The Teams: Tarleton Texans (12-10, 4-7 WAC) at Abilene Christian Wildcats (15-8, 7-5 WAC)
Where: Abilene, Texas
Arena: Teague Center
Day and Time: Saturday, 1 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Kyle Crews)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the first meeting in nine years between these two programs, last matching up on Feb. 9, 2013. Abilene Christian won that game 86-70 in Abilene.
• Tarleton has won eight of their last nine games against ACU, dating back to 2009.
• This rivalry goes back to 1978. This is the 48th game between these two programs.
• Abilene Christian has won three of their last four games and three straight at home.
• ACU is fourth in the WAC at 7-5, 15-8 overall. They've already surpassed last year's win total (14).

 
QUICK HITS

• Tarleton has lost three straight games, their first stretch with consecutive losses this season. They are now 7-2 in games following a loss.
• This is the second installment of a three-game road trip for the Texans. It's tied for their longest road trip of the season, along with an unplanned three-game trip Jan. 17-22 (TSU went 2-1).
• In the Texans' last game, they were without their top scorer (Iyana Dorsey), their top rebounder and shot blocker (Seynabou Thiam), and their top three-point shooter (Jenna Dick).
• In the last game, Tyler Jackson made her first start of the season, recording 12 points, a season-high four rebounds, a tied-career-high four assists and a career-high three steals.
• Through 22 games last year, the Texans were 8-14. This is a four-game improvement year-over-year.
• Tarleton is 10th in the WAC at 4-7. With a win Saturday, they could end the day tied-for-eighth, with three teams currently just one game ahead, all of whom play Saturday.
• Malaya Kendrick, one of Tarleton's best "do-it-all" players, has season totals of 216 points, 150 rebounds and 58 assists. She's the only player in the WAC with 150+ rebounds and 50+ assists.
• In the WAC this season, Tarleton is top-five in scoring defense (second, 56.9 PPG), FG% defense (second, .368), 3PT% defense (second, .281), blocks (second, 4.7 BPG), rebounding (fifth, 38.4 RPG) and steals (fifth, 8.7 SPG). Nationally, they're tied-29th in BPG, 43rd in PPG allowed.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Tyler Jackson – Jackson is coming off of one of her best career games, posting 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals in 39 minutes in her first start of the season. She's now led Tarleton in scoring the tied-third most times (three), behind Dorsey and Kendrick.
• Malaya Kendrick – Kendrick just posted her 13th double-digit scoring game of the season, the most such games on the team in 2021-22. Over her last six games, she's had five double-digit scoring games, averaging 12.3 points (.444 FG%), 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals.
• Jenna Dick – Dick has two 10+ point games over her last three, her most in a three-game stretch at Tarleton. She's made 12 three-pointers over her last five games, now shooting 32-of-71 (.451) from beyond the arc this year, the best three-point percentage in the WAC (tied-11th in NCAA Division I).

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
12: The Texans have blocked 39 more shots than their opponents this season, 104 to 65. With their one block in the last game, they now have their MOST BLOCKS IN A SEASON in 12 years, when they had 145 blocks in 2009-10.
 
60: In the last game, the Texans held their opponent to UNDER 60 POINTS for the 15th time this season. Last season, they held their opponents under 60 points nine times. Tarleton is allowing 5.9 points per game less than last year.
 
1: Tarleton will need to pay extra attention to the perimeter on Saturday, with Abilene Christian owning THE MOST THREE-POINT MAKES IN THE WAC at 221. Across all of NCAA Division I, they've made the fifth most three-pointers.
 
5: With a win Saturday, Tarleton will improve to 5-7 in conference play. Their fifth win will set a NEW TEAM RECORD for Western Athletic Conference wins in a season, besting their four such wins from a season ago.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will end their three-game road trip at Utah Valley on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT. Tarleton beat the Wolverines on New Year's Day 61-48. Dorsey scored 20 points in the home win, with 10 points coming in the final three minutes, part of a 26-11 Tarleton fourth quarter.