The Teams: Tarleton Texans (6-3, 0-0 WAC) vs. Ball State Cardinals (8-2, 0-0 MAC)
Where: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Arena: Coliseo Roberto Clemente
Day and Time: Monday at 1 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: FloHoops
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Jimmy Christopher)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the first ever meeting in these programs' histories.
• Ball State is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Tarleton has played just one active MAC team, Eastern Michigan at the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic in Las Vegas on Dec. 21, 2020.
• Ball State has won six straight games, their longest winning streak since 2019-20 (seven games).
• The Cardinals are led by the trio of Anna Clephane, Thelma Dis Agustsdottir and Ally Becki. They are top-three on the team in scoring, top-three in assists, and Becki is the top rebounder.

 
QUICK HITS

• In non-conference play over the past two seasons, Tarleton is 14-6 (.700).
• Tarleton has won three of their last four games. With a win Monday, they'd start 7-3 through the first 10 games for the second straight season.
• This is Tarleton's first neutral-site game since 2020. The Texans' last neutral site win was March 8, 2019, a 62-61 win in the Lone Star Conference Championship Tournament vs. Midwestern State.
• Through nine games, Tarleton has yet to have an outcome decided by fewer than double figures. They have six wins by 140 points (23.3 point average win) and three losses by 84 points (28.0 point average loss). Their closest game was a 10-point win over the College of Charleston.
• In the last game, Tarleton forced Northwestern State to make just 16-of-58 (.276) from the field, including 5-of-22 (.227) from distance, scoring no more than 12 points in any quarter.
• Teresa Da Silva just had a game-high 17 points (3-8 3PT), adding four assists, two rebounds and five steals in 35 minutes. Out of Tarleton's nine games, she's led the team in scoring six times. On the year, she's averaging a team-high 16.7 points, fourth best in the WAC.
• Defensively, Tarleton is top-five in some of the more important categories. They're third in scoring defense (62.4 PPG), third in three-point percentage allowed (.276), fourth in field goal percentage allowed (.384) and fifth in rebounds allowed per game (37.0).

 
WHO'S HOT

• Teresa Da Silva – Da Silva just recorded a career-high five steals. She now leads the team in scoring (16.7 PPG), assists (3.8 APG) and steals (1.8 SPG), while is second in rebounding (4.4 RPG) and blocks (0.6 BPG). She also leads in 3PT% (.420) and FT% (.886), plus is third in FG% (.450).
• Elise Turrubiates – Turrubiates just notched 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and five rebounds in 21 minutes. It was her second 10+ point game of the year, her first since Tarleton's second game (Nov. 12 vs. North Texas-Dallas). She leads the team in rebounding at 4.9 RPG.
• Mayra Caicedo – In her last game, Caicedo's 62nd game at the D1 level, the 5-3 guard grabbed a tied-career-high eight rebounds in 19 minutes, adding eight points and two assists. She's averaging a career-high 4.1 rebounds per game, and is close to a career-high scoring average (7.2 PPG).

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
3: In Tarleton's last three games, the Texans have had all of their three-point makes (21) COME FROM THE TRIO of Teresa Da Silva, Tyler Jackson and Jenna Dick. Over the past four games, the trio has made 31 of Tarleton's 33 three-point makes, shooting 33-of-67 (.493) as a group.    
 
40: The number 40 has been the mark to shoot for Tarleton. When SHOOTING 40+ PERCENT this season, the Texans are undefeated, a perfect 6-0. When shooting less than 40 percent, they're 0-3. Over the past two seasons, Tarleton is 18-2 when shooting 40+ percent.
 
22: Tarleton's last five opponents have struggled shooting from long range, making just 22.0 PERCENT FROM DOWNTOWN (22-100). Over the past five, opponents were at 25 percent or worse every time, making five or fewer four times.
 
20.6: Tarleton has elevated the pressure over the past five games, forcing 20.6 TURNOVERS PER GAME over the stretch, 20+ turnovers in four of the five games. The Texans are third in the WAC in turnovers forced per game at 19.2, fourth in average turnover margin (+2.1).
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will have one more in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a Wednesday matchup against Richmond at 1 p.m. CT. That will be Tarleton's last non-conference game of the year, and their last game overall until Dec. 29 vs. Abilene Christian.