The Teams: Tarleton State Texans (6-14, 3-8 WAC) vs. Utah Valley Wolverines (8-12, 3-8 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Gym (3,000)
Day and Time: Thursday at 7 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (John Liddle, Scott Garner)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Clayton Neville)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the sixth all-time meeting, all since 2021, and the fifth one in Stephenville. The Texans and Wolverines went to overtime last year at Wisdom on Feb. 4, a game UVU won 63-59.
• The Texans and Wolverines are tied for eighth in the WAC standings, the cutoff mark of teams that make the WAC Tournament. UVU is sixth in the WAC Seeding System, and Tarleton is ninth.
• If TSU wins, they'd send Utah Valley to a tied-season-long skid at three. UVU is 2-8 on the road.
• UVU is tied-15th in the nation in steals per game (11.4), tied-22nd in TO's forced per (20.7).    

 
QUICK HITS

• With a win, the Texans will have won their second straight home game, which would be their first such stretch since winning the season finale in 2022-23 and season opener this year. 
• With a win, the Texans will improve to 3-2 in a five-game stretch, which would mark their best five-game stretch since Nov. 22-Dec. 14, 2022 (3-2).
• This is the first game of a three-game homestand for the Texans, their longest since Jan. 11-19, 2023. They won the first game of that homestand 70-60 against UTRGV.
• The Texans have led at halftime in three of their last four games. They led at SFA this past Saturday and lost for just the second time this season when leading at halftime (5-2).
• When Tarleton's offense is clicking, it's resulted in wins. Across Tarleton's wins, they've averaged 77.2 PPG (46.5 FG%, 36.5 3PT%). In losses, they've averaged 55.1 PPG (34.8 FG%, 28.2 3PT%).
• The Texans own one of the top defenses in the WAC. They're third in scoring defense (65.9 PPG), fourth in opposing field goal percentage (.393) and third in opposing three-point percentage (.293). They also average the most blocks (4.1) in the WAC.
• Over their past two home games, the Texans have made a combined 17-of-40 (.425) from three.
• Tyler Jackson just played in her 100th career collegiate game, her 78th at Tarleton State.
• Tarleton's bench has outscored the opposing bench 122-54 over the past four games.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Elise Turrubiates: After missing 12 straight shots from Jan. 20-27, Turrubiates has made 10-of-14 (.714) over the last two games, including 2-of-3 from distance. She's averaged 12.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 30.0 minutes per game over the two.
• Faith Acker: Acker just scored 15 points (5-8 FG), adding five rebounds. She's made six of her last nine shots, and just played 20+ minutes for the first time since Jan. 13. After recording 5+ rebounds in her first nine games, she had five boards for the first time in seven games.
• Miannah Little: Over her past three games, Little has scored 10+ points twice, averaging 13.0 points on 12-of-26 (.462) shooting. She played 30+ minutes in two of the three games, and her 23 points in the last home game are the most by a Texan reserve off the bench this season.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 9: After getting outrebounded by 20 boards in their first game against ACU, the Texans flipped the script in their last home game and OUTREBOUNDED THE WILDCATS by nine (33-24). ACU entered the contest No. 1 in the WAC in average rebound differential at +6.0.
• 44: The Texans have shot 44+ PERCENT FROM THE FIELD twice in their last four games. Before this stretch, they hadn't shot 40 percent since Dec. 18. The Texans are 5-4 when shooting 40 percent, and 5-2 when shooting 44 percent.
• 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 continue their three-game homestand with the middle game against Seattle U on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Wisdom Gym.