THE MATCHUP 

Teams: Tarleton (3-7) vs. South Alabama (8-2) 

Dates: 7 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday 

Locations: Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama; Wisdom Gym in Stephenville, Texas 

TELEVISION: ESPN+ 

RADIO: Tarleton Sports Network, KTRL 90.5 FM 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP: SOUTH ALABAMA 

A full calendar year typically passes when teams schedule a home-and-home college basketball series. In some cases, the teams don't complete their two-game arrangement until two - or multiple - years after their initial meeting.  

The conventional scheduling wisdom, literally, goes completely out the window with the home-and-home between Tarleton and South Alabama. Indeed, the Jaguars will return the trip to Wisdom Gym less than 72 hours after the teams square off for the first time ever on the hardwood on Tuesday in Mobile. Tarleton and South Alabama meet at 7 p.m. on Friday in Stephenville to complete a rare in-season nonconference back-to-back matchup. 

• Tuesday's game marks Tarleton's first-ever matchup vs a Sun Belt Conference opponent. 

• The Texans and Jaguars share a common opponent in Wichita State. South Alabama fell to the Shockers 64-58 on Nov. 13. Wichita State defeated Tarleton 65-51 three days later. 

• Tahj Small and Shakur Daniel possess familiarity with South Alabama, having faced the Jaguars at previous stops at Troy University and Southern Miss. Small played the Jaguars twice during his sophomore season at Troy University. Small averaged 10 points and four rebounds over both contests, starting both. He scored 12 points and snagged eight boards in a 70-66 home loss to South Alabama on Feb. 7, 2020. Daniel saw a minute of action as a freshman at Southern Miss in a nonconference game between the Golden Eagles and Jaguars on Nov. 28, 2018.  

• South Alabama is one of the top mid-major programs in the country. The Jaguars are ranked No. 19  in the Field of 68 Mid-Major Top-25 and 66th in the NCAA NET Rankings as of Dec. 12. South Alabama enters Tuesday's tilt riding a seven-game winning streak. 

• The Jaguars are one of the most experienced and transfer-laden squads Tarleton will face. Nine of the 14 players listed on South Alabama's roster transferred from an NCAA or junior college institution. Four of the transfers played previously at SEC schools. All-but-three players are upperclassmen, four of whom are graduate transfers. 

GAME COVERAGE 

Fans can access a live stream to the game at Plus.ESPN.com. Links to the video broadcast as well as live stats can be found on the men's basketball schedule page at TarletonSports.com. A complete radio broadcast of the game can be heard on the Tarleton Sports Network at TarletonSports.com/Watch and on the flagship station of Tarleton athletics – KTRL 90.5 FM in Stephenville. The pregame show begins 30 minutes before tipoff. 

ATTENDING TUESDAY'S GAME 

For Alabamans, Southerners or Tarleton fans alike interested in making the trip to Mobile, single game tickets are available for purchase online on the tickets page at USAJaguars.com. General admission seats for Tuesday's matchup are $5 apiece. 

TEXAN NOTABLES 

• Tarleton is the top free throw shooting team in the WAC at 77.2 percent. The Texans knocked down a combined 39 foul shots in their games vs. Dallas Christian and SAGU. Tahj Small leads the conference in free throw percentage at 94 percent (17-18). 

• The Texans rank near the top of the WAC statistical leaderboard in most defensive categories. They are third in scoring defense (63.9 ppg) and turnover margin (+4.00) and fourth in turnovers forced per game (16.4) and steals per game (8.7). 

• Tarleton is one of just three teams in the WAC with a pair of top-15 scorers. Montre Gipson (13.9 ppg) and Small (13.3 ppg) rank 13th and 15th, respectively, among their conference peers. 

• Tarleton delivered its best offensive performance of the winter in an 81-75 win over Southwestern Assemblies of God (SAGU) on Wednesday. The team shot a season-high 53 percent (31-58) from the field and dished out a season-best 21 assists.  

• The Texans knocked down 19 first-half field goals vs. SAGU on Wednesday – their most in a single half this season. The Texans connected at a 57 percent clip from the field and tied their first-half high in points scored (46). 

• The Texans have forced 15-or-more turnovers in six of their 10 outings. Tarleton pestered SAGU into 19 giveaways - their third-most in a game this season. 

• Tarleton has recorded 23 combined steals over its last two games. The Texans have reached double-digit steals four times this season and three of their last five games. 

INDIVIDUAL NOTABLES 

• Gipson engineered one of the finest individual offensive efforts in recent memory against SAGU. He scored a season-high 29 points - the most in a single game by any player this season - on 13-18 shooting. His 13 made field goals were an individual single-game high in Tarleton's D1 era. Gipson also finished with six rebounds and four assists and steals apiece. 

