The Teams: Tarleton Texans (15-12, 7-9 WAC) vs. Sam Houston Bearkats (14-14, 9-8 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Gym
Day and Time: Wednesday, 6 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Kyle Crews)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the second meeting between these teams in nearly 40 years, both this season. Tarleton won 62-61 at Sam Houston on Jan. 17 (MLK Day). Malaya Kendrick scored a career-high 18 points, adding nine rebounds, four assists and four steals. She made the go-ahead free throws with 32 seconds remaining to put the Texans ahead for good, 62-61
• Sam Houston had zero bench points in their loss to Tarleton in Huntsville.
• Sam Houston lost their first six conference games and won their next seven. They're now 9-8.

 
QUICK HITS

• Tarleton has guaranteed themselves a winning record this year, marking their first winning season since reclassifying to NCAA Division I. It's their 17th winning season over the past 18 years (18 of the last 19 have been .500 or better).
• Tarleton has the largest improvement of wins year-over-year in the WAC, now at seven. The next closest is UTRGV with a five-win improvement thus far year-over-year. Dixie State is not considered since they played three games last season.
• Tarleton is now 10-2 following a loss. With a win Wednesday, they'll have won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 13-22 (three straight). The Texans have virtually alternated wins and losses since Dec. 22, owning just one streak of either kind (a three-game skid).
• Since Tarleton dropped Sam Houston to 5-10 overall (0-4 WAC), the Bearkats have went 9-4, all conference games. Sam Houston is fifth in the conference at 9-8, Tarleton tied-seventh at 7-9.
• The Texans made 24-of-45 (.533) shots in their last game, their second-best shooting percentage of the season (.551 vs. Arlington Baptist on Dec. 4). When shooting 40+ percent, Tarleton is 11-1. They're 14-1 when outshooting their opponents, 1-11 when getting outshot.
• Malaya Kendrick wasn't the only one with a good game against Sam Houston on Jan. 17. Jurnee President scored a season-high 14 points (6-10 FG), adding three rebounds and two steals.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Malaya Kendrick – Kendrick scored 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the last game, her highest scoring game since Jan. 20. On the season, she leads the Texans in total points, rebounds and assists. She's one of three players in the WAC with 150+ rebounds and 50+ assists.
• Jenna Dick – Dick has scored 10+ points in three straight, a season-long run and best stretch at Tarleton. Over her last two, she's made 8-of-14 (.571), 10-of-18 (.556) over her last three. This year, she has the second best 3PT% (.440) and has the tied-11th most 3PM (44) in the WAC.
• Marissa Escamilla – Escamilla has averaged 12.8 points on 21-of-35 (.600) shooting and 3.8 rebounds over her last four games. She only played 19.3 minutes on average over the stretch. This season, she has posted the second most points per 40 minutes on the team (16.1), only behind Iyana Dorsey (19.4).

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
8: The Texans have commonly fared much better in first halves, outscoring opponents by 4.9 points on average. In second halves, they've been outscored 3.1 points on average, a DIFFERENCE IN AVERAGE SCORING MARGIN between the two halves of 8.0 points.
 
5: Tarleton deals with adversity as well as anybody, coming through in the clutch time and time again. This season, the Texans have been involved in seven games decided by FIVE OR FEWER POINTS, going 6-1 in such contests.
 
9.8: There is a 9.8 AVERAGE POINTS DIFFERENCE in Tarleton and Sam Houston's scoring defense this season. Tarleton allows the second fewest points on average at 58.3, while Sam Houston allows the fourth most at 68.1 PPG.
 
1: At 60 total blocks in her first season at Tarleton, Seynabou Thiam needs just one more to match the CAREER TOTAL NUMBER OF BLOCKS Texans head coach Misty Wilson had in her illustrious Tarleton career. Wilson sits in 13th in program history with 61 career blocks from 1998-2002.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will play their regular season finale at home on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT against the Abilene Christian Wildcats. Tarleton beat ACU on Feb. 12 73-67 in Abilene, led by Tyler Jackson's 16 points and Seynabou Thiam's double-double (16 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks).