The Teams: Tarleton Texans (14-11, 6-8 WAC) at UTRGV Vaqueros (10-17, 6-9 WAC)
Where: Edinburg, Texas
Arena: UTRGV Fieldhouse
Day and Time: Thursday, 7 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Kyle Crews)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the fifth all-time meeting. The series is split 2-2. This is the second game in Edinburg.
• UTRGV won the first meeting this season in Stephenville 64-58 on Jan. 29. Nya Mitchels led Tarleton in scoring with 13 points. Seynabou Thiam did not play due to a shoulder injury.
• These teams are separated by just a half-game in the WAC standings. Tarleton is tied-seventh at 6-8, and UTRGV is ninth at 6-9.
• The Vaqueros have lost three straight games, tied for their longest losing streak of the season.

 
QUICK HITS

• With a W, Tarleton would win consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 13-22 (three straight). Over the past 14 games, they've alternated wins and losses besides a three-game skid.
• With a win, Tarleton would guarantee themselves an overall winning record. It would mark their first winning season since reclassifying to NCAA Division I, and it'd mark their 17th winning season over the past 18 years (18 of the last 19 being .500 or better).
• With a win, Tarleton would guarantee themselves a .500+ road record. It'd be their third time in four seasons finishing .500+ on the road.
• In Tarleton's last game, two program records were broken. First, Lucy Benson started, playing in her 141st career game setting a new program record for most career games played, surpassing Dianna May's 140 from 1976-80. Then, in the first quarter, Seynabou Thiam blocked an Aaliyah Collins layup, setting a new program record for most total blocks in a single-season at 59, surpassing Kaelie Butler's 58 blocks in 1993-94.
• Tarleton's 65-51 win over Chicago State was their largest win since Dec. 4 (103-22 over Arlington Baptist). It was their first double-digit win since Jan. 1 (61-48 over Utah Valley).
• Tarleton scored 26 points in the fourth quarter on Saturday, tied for their most points in a fourth quarter this year and their most points overall in a quarter since Jan. 1 (26, Q4 vs. Utah Valley).

 
WHO'S HOT

• Lucy Benson – In Tarleton's last game, her record-breaking 141st career game, Benson achieved her first career double-double with a season-high 14 points (5-8 FG), a career-high 12 rebounds, a career-high seven steals and tied-career-high two blocks. No Texan had 7+ steals since '18.
• Marissa Escamilla – Escamilla has recorded two straight season-high games in scoring, last pouring in 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting, adding six rebounds in 19 minutes. Over her last two games, she's averaged 12.5 points on 11-of-20 shooting (.550 FG%) and 7.0 rebounds in 19.0 minutes.
• Jenna Dick – Dick scored 14 points on 2-of-4 shooting from distance on Saturday, her fifth 10+ point game of the season and one point short of matching her season-high (15 points vs. Arlington Baptist on Dec. 4). She's third in the WAC in three-point shooting at 41.9 percent.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
31: Tarleton forced Chicago State to shoot 30.9 percent from the field Saturday. It was their opponent's WORST SHOOTING PERFORMANCE since Dec. 13 (Oral Roberts, .291). Tarleton is 13-3 when opponents shoot under 40 percent, 9-0 when opponents make a third or fewer of their FGs.
 
25: Tarleton has played 25 games, the same they played all of last season. OFFENSIVELY, THEY'VE IMPROVED YEAR-OVER-YEAR in FG% (.394 to .361), 3PT% (.307 to .281) and APG (12.4 to 11.5). They've also improved in RPG (37.7 to 35.2).
 
25: Tarleton has played 25 games, the same they played all of last season. DEFENSIVELY, THEY'VE IMPROVED YEAR-OVER-YEAR in PPG (57.8 to 62.8), FG% (.373 to .398), 3PT% (.288 to .306), SPG (8.4 to 7.8) and BPG (4.6 to 2.9).
 
58: The Texans' defense is still one of the best in the conference. Most importantly, they're SECOND IN SCORING DEFENSE at 57.8 points per game. Offensively, UTRGV is third-worst at 59.5 PPG.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will play their last road game of the season at Lamar on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT. The Cardinals won in Stephenville on Jan. 27, 53-45.