• Gipson's effort vs. the Lions marked the 10th time in his Texan career he has led Tarleton in scoring and his 21st career double digit scoring performance. The DeSoto, Texas native is Tarleton's active leader in career points scored (429) and minutes (959) played. 

• Small recorded the first double-double of the season for Tarleton and third of his career with a 13-point, 10-rebound effort vs. Dallas Christian. Small has snagged seven-or-more rebounds on six occasions. He has scored in double figures in 9-of-10 games thus far. 

• Small is Tarleton's leading rebounder at 5.9 boards per contest. 

• Gipson leads Tarleton in points per game (13.8) and assists per game (2.4). The 5-11 guard is also third on the team in rebounds per game (5.1) and leads Tarleton in offensive boards with 15.  

• Freddy Hicks enjoyed his best offensive half of the season vs. SAGU. The sophomore racked up 15 of his eventual 16 points in the opening 20 minutes vs. the Lions to stake Tarleton to a 46-28 halftime lead. Hicks is averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds over Tarleton's last three games. 

• Shamir Bogues and Shakur Daniel have been pests for opponents defensively. Bogues leads Tarleton in steals with 18 while Daniel has swiped the ball away 14 times. Bogues finished with three steals against SAGU – his fourth multi-steal game of the season and 15th of his career. 

• Javontae Hopkins dished out a game and Division I career-high six assists in 14 minutes off the bench on Wednesday.  

A WIN OVER SOUTH ALABAMA ON TUESDAY WOULD 

• Extend Tarleton's winning streak to three games 

• Give the Texans their first-ever win over a team ranked inside the top-100 of the NCAA NET Rankings 

• Be Tarleton's first Division I nonconference road victory 

• Mark Tarleton's fifth road win in its Division I era 

• Signify Tarleton's first victory over a Division I foe this season 

• Give the Texans their third three-game winning streak in 2021 

• Mark Tarleton's 14th victory as a D1 program  

• Snap a six-game road losing streak. 

TARLETON-SAGU WRAP-UP 

• Tarleton led by as many as 26 points in the contest. The Texans assumed a 58-32 lead with 14:12 to go, 

• SAGU went on a 41-19 scoring run over the ensuing 14 minutes. The Lions cut Tarleton's lead down to four points with 10 seconds remaining 

• Daniel and Hopkins knocked down five free throws over the final 25 seconds to preserve the win. 

• Hicks went 3-5 from long range in the first half as a part of his 15-point effort through the game's first 20 minutes. He was the lone Texan to connect from long range. Tarleton finished 3-13 from downtown. 

• The 75 points scored by SAGU marked just the second time Tarleton has allowed a team to eclipse 65 points this season. 

• The Texans never trailed in the game following a 7-4 SAGU lead at the first media timeout. 

• Tarleton forced 19 SAGU turnovers and committed 17 of its own. The Texans have posted a positive turnover differential in all-but-one of their games this season. 

UP NEXT FOR TARLETON 

Just like that, less than three weeks stand between Tarleton and the start of Western Athletic. Conference play. The Texans host Air Force at 7 p.m. on Dec. 21 in their final nonconference contest of the season. The Falcons are 7-2 overall as of Dec. 13. 

Conference play begins with a trip to the Beehive State over the New Year's holiday. The Texans face Dixie State on Dec. 30 in St. George to open up the WAC portion of their schedule and then head to Orem to meet Utah Valley on New Year's Day. Tarleton's WAC home-opener is 7 p.m. on Jan. 6 vs. Sam Houston. 

ACROSS THE RANKINGS 

NCAA NET Rankings 

Tarleton checks in at No. 281 as of Dec. 12. 

The Texans have faced off with three teams ranked inside the top-60 of the rankings in No. 7 Kansas, No. 8 Gonzaga, No. 49 Michigan and No. 60 Wichita State. Tarleton is slated to draw an additional quartet of top-100 foes in South Alabama (No. 66), Abilene Christian (No. 84), New Mexico State (No. 85) and Grand Canyon (No. 96). 

Stephen F. Austin, which slots in at No. 128, gives the WAC four top-150 teams in the rankings. 

NET Rankings are used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee to help set the 64-team field. The NET utilizes two factors in ranking teams: Team Value Index (factors in results, quality of opponent and location) and the team's net efficiency (efficiency metrics scaled for quality of opponent and location). The rankings do not include games played against non-Division I opponents. 

Field of 68 Mid-Major Top 25 

The Texans are scheduled to face four teams currently ranked inside the poll, beginning with No. 19 South Alabama. New Mexico State and Grand Canyon, whom Tarleton faces on Jan. 13 and Jan. 15, respectively, are ranked No. 16 and No. 23. Utah Valley currently occupies the 25th spot.  

CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 

Gonzaga, whom Tarleton played competitively in a 64-56 defeat on Nov. 29, is the top-ranked team. The WAC has three teams featured in the poll in No. 14 Utah Valley, No. 15 New Mexico State and No. 25 Grand Canyon. 

BEST OF THE WAC 
Tarleton is featured across the top of the Western Athletic Conference stat leaderboards in multiple categories with two weeks remaining in nonconference play. 

Tahj Small 

1st in free throw percentage (.994, 17 free throws made) 

6th in minutes (33.7 mpg, 337minutes) 

15th in scoring (13.3 ppg, 133 points) 

15th in rebounding (5.9 rpg, 59 rebounds) 

Montre Gipson 

7th in minutes (33.6 mpg, 336 minutes) 

13th in scoring (13.9 ppg, 139 points) 

Shamir Bogues

7th in steals (1.8 spg, 18 steals) 

Shakur Daniel 

8th in minutes (33.5 mpg, 335 minutes) 

15th in steals (1.4 spg, 14 steals) 

Freddy Hicks

10th in free throw percentage (.788, 26 free throws made) 

19th in blocks (0.8 bpg, 8 blocks) 

Noah McDavid 

3rd in free throw percentage (.900, 18 free throws made) 

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING 

"That was tough. Billy did a great job. We saw that - how they played Michigan. Even their KU game was tough deep into the second half. On short prep, we tried to get the guys ready for that and it was harder than it looked on film. We just did a great job of surviving it. Intense, pressure on the basketball, and they front, they rake you in the lane, and they reach, and poke, and grab, and they do a good job with it."  - Mark Few, Gonzaga head coach 

"You've got a chance to have a good team. A really good team. You've got interchangeable parts, everybody's about the same size, and as you get into the season, that will become much harder to score against because you guys are tough. You won't let bigs be bigs because you're tough." - Bill Self, Kansas head coach 

"Coach told us going in it was going to be a tough game, and they were going to pressure us a lot. That's something we didn't see against Michigan State, it was pretty much the opposite. Coach told us it was going to be a dog fight the whole time." - Christian Braun, Kansas guard 

"Tarleton is very good at getting into passing lanes, being active with their hands, feet, and their energy." - Juwan Howard, Michigan head coach 

"Billy Gillispie's teams really get after you defensively." - Isaac Brown, Wichita State head coach 

"The pressure certainly bothered us. Their game plan was really, really good, and they executed it very, very well." - Jerod Haase, Stanford head coach 

THE HARDEST SCHEDULE IN THE COUNTRY 

The words spoken by Gillispie on Tarleton's Preseason WAC Media Day on Oct. 19 have never been more true.   

The Texans currently rank second in the nation in strength of schedule in the Pomeroy College Basketball ratings. Six of their first seven games - all of which were on the road - came against teams ranked in the top-150 of the rankings. Three of the contests were against teams ranked in the top-10 at tipoff time. Gonzaga occupied the top spot when the teams squared off on Nov. 29, Kansas ranked No. 2 when the teams met at Allen Fieldhouse on Nov. 12 and Michigan was eighth prior to the teams' game on Nov. 24. 

In total, 10 of the Texans' games are opposite teams ranked inside the top-150 while the team will face seven top-130 programs and draw five foes listed in the top-75. Tarleton has already squared off with No. 60 Wichita State and No. 84 Stanford as well as North Dakota State, which was ranked No. 146 when the teams met on Nov. 22 in Fargo. Tarleton meets New Mexico State (No. 110), Grand Canyon (No. 124), Stephen F. Austin (No. 132) and Abilene Christian (No. 142) during conference play. 

This season, Tarleton Texans will play three teams ranked in the top-10 of the Preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, draw six opponents who made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021 and face 14 opponents who posted winning records last season. Abilene Christian, Gonzaga, Grand Canyon and Michigan earned automatic berths to the Big Dance in March as conference regular season and tournament champions while Kansas and Wichita State secured at-large invitations. 

WHAT KEN POMEROY THINKS 

Tarleton ranks No. 212 in the ratings as of Dec. 12. 

The Texans are rated eighth among their conference peers. New Mexico State (No. 110), Grand Canyon (No. 124) and SFA (No. 132) are the highest-rated teams in the WAC while Abilene Christian (No. 142), Utah Valley (No. 163) and California Baptist (No. 206) rank No. 4-6. 

The Texans are slotted one spot behind Seattle U (No. 211) and are ahead of Sam Houston (No. 227), Lamar (No. 291), UTRGV (No. 297), Dixie State (No. 300) and Chicago State (No. 355). 

GIPSON STARS IN BIGGEST GAMES IN SCHOOL HISTORY 

The national stage and high-profile matchups have elevated the play of the Preseason All-WAC first team honoree.  

