The Teams: Tarleton State Texans (7-16, 4-10 WAC) at Grand Canyon Lopes (21-5, 13-2 WAC)
Where: Phoenix, Arizona
Arena: GCU Arena (7,000)
Day and Time: Thursday at 7 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Clayton Neville)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the sixth all-time matchup. GCU owns a 5-0 advantage, all games played since 2021.
• GCU won the first meeting this season 79-47 in Stephenville. GCU outshot TSU .481 to .240.
• GCU sits atop the WAC standings at 13-2 and is No. 1 in the WAC Resume Seeding System.
• The Lopes just had their five-game winning streak snapped. They've only lost consecutive games once this season, Nov. 16-20 against Oregon and Montana.
• GCU is first in the WAC in scoring defense at 54.8 PPG, 11th best in the nation.     

 
QUICK HITS

• With a win, the Texans will earn their eighth victory, which would match their number of wins across the entire season in 2022-23. They already have double the amount of WAC wins (four).
• The Texans are tied-eighth in the WAC standings with six games to go. Eight teams make the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas. The Texans are tied with UTRGV, who split the season series. Tarleton State owns the overall record tiebreaker at 7-16 compared to 5-18.
• The Texans just shot a season-best 52.9 percent from three, making 9-of-17.
• Miannah Little has come on strong, averaging 13.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists over the last six. She's scored 10+ points in four of those. She did that twice in the first 15 games.
• The Texans have led at halftime in five of their last seven games. They are 6-3 when leading at the break. They're only allowing opponents to average 32.7 points in first halves this year.
• Tarleton's bench has outscored the opposing bench 182-98 over the past seven games.
• The Texans own one of the top defenses in the WAC. They're third in scoring defense (65.4 PPG), fourth in opposing field goal percentage (.394) and third in opposing three-point percentage (.297). They also average the second most blocks (3.9) in the WAC.
• The whistles have favored the Texans over the past seven, with opponents recording 25 more fouls. The Texans haven't had more fouls than their opponents in any of the last seven games.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Miannah Little: Little has been playing her best basketball as a Texan lately. In the last game she made her first start since Dec. 2 and posted 10 points, four assists and three rebounds. She's only missed one free throw over her last nine games, shooting 19-of-20 from the stripe.
• Andjela Bigovic: Bigovic just scored her fourth 10+ point game of the season with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, adding five rebounds. Dating back to Jan. 20, over her past eight games, Bigovic has made 11-of-20 (.550) from the three-point line.
• Elise Turrubiates: Turrubiates just totaled nine points and eight rebounds against UTA. In each of the past five games, Turrubiates has secured 7+ rebounds, averaging 7.8 RPG. She now leads the team in rebounding this season at 5.5 RPG. She averaged 4.7 RPG last season.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 2: The Texans just started two players in the backcourt who each HAIL FROM WACO, TEXAS. Head coach Bill Brock spent 19 years coaching in Waco, 18 at Baylor and one at McLennan CC. Four of the five Texan starters in the last game are Texas natives.
• 40: The Texans have forced their opponent to SHOOT UNDER 40 PERCENT 12 times in 23 games this season. The 12 already marks their second most such games in their NCAA Division I era.
• 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: Of Tarleton's 15-woman roster, six ARE INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS, the tied-eighth most on a D1 roster this season. The Texans are represented by the United States (nine), the U.K. (two), Brazil, Montenegro, Norway and Poland.

 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans will go from playing against the WAC's top ranked team to playing against the WAC's second ranked team, California Baptist. They'll square off with the Lancers in Riverside, California, on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT.