The Teams: Tarleton Texans (12-11, 5-5 WAC) at UT Arlington Mavericks (8-15, 3-7 WAC)
Where: Arlington, Texas
Arena: College Park Center
Day and Time: Monday at 4 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Kyle Crews)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This marks the 11th all-time meeting and second of the season. Tarleton opened WAC play with a 70-63 win at home against UTA on Dec. 29. Before that, the teams hadn't met since 1986.
• In the first meeting, Tarleton led by as many as 20 in the second half, outshooting UTA 23-of-47 (.489) to 18-of-52 (.346). Lue Williams led with 21 points (7-15 FG, 4-8 3PT) and three steals.
• UTA has gone 3-2 since beginning WAC play 0-5, knocking off Sam Houston Saturday 70-58.
• UTA is last in the WAC in scoring (66.4 PPG), FG% (.409) & 3PT% (.314), plus 12th in FT% (.653).

 
QUICK HITS

• With a win Monday, Tarleton can keep pace with their best conference start since joining the WAC. Like this year, they started 5-5 in WAC play last season, and improved to 6-5.
• Before Saturday, Tarleton was the only team in the nation both undefeated at home and winless on the road. Only one other team has no road wins and two or fewer home losses; Virginia Tech.
• Tarleton is seventh in the WAC standings with a 3.5 game cushion to make the WAC Tournament with eight games to play. UTA is 10th in the standings, 1.5 games above last place New Mexico State. The Texans are seventh in the latest WAC MBB Resume Seeding System, and UTA 13th.
• Lue Williams, who had one of his three 20+ point games come against UTA, is leading the team in scoring in WAC play at 13.0 PPG. Over his past three games, he's averaged 16.7 PPG.
• Freddy Hicks needs 16 points Monday to be at 15+ PPG and 5+ RPG this year. No Texan has finished with 15+ PPG and 5+ RPG in a season since Josh Hawley in 2018-19 (17.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG).
• Shakur Daniel leads the WAC in playing time, averaging 35.7 minutes per game, the 41st highest average in the country. Since 2000, no Texan has finished a season with such a high MPG mark. In conference play, he's averaging 38.1 minutes per contest. He's played 40 minutes six times.
• Lue Williams needs just four three-point makes to set a new Tarleton D1 record for 3PT makes in a season at 40. He's made 36-of-86 (.419) this year, currently the first Texan since 2017-18 to hold a 40+ 3PT% with at least 80 three-point attempts (Deshawn Riddick, 65-of-141, .461).

 
WHO'S HOT

• Shamir Bogues – Bogues played all 40 minutes Saturday, posting 19 points (8-13 FG), five rebounds and four steals. It was the 10th time in his career he's played the whole game, the second time this season. He had his second highest scoring output of the year and his third 4+ steal game.
• Freddy Hicks – Hicks has consecutive 10+ point games since he started his year with six straight (Nov. 18-Dec. 3). He's sixth in scoring in the WAC at 14.9 PPG. After 12 more FTA in the last game, he's tied averaging the most FTA in the country at 8.5 (UTRGV's Justin Johnson).
• Lue Williams – Over his past three games, Williams has averaged 16.7 points and leads the team in WAC scoring at 13.0 PPG. When Williams scores 15 points, the Texans are 8-0 this season, and 4-11 when he scores under 15. He's also 13th in the WAC in 3PT shooting at .419 (min. 40 3PA).

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW
4: The Texans have only had MORE TURNOVERS THAN THEIR OPPONENTS four times this season. Across the WAC, they're first in average turnover margin (+5.1, tied-sixth nationally), third in fewest turnovers per game (12.3) and fourth in turnovers forced per game (17.4, 11th in D1).
  
70: The number 70 usually means a win for Tarleton, as the Texans are 11-1 THIS SEASON WHEN SCORING 70+ POINTS, and 1-10 when scoring under 70. Tarleton is also 12-1 when leading at halftime and 11-2 when outshooting their opponents.
 
50: The Texans are 8-0 this season when SHOOTING AT LEAST 50 PERCENT FROM THE FIELD, and 20-0 in such games under head coach Billy Gillispie since he took over in 2020-21. This is already their most games shooting 50+ percent in a single-season in their D1 era.
 
2: After getting to the stripe 31 times on Saturday, Tarleton's seventh game this year with 30+ FTA, the Texans are now second in the nation in FREE THROW ATTEMPTS PER GAME at 24.9. Only UTRGV averages more at 26.1.
 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
Since the schedule was altered with the UTA postponement, Tarleton is on a four-game road trip that will continue on Thursday at Southern Utah at 8 p.m. CT.