Gipson has scored in double figures in eight  of Tarleton's first 10 games and led Tarleton in scoring four times. His 15 points vs. Stanford were a team high as were his 16 at Wichita State and 17 in Ann Arbor. Gipson, who followed Gillispie from Ranger College in 2020, has finished with double-digit point totals in 12 of Tarleton's last 14 ballgames dating back to the 2020-21 campaign.  

Despite his listed height of 5-11, Gipson has been one of the Texans' most consistent rebounders in primetime. He tied for the game-high on the glass with seven boards at No. 20 Michigan, finished with six rebounds at North Dakota State and No. 3 Kansas. Gipson is currently tied for the team-lead on the offensive glass with 17 rebounds and third overall at 4.7 rebounds per outing. 

Gipson was a pest at No. 3 Gonzaga. He led Tarleton with five assists and swiped the ball away a game-high three times. 

SMALL PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF 

Small delivered one of the finest performances of Tarleton's D1 era against arguably the best team in the country, tallying a career-high 25 points at Gonzaga on Nov. 29. Small led all scorers, knocked down a game and career-high five attempts from long range and led Tarleton in rebounding with seven boards. 

The 6-5 guard has increased his scoring and rebounding averages considerably from 2020-21. He is tallying 13.3 points per game compared to 9.2 in his first year in Stephenville. Small is Tarleton's leading rebounder with 59 boards (5.9 rpg). The Durham, North Carolina native has snagged six-or-more rebounds in five contests, including a season-high 10 vs. SW Assemblies of God as a part of the first double-double of the 2021-22 campaign for Tarleton.  

Small currently ranks first in the WAC in free throw percentage (1.000, 17-18 FTM). 

PRESSURE, PUT YOU DOWN 

Tarleton has forced 15-or-more turnovers in 20-of-30 games under Gillispie. It has held opponents under 50 points nine times. The Texans recorded single-game highs in the Gillispie era in turnovers forced (41) and steals (28) in a 97-26 win over Southwestern Adventist on Feb. 6.    

Tarleton has turned over each of its 10 opponents at least 13 times to begin 2021-22. The Texans' 21 forced turnovers at No. 20 Michigan were a season-high. Tarleton forced 14 turnovers against Stanford in its regular season opener on Nov. 9. The Texans then posted a positive turnover differential against the nation's No. 3 ranked team on two occasions. The Texans forced 13 turnovers and swiped the ball away nine times at Kansas on Nov. 12. Tarleton pestered Gonzaga into 16 turnovers on Nov. 29. The Texans gave the ball away just nine times in both contests. 

GIPSON RACKING UP THE ALL-WAC ACCOLADES 

On Oct. 19, the 5-11 senior made history when he became the first basketball player in Tarleton's WAC and D1 era to receive Preseason All-WAC first team honors as voted on by the conference media. Gipson was one of just eight players to receive the distinction. He was also named to the Preseason Coaches' All-WAC Second Team. 

The accolade continued Gipson's inceptive two-year run at Tarleton. In April 2020, he became the first-ever Division I basketball signee in Tarleton sports history when he followed Gillispie from Ranger College to Stephenville. Following a standout 2020-21 campaign, Gipson was named to the All-WAC Newcomer and Honorable mention teams. He was also the first men's or women's player in school history to receive TicketSmarter WAC Player of the Week recognition after picking up the honor for March 1-7. 

Gipson earned his quartet of credentials on the strength of one of the best individual offensive seasons in the WAC last winter. He led Tarleton in points per game (15.3), assists per game (3.0) and free throw percentage (85.2) and his 50 percent mark on 3-pointers ranked first in the WAC. The 5-11 guard accounted for exactly 20 percent of Tarleton's field goals made with 106. His 290 points scored were tops on the team and represented 19.7 percent of the Texans' cumulative scoring. 

FOUR ALL-WAC HONOREES IN FIRST OF FOUR D1 TRANSITION YEARS 

Hicks headlined Tarleton's list of award winners last season when he was named the conference's Freshman of the Year on March 9. The award was voted on by conference head coaches, who could not vote for their own players.  

No freshman in the conference enjoyed as strong a second half as the Searcy, Arkansas native. The 6-6 swingman led all WAC first-year players in scoring (8.2 ppg) and elevated his game as the schedule shifted to conference play, averaging 8.6 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game. Hicks led Tarleton with three double-doubles, all of which came on the road vs. conference opponents. He posted seven double-digit scoring games, including three in Tarleton's final five WAC games. 

Daniel and Small joined Gipson and Hicks atop the All-WAC pedestal, as they each were named to the All-Conference honorable mention team in March. Daniel was Tarleton's 'glue guy (7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.6 apg) while Small was Tarleton's leading rebounder (5.8 rpg) and ranked third in the WAC in 3-point field goal percentage (45.7).