The Teams: Tarleton State Texans (11-19, 7-13 WAC) against Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks (20-11, 14-6 WAC)
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
Arena: Orleans Arena (9,500)
Day and Time: Thursday at 4:30 p.m. CT
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
Radio: Tarleton Sports Network (Kyle Crews)
 
ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• SFA won this season's series 2-0. Through the first three quarters in each game combined, SFA led 99-95. In the fourth quarter of each, SFA won 54-34 combined.
• Faith Acker shined against SFA in both games, averaging 15.5 points on 12-of-19 (.632) shooting, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. Tarleton shot 51.9 percent at home vs. SFA to 36.5 percent at SFA.
• SFA is 3-2 over its past five games, with a win over Grand Canyon and an OT loss vs. CBU.
• SFA is second in the WAC in scoring (76.2 PPG), second in RPG (40.3), third in shooting (.425).

 
QUICK HITS

• Tarleton just won their first conference tournament game since March 8, 2019, against Midwestern State 62-61, when they were part of the Lone Star Conference. This is Tarleton's first WAC Tournament appearance in their second opportunity.
• The Texans have now won five of their last six conference tournament openers.
• At 4-1, the Texans have posted their best five-game stretch of the year. Tarleton hadn't gone 4-1 across five games since Dec. 13, 2021, through Jan. 1, 2022. If the Texans win Thursday, they'd post their first three-game winning streak since Dec. 13-22, 2021.
• If the Texans win Thursday, they will advance to the WAC Tournament semifinals. They would square off with (2) Grand Canyon on Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT.
• Jakoriah Long just scored a game-high 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, adding four rebounds. It's her second 20+ point game of the season and her first since Dec. 16 at McNeese (34).
• Tarleton has forced two straight opponents to shoot under 33 percent, forcing ACU to make 20-of-62 (.255) from the field, including a 12-point second half where they shot 4-of-28 (.143).
• Jakoriah Long and Miannah Little have played all 40 minutes in back-to-back games. Little has been on the court for Tarleton's last 95 minutes of play, and Long has been on the last 90.
• The Texans just had zero bench points, only using a seven-woman rotation on Wednesday.

 
WHO'S HOT

• Jakoriah Long: Long has a new career-long stretch of scoring 10+ points at five games, averaging 15.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 3.4 APG. She's made 25-of-46 (.543) from the field and 8-of-19 (.421) 3PT during the span. Long is the first 20+ point Texan scorer since Mackenzie Hailey (31) in 2020.
• Faith Acker: Acker just tied her career-highs in rebounds (12, her fourth 10+ rebounding game) and blocks (4). Acker was named one of five to the WAC All-Freshman Team on Monday. She is the 2nd Texan freshman with conference postseason recognition over the past 13 years.
• Miannah Little: Little just had 13 points, six assists and five boards. She's averaging 4.4 assists over her last five games and has scored 10+ points over her past three. She's second on the team in assists (1.8 APG) and has played 30+ minutes in five straight games, eight of her last nine.

 
NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 41: The Texans only allowed Abilene Christian to score 41 points, the FEWEST POINTS EVER SCORED BY ACU across 54 meetings with Tarleton State dating back to 1978. Their previous fewest was 48 points scored on Feb. 23, 2011.
• 3: The Texans are a TOP-THREE TEAM DEFENSIVELY in the WAC this season. Tarleton is third in scoring defense (65.3 PPG), third in blocks (3.8 BPG) and fourth in opponent field goal percentage (.393).
• 19: In Tarleton's WAC Tournament opener, there were TWO SEPARATE RUNS that went 19 straight points or longer. ACU ended the first quarter and started the second on a 21-0 run. Tarleton ended the third quarter and started the fourth on a 19-0 run.
• 12: The Texans only allowed 12 points IN THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF in the WAC Tournament opener. That was the fewest points allowed in a half by the Texans this season, just fewer than the 14 allowed to Howard Payne in the second half of the season opener.

 
UP NEXT FOR TARLETON
If the Texans win Thursday, they will advance in the single-elimination WAC Tournament to the semifinals for a Friday matchup against (2) Grand Canyon at 4:30 p.m. CT.