THE GAME 

Opponent: UTRGV Vaqueros 

Date: 1 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Jan. 27 

Location: UTRGV Fieldhouse – Edinburg, Texas 

Television: WAC Digital Network 

WACDigitalNetwork.com 

Radio: Tarleton Sports Network KXTR 100.7 FM 

Kyle Crews, Play-by-Play 

AT A GLANCE 

The game will count as a nonconference affair for both teams despite their Western Athletic Conference affiliation. It will be the first of three meetings between the Texans and Vaqueros. Tarleton is slated to conclude conference play with back-to-back home contests against UTRGV on March 5 and 6. 

The teams shared a mutual need to add a game to their respective schedules. Tarleton's previously scheduled home series against Utah Valley on Friday and Saturday was postponed due to COVID-19 developments within the Wolverine program. The Vaqueros have seen 11 of their games postponed or cancelled due to WAC or NCAA COVID-19 guidelines and have played just twice in the last month. 

The midweek matchup represents an opportunity for Tarleton (3-10, 0-4) to enter the Division I win column for the first time in the 2020-21 season. The Texans have lost seven straight ballgames – the longest losing streak of the Misty Wilson era – and are coming off a weekend road sweep at the hands of Seattle U. 

The Texans, though, have been competitive in two of their four WAC losses. Tarleton held an undefeated California Baptist squad under its points and assists per game average in a 10-point home loss on Jan. 15 and did not trail by double digits until the closing minutes of Saturday's 59-47 defeat to the Redhawks (6-7, 2-2). The team also forced 36 combined Redhawk turnovers and had 15 steals over the course of the weekend series. 

Tarleton continues to commit the fewest turnovers per game (14.8) of any team in the conference and has enjoyed consistent success at the foul line. The team averages 15 made free throws per game, has converted at least 15 shots from the charity stripe in seven games and made 20-or-more on three 15 separate occasions. 

UTRGV (4-4, 0-0) has yet to play a conference game and seen its first three WAC series postponed due to COVID-19 protocol. The Vaqueros were last in action on Jan. 16-17 against Southern Utah, losing both games to the Thunderbirds, who will join the WAC in 2022 as previously announced. 

GAME COVERAGE 

Links for live stats and the video stream can be accessed on the women's basketball schedule page at TarletonSports.com. Kyle Crews will have the call for both games on the new home of Tarleton women's basketball – KXTR 100.7 FM in Stephenville – and worldwide at TarletonSports.com/ListenLive. The pregame show begins 30 minutes before tipoff. 

Single-game tickets are not available for purchase. Attendance inside the UTRGV Fieldhouse is capped at 255 fans comprised of UTRGV students, season-ticket holders, corporate partners and families of student athletes and coaches. 

INSIDE THE SERIES: UTRGV 

UTRGV and Tarleton have not previously met. The Vaqueros joined the WAC in 2013 after the now-defunct Great West Conference dissolved. 

LAST TIME OUT: SEATTLE U 

Tarleton's 86-54 loss to the Redhawks on Friday was tied for its largest margin of defeat this season. Seattle U broke open the game in the second quarter, outscoring Tarleton 23-7 to assume a 20-point halftime lead. Iyana Dorsey and Lucy Benson were responsible for 33 of Tarleton's points. The Texans were hit hard on the glass and saw their collective size and length again tested. Seattle U outrebounded Tarleton 36-19 and enjoyed a 44-16 edge in points in the paint. 

The teams were tied at 30 in Saturday's contest and Tarleton was within three points entering the fourth quarter. Seattle U scored 10 unanswered points to begin the final frame to assume its largest lead at 52-39 and ice the game. Tarleton had two stretches where it went more than six minutes without a field goal and endured offensive struggles throughout the afternoon. The Texans hit three-or-fewer field goals in the first, third and fourth quarters and shot a season-low 23 percent (13-55) from the field. 

UP NEXT FOR TARLETON 

Tarleton continues WAC play at Grand Canyon on Feb. 1-2 in Phoenix. The series, which was originally scheduled for Jan. 8-9 but postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases within the Texan program, has now been rescheduled twice. Wilson and Lopes head coach Molly Miller previously agreed to play the games on Feb. 9-10 during GCU's bye week. 

TEXANS AMONG WAC STATISTICAL LEADERS 

Dorsey and Callie Boyles rank second in free throws made and blocks, respectively. Dorsey is connecting at an 85.5 percent clip from the charity stripe and has 53 made free throws. Boyles, 6-3, has swatted 23 shots this season and has 47 rejections for her career. A Saginaw native, Dorsey also ranks fourth in total points scored (175) and seventh in points per game (13.5). Junior Marissa Escamilla ascended to fifth in rebounds per game (6.6) following a 16-point, 10-rebound effort vs. the Redhawks on Saturday. 

TARLETON ON THE ROAD 

The Texans' 0-6 start in road games and 0-8 mark in games played away from Wisdom Gym is uncharacteristic for the program.  

Tarleton holds a combined 49-45 record in road and neutral site games since Wilson's first season as head coach in 2014-2015. The Texans were 10-2 in away games last year in their final season as a member of the Lone Star Conference and at the Division II level. The team won nine straight contests away from home to close the campaign.  

This year's squad is currently set to play nearly 70 percent of its games outside of Stephenville and currently has just two remaining confirmed home games. Tarleton originally was set to host 12 games at Wisdom Gym. The team's Dec. 14 matchup vs. Arlington Baptist was replaced with its game at Florida and home games against Dixie State on Feb. 19-20 are off the table with the Trailblazers electing to cancel the remainder of their women's basketball season on Jan. 5.