The Teams: Tarleton State Texans (8-18, 5-12 WAC) vs. Southern Utah Thunderbirds (7-19, 5-12 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Gym (3,000)
Day and Time: Saturday at 2 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+ (Jeremy Bryant, LaDarrin McLane)
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Clayton Neville)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the fourth all-time meeting, all games over the past two seasons. The Thunderbirds won both last year by a combined nine points, and Tarleton won this year's game 71-60 on the road.
• In the first meeting, Andjela Bigovic had 22 points (9-10 FG, 4-4 3PT), six rebounds and three blocks off the bench. Tarleton's bench outscored SUU's 31-4, and TSU had 12 steals.
• SUU allows the 19th most points in the country at 74.6 PPG. They force the fifth fewest turnovers per game in the nation (11.7). They just scored a season-low 42 points at ACU.

 
QUICK HITS

• With a win, the Texans will earn their ninth victory, which would surpass their number of wins in 2022-23. They already have more than double the amount of WAC wins (five).
• The Texans and Thunderbirds are tied-seventh in the WAC standings with three games to go. Eight teams make the WAC Tournament. TSU is tied with SUU and UTRGV, a half-game up on Seattle U, and one game up on Utah Valley. Five teams vying for two spots are within one game.
• The Texans just snapped a four-game skid, their tied-second longest skid of the season.
• Tarleton just had their best offensive game since mid-December by scoring 76 points, their third most all season. Facing the WAC's No. 4 team, they outshot Utah Tech, outrebounded them (39-30), and only committed six turnovers, a season-best mark.
• Tarleton played the same five players most of Thursday's game. The starting five each logged 32+ minutes, and of the nine-woman rotation, the other four played less than eight minutes.
• Tarleton is 3-2 at Wisdom Gym over their past five.
• Saturday marks Senior Day, and the Texans will celebrate their lone senior Teresa Da Silva. She has played two seasons at Tarleton State, averaging 10.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.1 SPG across 53 games (47 starts). Last year, she was All-WAC Second Team and on the All-Newcomer Team. Her 65 3PM in 2022-23 are the fourth most 3PM in a single-season in program history.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Elise Turrubiates: Turrubiates just scored a season-high 22 points (9-17 FG), adding eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. This was her first 20-plus point game since pouring in a career-high 25 against UT Arlington on Jan. 14 last season.
• Faith Acker: Acker just achieved her second double-double of the season with 16 points (8-15 FG) and 11 rebounds. This was her first double-double since Dec. 30 at Texas Southern, and her first 10+ rebound game since Jan. 4 at UT Arlington.
• Miannah Little: Little just dished out a career-high seven assists, adding seven points, four rebounds and two steals. Over the last nine games, she's played 30+ minutes six times, averaging 12.1 points during the span, with five 10+ point games of her seven the entire year.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 44: The Texans just shot 44.8 percent from the field, their best shooting night since Jan. 25, a 47.4 percent clip that came at Southern Utah. When SHOOTING 44 PERCENT or better this season, the Texans are 6-2. When shooting under 44 percent, they're 2-16.
• 3: The Texans are a TOP-THREE TEAM DEFENSIVELY in the WAC this season. Tarleton is third in scoring defense (66.3 PPG), fourth in field goal percentage defense (.397) and fourth in average blocks (3.6).
• 9: Tarleton just had a +9 REBOUND ADVANTAGE against Utah Tech. Over the past five games the Texans won the rebounding battle, they won the game four times, and are now 6-5 overall when outrebounding their opponent, 2-13 when getting outrebounded.
• 6: The Texans only had six turnovers on Thursday, their FEWEST NUMBER OF TURNOVERS in three years, tied for their second fewest number of turnovers in their NCAA Division I era. The last time they had six or fewer turnovers was March 6, 2021, vs. UTRGV (five).

 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
The Texans have two road games remaining before a potential appearance in the WAC Tournament. They'll head to Utah first for a matchup at the Utah Valley Wolverines on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT.