The Teams: Tarleton Texans (6-6, 0-0 WAC) vs. UT Arlington Mavericks (5-8, 0-0 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Gym
Day and Time: Thursday at 7 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (John Liddle, Scott Garner)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Kyle Crews)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This marks the 10th all-time meeting between these two programs, although the first since 1986. UTA leads the series 8-1 from 1965-86. Tarleton's win came in Arlington in 1976, 66-64.
• This is UTA's first WAC game since their last year in the conference, 2012-13.
• The Mavericks have lost three of their last four games, with their win at San Francisco.
• UTA is ranked worst in the WAC in scoring (67.2 PPG), FG% (.404) and 3PT% (.289). On defense, however, they're fourth best in points allowed (63.4 PPG) and fifth in FG% allowed (.404).

 
QUICK HITS

• Tarleton is a perfect 4-0 at home, their best start at home to a season since 2015-16. With a win Thursday, they'd have their first 5-0 start at Wisdom Gym since 2014-15, a year they began 11-0 in Stephenville. They'd also have their seventh straight home win, their longest such stretch since Dec. 12, 2018, through Feb. 9, 2019.
• Tarleton is 1-1 in WAC conference openers, winning at Dixie State last year 83-69.
• Tarleton just scored a season-high 114 points, their first time reaching the century mark since Feb. 9, 2021, vs. McMurry, and their most points scored overall since Nov. 21, 2015, a 116-49 win vs. Bacone. Their 58-point margin of victory is their largest since the McMurry game.
• The Texans just shot a season-best 57.1 percent, making a season-high 12 three-pointers, while posting season-highs in rebounds (51), assists (29) and steals (21). Their 29 assists are their most in a game since Nov. 21, 2015, vs. Bacone (also 29).
• Lue Williams just scored a career-high 30 points (10-17 FG) adding six rebounds and four assists. He's the second 30-point scorer for Tarleton this year (Freddy Hicks, 30 vs. Drake). It's the first time in program history two different Texans scored 30+ points in a game in the same season.
• Shakur Daniel just tied his career-high in assists at eight (Jan. 25, 2021, vs. Howard Payne). He made 4-of-5 from distance, boosting his career 3PT% from .306 to .345.
• Noah McDavid returned for his first game since the season-opener at Arizona State.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Lue Williams – Williams scored 30 points in 28 minutes in the last game, the seventh 30-point game in the WAC this year and the 24th in Tarleton's team history. It marked his sixth double-digit scoring game of the season, while he tied his career-high in rebounds (six).
• Shamir Bogues – Bogues just recorded 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, five rebounds, three assists and six steals in 30 minutes. The 15 points are a season-high, and he has snagged nine steals over his last two games. He's tied-second in the WAC at 2.0 steals per game (min. 3 GP).
• KiAndre Gaddy – Gaddy just scored a career-high 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting, adding seven rebounds and two steals in 17 minutes. He's shooting 66.7 percent from the field this season, tied-fifth best in the WAC among players with at least 10 FGA.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
3: Tarleton knows how to draw the whistle, averaging the THIRD MOST FREE THROW ATTEMPTS PER GAME IN THE COUNTRY at 26.9. Only UTRGV at 28.6 and New Mexico at 27.8 average more free throw attempts than Tarleton.
  
4: Tarleton just had a season-high 21 steals in their last game, putting them FOURTH IN THE NATION IN STEALS PER GAME at 11.8. Only Missouri (12.8), Morgan State (12.2) and James Madison (12.1) average more this year.
 
5: Tarleton just forced 29 turnovers, their second time doing so this year, and their seventh time forcing at least 20 turnovers this year. They're now FIFTH IN THE NATION IN TURNOVERS FORCED PER GAME at 20.6. UNLV leads at 21.3 on average, and SFA leads the WAC at 20.7.
 
50: The Texans just shot a season-best 57.1 percent from the field. Tarleton is undefeated this season WHEN SHOOTING 50+ PERCENT (6-0), and winless when shooting less than 50 percent (0-6). Under head coach Billy Gillispie, Tarleton is 18-0 when making at least 50 percent from the field.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will travel for the I-20 rivalry, set to play on New Year's Eve Saturday at Abilene Christian at 3 p.m. CT. It will be the first WAC game inside the newly renovated Moody Coliseum.