ST. GEORGE, Utah — Tarleton State Men's Basketball continues its Utah road trip on Saturday night at Utah Tech at the Burns Area with tip slated for 8 pm CT.

The Texans (11-7 overall, 2-3 WAC) will take on the Trailblazers (9-10, 2-3) as both look to avenge a Thursday night loss. The Purple and White dropped a heartbreak, 106-105 at Southern Utah and Utah Tech fell, 56-52 to UT Arlington in St. George.

The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Kyle Crews will have the radio call on 90.5 KTRL and online on the Tarleton Sports Radio Network. For the most up to date highlights, news and updates follow @tarletonmbb on Instagram and X.

Tarleton State is averaging 19.28 forced turnovers per game, the most in the NCAA. Last season the Texans finished second in the category. So far this season, the Purple and White have forced at least 20 turnovers in seven games. The Texans are also third in the nation in steals per game averaging 11.4. The squad has snagged double digit steals in 11 of the last 12 contests and in each of the last nine. The Texans are also 13th in the nation with a +4.7 turnover margin.

Tarleton State leads the nation and leads the WAC with 47.61 bench points per game. The Texans 857 bench points is also the most in the nation in total bench points. The Tarleton State bench has outscored their starters in 14 games this season, with their leading scorer coming off the bench in each. Bench points account for 58.4 percent of their total points. The Texans have notched 60 or more bench points 4 times. The Texans scored a D1 era best 70 bench points at SUU on 1/15.

Dior Johnson notched 40 points for the second time this season against SUU in the 106-105 overtime loss. Johnson becomes the first player in the NCAA this season to score 40 twice, and one of 13 to reach the feat at least once. He is one of 11 players to have multiple 40-point games in a single season since 2020. According to basketball reference, he is one of 64 NCAA players to notch a pair of 40-point games in a single season. Johnson scored 20 in each half, missing just three shots in the first half. He shot 13-for-22 from the floor and 10-for-12 from the free throw line. Just 35 seconds into OT Johnson picked up his fifth foul and was out of the game for the final 4:25.

Cam McDowell has scored 10 or more in nine of his last 10 games. He has also tallied at least 20 points in 6 of his last 8. McDowell scored 24 on the road at Southern Utah with 18 coming in the second half and in overtime. The senior went off for 26 against Utah Valley off the bench, It marked his third game this season with 26. He led the Texans in scoring for the third time this season with 23 at UTA to begin WAC play. The senior scorer has been on a tear as of late, averaging 18.3 points per game in his last nine appearances. He had three consecutive 20+ games against Cameron, Howard Payne, and MVSU.

Johnson leads the nation in points per game (25.0). Despite missing four games, he is still 26th in the NCAA and 2nd in the WAC with 350 total points. He ranks fourth in the nation and leads the WAC with 113 made free throws. He is 47th in the NCAA and 3rd in the WAC shooting 57.1 percent from the floor.

So far this season only four Texans have played in all 18 contests, with only one starting in all 18. Freshman Leroy Kelly IV has started in every contest for the Texans.  Kelly IV looks to become the first true freshman to start every game of the season in the Texans D1 era and the fourth Texan of any class. Freddy Hicks (2021-22), Jakorie Smith (2023-24) and Lue Williams (2023-24). Coach Gillispie has only started two freshmen in every game of the season, current Texan assistant  Joseph Jones and Dominque Kirk at Texas A&M during the 2004-05 season. Kaia Isaac and Jordan Mizell have played in all 18 but have started 17. Kade Douglas has played in all 18 but only started once.

Dior Johnson is the only player in the country to score 30+ in seven games this season. Montana's Money Williams is behind him with five. Johnson is one of two players to score 30+ points multiple times this season without starting a single game. He has 7, followed by Rutgers' Tariq Francis with 3. Only 23 players this season have scored 30+ in a game without starting a single game. Jackson State's Tre Jackon III holds the NCAA record since 2009 with 12 30+ point performances without a single start. Dior currently is one of 8 with at least 7. The most 30+ games in the by a player in the WAC history is 8 by San Jose State's Adam Oliver in the 2009-10 season. Johnson currently ranks tied for second all-time with seven 30+ games in a single season. In WAC conference games, Johnson is tied with Oliver with four 30+ scoring games.

Utah Tech is led in scoring by Ethan Potter, who transferred to St. George for his senior season after spending three years at Utah Valley. St. Bonaventure transfer Noah Bolanga enters his sophomore season as the leading scorer in conference play for UTU averaging 13.5 per game in the first four contests. After starting conference play 2-0 with a home win against SUU and a road victory at ACU. Utah Tech then dropped their next two games on the road at CBU and Utah Valley and one at home against UTA. The only non-conference common opponent between Utah Tech and Tarleton State was Mississippi Valley State who the Trailblazers defeated by six in 2OT. The Trailblazers lost by 15 or more to Arizona, Arizona State and Creighton in their non-con slate in which they were 7-7.

The Texans have dropped two of the last three meetings in St. George, and three of the last four under coach Gillispie. Tarleton State is 3-1 against the Trailblazers in the month of January in series history. In each of the two meetings last season, SUU scored less than 60 points in each, the only two times in the series history. In the Texans win in the last matchup against UTU, Chris Mpaka notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards.

Tarleton State return to Texas for a Wednesday night matchup down the road in Arlington. The Texans knocked off the Mavericks in the season opener at the College Park Center and will look to move their record to 2-0 against the Mavs this season.