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ALLEN - No. 2 seed, Tarleton and No. 7 seed, Texas A&M-Commerce will open the Lone Star Conference Championship Tournament with a 12 p.m. contest Wednesday in a rematch of Saturday night's regular season finale.
 
AT A GLANCE
Records: Tarleton State TexAnns, 19-7 (10-6 LSC); Texas A&M-Commerce Lions, 7-19 (6-10 LSC)
Game Coverage: Live stats and video links can be found at the women's basketball schedule of TarletonSports.com.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Despite Tarleton winning the rebounding battle and points in the paint, Texas A&M-Commerce outshot the TexAnns at the 3-point line (.385 / .200) and at the free throw line (.639 / .481) en route to handing the TexAnns a 69-74 loss in the regular season finale. Kiara Wright led the way for Tarleton in her final regular season game with a 22-point, 17-rebound effort while Shanae Lowrance posted her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 boards.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be meeting No. 42 in the 33-year history of the series, dating back to the inaugural meeting in 1981. Tarleton won the first four meetings of the all-time series before the series became an even battle from 1992-2005. Over that 13 year span, the TexAnns held a slim 13-10 advantage over the Lions with neither team ever winning more than three in a row over the other. In 2006, however, the Lions seized control of the series with six straight wins through 2008. Since the 2009 season, Tarleton won seven in a row over Commerce, including one earlier this season in Stephenville, before Saturday's win gave the Lions their first win in the series since Dec. 18, 2008.
 
POSTSEASON AWARDS
For the second straight season, Kiara Wright was named the LSC's Defensive and Player of the Year. She led the LSC in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and steals and is the first back-to-back winner of the Player of the Year award since WT's Emily Brister won the South Division PoY from 2006-09. Wright is the first player since ACU's Jennifer Clarkson in 1995-96 to win the award in straight years without divisions.
Also winning awards were Kathy Thomas, who was the Newcomer of the Year and honorable mention; Brianna Bledsoe, who was second-team and Shanae Lowrance, who was academic all-LSC. Thomas is the fourth TexAnn to win the Newcomer of the Year award and first since Peyton Adamson in 2012.
 
ENDING ONE CHAPTER, STARTING A NEW ONE
This marks the sixth time in school history - and first time as an NCAA institution - that Tarleton will end the regular season and start the postseason against the same opponent. The last time came in 1992 when Tarleton defeated Hardin Simmons in the finale and the NAIA District 8 Playoff opener.
The only time Tarleton lost the finale on the road and started the postseason with a rematch victory came in 1986 when they fell at Sul Ross State 51-64 and rebounded with a 53-51 victory in the playoffs.
 
GOING FOR 20
Tarleton has had just three 20-win seasons in its NCAA tenure - all of which coming under Ronnie Hearne from 2009-12.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
After starting the season with high hopes, the early struggles by the Lions have made the rest of their season an uphill battle. Texas A&M-Commerce opened the season with seven straight losses and started LSC play with a 1-8 record. They played 11 straight LSC games before taking a one-game hiatus for a loss to South Dakota Mines. Over those first 11 LSC affairs, the Lions were just 3-8. Since their one-game conference break, however, they are 3-2 heading into today's game, including Saturday's win over Tarleton which was the Lions first win against the TexAnns since Dec. 18, 2008.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
Tarleton will continue to play through the LSC Championship Tournament if they win.