The Teams: Tarleton State Texans (2-5, 1-1 WAC) vs. Incarnate Word Cardinals (4-2, 0-0 SLC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Gym (3,000)
Day and Time: Sunday at 2 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (Byron Anderson, Scott Garner)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Clayton Neville)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the 29th all-time meeting. The Texans have won nine straight games against UIW, dating back to 2011. Tarleton State is 20-8 all-time against Incarnate Word, including a 9-2 spot at Wisdom Gym. They've won five straight home games against the Cardinals, last losing in 1994.
• These teams have played just once since 2013, a Tarleton 58-47 road win on Dec. 22, 2021.
• The Cardinals have won three straight games, including a 67-57 win against the WAC's UTRGV.
• UIW is 17th in scoring defense in the nation, allowing 52.2 PPG. They've allowed 60-plus just once. 

 
QUICK HITS

• This is Tarleton's lone home game in December, between Nov. 29 and Jan. 11, a span of 43 days.
• This is the Texans' Teddy Bear Toss game. Fans who bring a teddy bear for donation receive free entry. At halftime, fans will toss their teddy bear on the court to try and win a prize. All teddy bears will benefit the Stephenville Optimist Club.
• This is the second of two Sunday games the Texans play all season.
• Over the past four games, the Texans and their opponents haven't been separated by more than six points entering the fourth quarter, including two tied contests over the past three games.
• Despite being 2-5, the Texans still have an average scoring margin of plus-5.0, averaging 68.0 PPG to their opponents' 63.0 PPG. They have a .443/.347 advantage in field goal percentage, .342/.269 in three-point percentage.
• Typically outshooting an opponent is the key to victory, but the Texans are 2-3 in those cases. Rebounding seems to be more important, as the Texans are 2-1 when outrebounding opponents.
• The Texans have featured a unique starting lineup five times in seven games, the same one over the first three and new ones over the past four. Only Tyler Jackson has started all seven games.
• Tarleton is third in the WAC in scoring defense this year, allowing just 63.0 points per game. They force the lowest opponent field goal percentage in the WAC, 31st lowest in D1, at .347.
• All 11 Texans who played in the last game scored. Teresa Da Silva led with 11 points (4-7 FG).

 
WHO'S HOT

• Teresa Da Silva: Da Silva returned to the starting lineup in the last game and scored a team-high 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting. It marked her 25th career 10-plus point game as a Texan, and her fifth this season in her six games played. She's second on the team in scoring at 11.7 PPG and first in steals (1.8 SPG).
• Faith Acker: Through three games, Acker has already proven to be one of the top players in the WAC, and she's only a freshman. Acker is 12th in the WAC in scoring at 13.3 PPG, eighth in rebounding (6.7 RPG) and first in blocks (2.3 BPG). She just had four blocks at Northwestern State.
• Lexi Bull: Bull has been one of the Texans' top shooters, leading the team in both field goal percentage and three-point percentage. Bull is sixth in the WAC in field goal percentage (.625) and tied-first in three-point percentage (1.000). Bull has shot 50 percent or better from the field in six of seven games this year.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 3: If the Texans keep their shooting up, expect the wins to follow. Among the 76 teams in the nation shooting 44.3 percent from the field or better, Tarleton State is ONE OF JUST THREE TEAMS WITH A LOSING RECORD. SMU (.461, 3-5) and Austin Peay (.451, 3-5) are the others.
• 1: Despite missing two post players the first seven games, the Texans have showed off their new size this year to the tune of 5.1 blocks per game. That is FIRST IN THE WAC and tied-27th in the country. Three are averaging at least one block per game (Acker, Andjela Bigovic, Vitoria Carvalho).
• 12: Of Tarleton's 15-woman roster, the Texans have three returners and 12 newcomers. Their 12 NEWCOMERS ARE TIED FOR THE MOST among all NCAA D1 programs, along with Utah State and fellow WAC program UT Arlington.
• 6: The WAC unveiled its first tabulation of the women's basketball WAC RESUME SEEDING SYSTEM RANKINGS on Monday. Tarleton is slated No. 6 in the initial rankings. The system employs an algorithm based on performance and rewards WAC members who face stronger schedules.

 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will be back in Louisiana for a pair, set to play at McNeese on Saturday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m. in Lake Charles before a matchup at New Orleans on Monday, Dec. 18, at 11 a.m.