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Tarleton State University Athletics

RosboroughACURecap
Avery Golden
56
Tarleton St. TSU 18-11,9-5 WAC
59
Winner Abilene Christian ACU 18-10,7-6 WAC
Tarleton St. TSU
18-11,9-5 WAC
56
Final
59
Abilene Christian ACU
18-10,7-6 WAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Tarleton St. TSU 12 15 18 11 56
Abilene Christian ACU 15 15 15 14 59

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Grant Cohen

ACU defeats Tarleton State Women’s Basketball in tightly-contested I-20 rivalry battle

ABILENE, Texas – Tarleton State Women's Basketball came up short in its tightly-contested I-20 rivalry game at ACU and fell to the Wildcats 59-56 at Moody Coliseum Thursday night. 

The Texans had the opportunity to force overtime by having the last shot with 11 seconds left, but were unable to get the game-tying 3-pointer. 

Senior guard Miannah Little led Tarleton State with a game-high 16 points while fellow senior Arieona Rosborough had 14 points to go with eight rebounds. Sophomore center Faith Acker scored 11 points and recorded her 123rd defensive rebound on Thursday, setting a new Division I Era single season program record. 

After Acker responded to ACU's game-opening bucket with a basket of her own, the Wildcats hit two of its next three shots to take an early first quarter lead. Back-to-back baskets from Little and a layup from Rosborough allowed the Texans to tie the game at 12 with just over two minutes left in the opening period. ACU, however, came up with a basket while drawing the foul one minute later and took its 15-12 lead through the end of the first quarter. 

The Wildcats looked to build off their early lead in the second quarter and made two of its first three shots of the period to extend the advantage. The Texans cut the deficit to one point, but ACU stretched its lead 30-22 with 1:17 left in the half. 

Despite trailing by eight with the first half winding down, Tarleton State refused to let ACU carry the momentum into the locker room. 

The Texans made three key plays before halftime, starting with a 3-pointer by Little off the assist from Rosborough. Long immediately got a steal and converted a basket before sophomore forward Anya McKenzie blocked ACU's final first half shot to make it a 30-27 game. 

Baskets from Acker and Rosborough opened the third quarter with a tied score before ACU responded with a jumper of its own to stay ahead. After Acker made a basket while drawing a foul, Rosborough's aggressive drive to the paint resulted in the Texans taking their first lead of the game. The Texans stayed in front in the third period by making two of its next three shots, with a jumper from Acker making it a 45-41 Tarleton State advantage. 

ACU answered back with offensive punches of its own, drawing shooting fouls on the Texans to sink three free throws in the final 1:36 of the third quarter. The Wildcats delivered a basket while drawing the foul with 45 seconds left in the period, knocking in the free throw to tie it up at 45 heading into the fourth quarter. 

The Wildcats scored the fourth quarter's first bucket and never relinquished the lead. ACU went up by seven halfway through the final period before a pair of Texan jumpers cut the deficit down to three points. ACU answered back with a layup before Long got a layup off the steal to make it a three-point game again. Tarleton State managed to get the last two shots with 11 seconds left, but was unable to make the game-tying 3-pointer needed for overtime. 

The Texans are off from game action this week and wrap up the regular season on Thursday, March 6 against California Baptist at Wisdom Gym at 7 p.m. That contest will be the final Tarleton State Women's Basketball game played at Wisdom Gym. 
 
Postgame Notes
  • ACU defeated Tarleton State 59-56 in the second game of the I-20 rivalry in 2025 on Thursday night at Moody Coliseum. The Texans and Wildcats split the season series 1-1. 
  • Tarleton State got the last shot with 11 seconds to go, but was unable to make the game-tying 3-pointer. ACU held the lead for the entire fourth quarter. 
  • Senior guard Arieona Rosborough recorded her 20th double-digit point game of the season with 14 points and eight rebounds. Fellow senior guard Miannah Little recorded a game-high 16 points in 36 minutes. 
  • Sophomore center Faith Acker recorded her 123rd defensive rebound on Thursday to set a Division I Era single season program record. The previous record was set last season by teammate Elise Turrubiates. 
  • The Texans finished the month of February with a 5-2 record. Tarleton State has won five games in a month twice this season (December and February).
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