciting four-day run from March 6-9. Reserve your tickets now and join your favorite team in Allen. Tournament action starts with first-round games on Wednesday, March 6, and Thursday, March 7. The semifinals will be played Friday, March 8. On Saturday, March 9, fans can see both the women's and men's championship games. To purchase tickets, call the Tarleton Ticket Office at (254) 968-1832.
Last Time Out for the Mustangs
Midwestern State overcame a 12-point, first-half deficit against Texas A&M-Commerce with a 14-4 run to open the second half. The run gave the Mustangs a lead they would not relinquish en route to a 70-62 win over the Lions. Shatoia Gober and Kirsti Degelia each scored 16 points while Andrea Carter and Dianna Jones chipped in 11 each.
Looking Ahead for Tarleton
The TexAnns will play the final game in Wisdom Gym of the 2012-13 season Wednesday night as they host Eastern New Mexico at 6 p.m.
