THE GAMES 

Opponent: UNT Dallas Trailblazers 

Date: 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21 

Location: Wisdom Gym – Stephenville, Texas 

TELEVISION: Tarleton Sports Network  

TarletonSports.com/watch 

RADIO: Tarleton Sports Network KXTR 100.7 FM 

Kyle Crews, Play-by-Play 

AT A GLANCE 

Following seven straight away games and more than a month spent on the road, Tarleton women's basketball is finally back inside Wisdom Gym. 

Indeed, the Texans' recently scheduled non-conference affair with UNT Dallas is the team's first home contest in 35 days and sixth of the season. And with it comes a chance for Tarleton to secure its first three-game winning streak of the 2020-21 campaign, something the Texans have accomplished in every season under seventh-year head coach Misty Wilson. 

UNT Dallas gained NAIA membership in 2020 and competes in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Trailblazers have played just once during the 2020-21 season, defeating Texas A&M – Texarkana 69-56 on Nov. 20. 

Tarleton (6-12, 2-6 WAC) returns to Stephenville fresh off the program's first-ever WAC wins over Chicago State. The Texans have won three of their last five ballgames dating back to their 79-63 triumph over UTRGV on Jan. 27 and enter Sunday's tilt playing their best defensive basketball. The team forced 43 combined turnovers in its weekend sweep of the Cougars and is forcing 17.6 giveaways per game over its last seven outings. Over its last six games, Tarleton has limited opponents to 59 points per game.  

Junior Marissa Escamilla has enhanced her claim as one of the conference's top forwards throughout Tarleton's recent run of improved play. Escamilla averaged 21 points and 6 rebounds per game in the Texans' victories over the Cougars, punctuated by a career-best 24-point effort to fuel Tarleton's 61-41 victory on Feb. 14.  

One day earlier, Iyana Dorsey delivered at both ends of the court, helping Tarleton fend off Chicago State with a 18-point, five-steal effort. Dorsey's five steals were a career high and the freshman has scored in double figures in 16 of Tarleton's 18 contests. 

The game vs. UNT Dallas replaces a previously scheduled home series opposite fellow WAC newcomer Dixie State. The Texans and Dixie State were set to meet in Stephenville on Feb. 19-20 but the series was scrapped after DSU cancelled the remainder of its season on Jan. 5 

Tarleton would have been subject to an extended layoff had the game vs. UNT Dallas not been added to its schedule. The team's next confirmed games were at New Mexico State on Feb. 26-27. The Texans were off for 11 days prior to facing Chicago State in the Windy City. 

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. 

ATTENDING THE GAME 

Capacity inside all events in Wisdom Gym is limited to a maximum of 50 percent this season, per Governor Greg Abbott's Executive Order No. GA-28. All fans and staff inside Wisdom Gym must wear a face covering over the nose and mouth at all times, per Governor Abbott's Executive Order No. GA-29. 
 
For a complete list of game day protocols at Tarleton, visit TarletonSports.com/FanGuide 

TICKET INFORMATION 

Individual game tickets are now on sale at TarletonSports.com/Tickets. Tarleton Basketball season passes will not be sold due to the limited capacity in Wisdom Gym. Only individual game general admission tickets will be sold. Basketball Season Ticket holders will have their accounts frozen and control the rights to their seats for the following season. Texan Club issued general admission passes will be honored at all games. All individual game general admission tickets must be purchased in advance. No walk-up sales will be allowed this season. 
 
All fans must have a ticket to enter Wisdom Gym. General admission adult tickets are $10 and general admission youth tickets are $6. Children ages 7 and under are admitted free but must print a child ticket online or pick up a ticket at the Tarleton Athletic Ticket Office prior to game day. For doubleheader contests, fans are charged once to attend both games. Tarleton Students are free but must print out tickets beforehand.  
 
Individual game general admission tickets will be available for purchase at TarletonSports.com/Tickets, in person at the Tarleton Athletic Ticket Office or by calling 254-968-1832. The Tarleton Athletic Ticket Office is located on the west side of Memorial Stadium and open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon and 1-5p.m. The ticket office inside Wisdom Gym is only open on basketball game days one hour before tipoff for will call and complimentary ticket pickup. Tickets purchased online must be printed at home or displayed on a mobile device. 
 
In the event that a game is canceled, fans who purchased general admission tickets will receive a refund for that game. Refunds will be processed at the conclusion of the 2020-21 Basketball Season. 
 
Fans unable to attend the games in person can watch every home game for free online through the WAC Digital Network at WACDigitalNetwork.com. Links to watch road games are available on the schedule pages at TarletonSports.com. 
 
Questions regarding basketball tickets should be directed to the Tarleton Athletic Ticket Office at tickets@tarleton.edu or 254-968-1832. Our policies, ticket information and a map of Wisdom Gym can be found here. 

INSIDE THE SERIES: UNT DALLAS 

The Texans and Trailblazers have never met in any sport. The 2020-21 athletics season is UNT Dallas' first as a member NAIA institution. 

LAST TIME OUT: CHICAGO STATE 

Tarleton led for more than 71 minutes combined in the back-to-back affair and never trailed by more than two points. Sunday's 20-point win was Tarleton's largest of the season over a Division I foe. 

Foul shooting and turnovers ultimately decided the outcomes of both games. The Texans went a combined 41-51 (80.4 percent) at the charity stripe and hit at least 20 foul shots in both games. Conversely, Chicago State had 21 made free throws for the weekend and finished 9-18 in Tarleton's 64-56 win on Feb. 13. 

The Texans received strong contributions from guards Kandyn Faurie and Jayci Morton in their first victory. Faurie snagged a season-high six rebounds while Morton chipped in a career-high 11 points off the bench. Fellow guard Kaitlyn Guillory and Faurie combined for 20 rebounds over the two-game slate. 

UP NEXT FOR TARLETON 

Tarleton is scheduled to play five of its final seven games at home over a 13-day period, beginning with Sunday's game vs. UNT Dallas. The Texans face Utah Valley on March 2-3 in a rescheduled home series as previously announced before concluding their inaugural Division I season on March 5-6 inside Wisdom Gym. Prior to its four-game homestand, Tarleton faces New Mexico State on Feb. 26-27 in El Paso for its final road trip of the winter. 

NET RANKINGS 

Through Feb. 19, Tarleton has faced off with four teams ranked inside the top-130 of the NCAA Women's Basketball NET Rankings: Florida (No. 59), California Baptist (No. 88), Eastern Michigan (No. 110) and North Texas (No. 126).  

Grand Canyon (No. 184) and Utah Valley (No. 204) are the conference's second and third-highest rated teams behind the Lancers. Tarleton jumped from No. 304 to No. 285 following its wins in the Windy City. 

The NCAA released its first set of rankings on Jan. 4. 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. 

TEXANS AMONG WAC STATISTICAL LEADERS 

Tarleton continues to be the conference's top foul shooting team. The Texans' 284 makes at the charity stripe are 71 more than any other team and Tarleton's 71.5 percent clip at the line ranks second. As a team, Tarleton also ranks third in turnovers per game (15.4) and fourth in blocks per game (3.3). 

Dorsey leads the WAC in 3-point field goals per game (2.2) and her 39 triples are tops in the conference. The 5-6 guard is second in free throw percentage (82.6), fourth in points scored (253) and sixth in points per game (14.1). 

Escamilla moved to seventh in both points per game (13.7) and points scored (206) following her 42-point combined scoring effort against the Cougars. The Burnet, Texas native is tied for fifth in rebounds per game (6.8) and sits ninth in free throw percentage (69.3) as well. Escamilla knocked down 12-14 attempts at the foul line vs. Chicago State on Feb. 14. 

Fellow forward Emily Cunningham ranks ninth in blocks per game (0.8) and field goal percentage (43.2). Senior Lucy Benson is 10th in rebounds per game (5.8) and has the most boards (104) of any Texan. 

TEXANS IN WISDOM GYM 

Tarleton boasts a 130-27 overall record in Wisdom Gym since 2009 and has averaged more than 10.5 home victories in each of the last six seasons. The Texans have never lost more than five games in Stephenville in six years under coach Misty Wilson. 

The team is 38-12 at home dating back to the 2017-2018 campaign. This season, Tarleton is limiting opponents to 56 points per game in home affairs and scored 70-or-more points on three occasions. 

Tarleton's victory over Howard Payne on Nov. 28 was its fourth consecutive home-opening victory and 13th in the last 14 years. The team's win over Bacone on Dec. 2 marked the Texans' fourth straight 3-0 start to its home schedule. 

DORSEY MAKING FRESHMAN OFFENSIVE HISTORY 

The Saginaw, Texas native has scored 15-plus points 10 times and been in double-digit scoring by halftime on five occasions. 

The freshman offensive phenom scored a career-high 19 points in Tarleton's 86-54 loss at Seattle U and was an offensive bright spot in an otherwise tough afternoon collectively from the field Her 18 points scored at North Texas were the most by a Texan in a season-opener since 2014 and the most by a freshman under coach Misty Wilson in a season-opening game. Dorsey's scoring figure was also a game high.  

Dorsey averaged 15 points per game against an undefeated California Baptist squad in Tarleton's WAC debut on Jan. 15- 16. She also leads the team in free throws made (56) and is shooting at an 84.0 percent clip from the charity stripe, which is tops in the WAC. She hit 10-12 free throws against North Texas, 9-10 vs. California Baptist on Jan. 15 and was 7-7 at Grand Canyon on Feb. 2.  

Dorsey, who holds Birdville High School records in made 3-point shots in a single season (77) and a single game (6) leads the team in made 3-point field goals with 29. Four of her 3-pointers came in a single quarter. Dorsey went 4-7 from beyond the arc in the second quarter of the team's win over Bacone. Dorsey was one of three players to hit four 3-point against Champion Christian to help the team reset the program record for most made 3-point field goals in a game. 

ESCAMILLA ATOP THE TEXAN LEADERBOARD 

The junior was named the athletic department's Female Student Athlete of the Month on Jan. 29. She has tallied double-digit scoring figures in seven of Tarleton's eight games played against WAC opponents. 

Escamilla has scored in double figures 26 times now for her career and has been the team's leading scorer on five occasions. The junior's 23 points vs. GCU were a game-high as were her 17 and 16-point efforts vs. Champion Christian and Seattle U on Dec. 12 and Jan. 23, respectively. Escamilla was also Tarleton's leading scorer at Florida on Dec. 14 with 13 points. 

The forward, who has made two starts this season, has recorded at least five rebounds in 9-of-14 games played. She leads Tarleton's active players in career 10-rebound games (5) and double-doubles (5).  

The Burnet, Texas native has recorded five rebounds in all but two of the games she has appeared in and is building off of a strong sophomore campaign. Last season, Escamilla had the most offensive rebounds of any player (67) and was tops on the team in field goal percentage (.542). 

CUNNINGHAM'S CONSISTENCY 

Cunningham, 6-0, scored in double figures and shot above 50 percent in the first five games she played in and has scored at least 10 points on seven separate occasions. A native of Italy, Texas, Cunningham returned from a two-game injury absence with an 11-point effort against Florida on Dec. 14. Nine of her points came in the first half - all of which came on made 3-point shots.  

The 6-0 forward put forth her best offensive performance at UTRGV on Jan. 27. She scored a career and game-high 20 points against the Vaqueros on 7-10 shooting to help Tarleton snap a seven-game losing streak and earn its first true Division I win. Cunningham was also 3-5 from long range.  

Against Howard Payne on Nov. 28, she connected on 6-9 shots from the field and was 4-6 from 3-point land. Cunningham ranks third all-time in Hill College program history in 3-point shots made. Cunningham gave Tarleton 13 points on 4-7 shooting, including a 3-4 clip from long range, in the team's 89-66 loss vs. California Baptist on Jan. 16. 

BENSON SETTING CAREER-HIGHS 

Benson's 15 points scored against the North Texas to begin the season were the most in a single game by the senior since she recorded 15 points in an 83-75 win over Pittsburg State on Nov. 27, 2019. Benson tied her previous career-high in rebounds (9) on three occasions this season prior to her 11-rebound effort at Grand Canyon on Feb.  She's averaging career-highs in points (6.4) and rebounds per game (5.8).