The Teams: Tarleton State Texans (10-19, 7-13 WAC) against Abilene Christian Wildcats (14-15, 10-10 WAC)
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
Arena: Orleans Arena (9,500)
Day and Time: Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Kyle Crews)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• This is the 54th all-time matchup. ACU owns a 35-18 advantage, dating back to 1978.
• They've matched up once before in the postseason. ACU won 81-68 (2005) in the LSC Tournament.
• The Texans and Wildcats split their regular season meetings. Tarleton won 74-66 at home on Feb. 1 after ACU won 73-51 on Jan. 18. In Tarleton's win, the Texan bench outscored the Wildcat bench 47-22, with Miannah Little scoring 23. In ACU's win, Tarleton had a .292 FG% and four FTA.
• ACU is top-15 nationally in both average rebound margin (+15.0, 12th) and average 3PTA (28.0, 11th).

 
QUICK HITS

• This is Tarleton's first postseason conference tournament appearance at the NCAA Division I level in their second opportunity. After missing the conference tournament last year and being ineligible for it due to reclassification from 2021-22, Tarleton's last conference tournament game was against Eastern New Mexico on March 5, 2020, in the Lone Star Conference Tournament. Their last conference tournament win was on March 8, 2019, against Midwestern State 62-61.
• The Texans have won four of their last five conference tournament openers.
• If the Texans win Wednesday, they will advance to the WAC Tournament quarterfinals. They would square off with (3) Stephen F. Austin on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. CT.
• At 3-1, the Texans enter the tournament coming off of their best four-game stretch of the year.
• The Texans surpassed their win total from last season and set their second most wins in a season at the D1 level at 10. They also set their second most road wins at the D1 level (five).
• On Monday, center Faith Acker was one of five named to the WAC All-Freshman Team.
• Tarleton's offense is clicking, as the Texans have averaged 68.3 points over their past four games compared to their 61.7 PPG season average. They've made 100-of-225 (.444) over those four games compared to their .385 season average field goal percentage.
• Three Texans played all 40 minutes on Saturday; Jakoriah Long, Miannah Little, Tyler Jackson.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Elise Turrubiates: Turrubiates has led the team in scoring in each of the past four games, averaging 16.8 PPG on 22-of-42 (.524) shooting, 5.5 RPG, 2.8 APG and 2.0 SPG. This is a new career-long stretch of 10+ point games at four, surpassing her three-game stretch from Jan. 11-19, 2023.
• Faith Acker: Acker was just named one of five to the WAC All-Freshman Team. She is the second Texan freshman with conference postseason recognition over the past 13 years. Acker is at 9.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 1.0 BPG. She leads the team in BPG and is second in PPG and RPG.
• Jakoriah Long: Long has scored 10+ points in four straight games, averaging 14.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 3.8 APG. She's made 18-of-37 (.486) from the field and 7-of-17 (.412) from three, during the span. She's had 10 10+ point games on the year and is the lone Texan averaging 10+ points.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 42: The Texans have shot 42+ percent in four straight games, their first such stretch since Feb. 27-Dec. 2, 2020 (six games). When SHOOTING 42 PERCENT or better this season, the Texans are 8-3. When shooting under 42 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 (66.1 PPG), third in blocks (3.7 BPG) and fourth in opponent field goal percentage (.398).
• 29: In Tarleton's loss at Abilene Christian, the Texans got pounded on the boards by 20 (49-29), and in their win, they flipped the script by outrebounding the Wildcats by nine (33-24) for a 29-REBOUNDING DIFFERENCE SWING between the two games.
• 3: The Texans have typically taken care of the ball this season, averaging the THIRD FEWEST TURNOVERS IN THE WAC at 14.9 turnovers per game. During this four-game span, they've had 11 or fewer turnovers three times, averaging 11.3 TO's per game during the stretch.

 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
If the Texans win Wednesday, they will advance in the single-elimination WAC Tournament to the quarterfinals for a Thursday matchup against (3) Stephen F. Austin at 4:30 p.m. CT.