The Teams: Tarleton Texans (12-7, 4-4 WAC) vs. Lamar Cardinals (9-7, 4-3 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Gym
Day and Time: Thursday, 6 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Kyle Crews)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the second all-time meeting between these two, the first one occurring last season on Dec. 5 in Beaumont, where the Cardinals won 73-58. Emily Cunningham led with 12 points and six rebounds.
• The Cardinals have won two straight and four of their last five. They are 9-7 overall, on pace for their first winning season since 2018-19. At home they're 7-2 and 2-5 on the road.
• Akasha Davis leads the team in scoring (13.2 PPG), shooting (.570 FG%) and rebounding (7.0 RPG). She and teammate Sabria Dean (13.1 PPG) are 11th and 12th in the WAC in scoring.

 
QUICK HITS

• Both of these teams played in extra time in their last game, both picking up wins. Tarleton won at Seattle U 57-56 in OT, while Lamar won 59-55 in 2OT against Utah Valley.
• With a win Thursday, Tarleton would be above .500 in WAC play for the first time ever.
• This past week, Malaya Kendrick made the go-ahead -- and eventual game-winning -- free throws with 32 seconds left to beat Sam Houston 62-61. On Saturday, she made the game-winning bucket with 8.4 seconds remaining in overtime to beat Seattle U 57-56.
• Tarleton still has not lost consecutive games this year, posting a perfect 7-0 record following a loss. They've alternated wins and losses in the last nine games, since Dec. 22.
• Tarleton just forced Seattle U to shoot just 31.6 percent (24-of-76). They are second in the WAC in opponent field goal percentage this season (.357), tied-33rd across all of NCAA Division I.
• In Tarleton's last game, there were just 10 free throw attempts combined between the two teams. The Texans had just two free throw makes (2-of-5). It was their fewest amount of free throw makes in a game since going 1-of-2 at St. Mary's (TX) on Nov. 22, 2016.
• Seynabou Thiam just recorded 12 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. It marks back-to-back double-doubles for the center and her fourth on the season. She averaged 12.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks over the last two games.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Malaya Kendrick – Besides her heroics at Sam Houston and Seattle U, Kendrick has also tied her career-long streak of double-digit scoring games (three) and now has the most 10+ point games on the team (11). Over the last three, she averaged 15.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.3 APG and 2.0 SPG.
• Seynabou Thiam – Over her last five, Thiam has racked up 22 blocks (4.4 BPG), 48 boards (9.6 RPG), three double-doubles and three 10+ point games. She has 54 blocks this season, most in the WAC, seventh most in Division I, and is four shy of tying the all-time single-season team record.
• Jenna Dick – In the last game, Dick tied as the team's leading scorer with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from distance. She is now the WAC's top three-point shooter at 47.5 percent, tied-fifth highest in Division I. The single-season program record for three-point percentage is .486 (Julie Foster-Mata, 1990-91).

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
51: The Texans just played their first overtime game of the season on Saturday at Seattle U. It was their first OT game since Feb. 13, 2020 (at West Texas A&M). It was their 51st game in program history that required EXTRA TIME, games they are now 23-28 in.
 
1-2: Something has to give Thursday when it comes to THREE-POINT SHOOTING, as Lamar brings in the WAC's best three-point percentage (.390) against the WAC's second-best three-point percentage defense in Tarleton (.274). Lamar-Tarleton are also 1-2 in 3PT% defense (LU at .252).
 
4: Tarleton is still one of the top rebounding teams in the conference, averaging the second most at 39.3 RPG. On average, they're securing 4.0 REBOUNDS PER GAME MORE than their opponent, the third best rebounding margin in the conference.
 
5: Tarleton is tied for fifth in the WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE STANDINGS with Abilene Christian at 4-4 in WAC play, 12-7 overall. Lamar is just a half-game ahead at No. 4 with a 4-3 conference record.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will host the UTRGV Vaqueros on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT. The Vaqueros are just below the Texans in the WAC standings with a 3-3 conference record, 7-11 overall.