STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State Men's Basketball concludes their three-game road trip with a Wednesday night tilt at the College Park Center against UT Arlington at 7 p.m.

The Texans (11-8 overall, 2-4 WAC) will take on the Mavericks (12-6, 4-2) after winning the first meeting of the season on Dec. 29, 69-63. The Texans used a hot 8-1 start to distance themselves early leading by as many as 18 in the first half. A few crucial plays in the final minutes from UTA transfer Kade Douglas and DJ Dormu secured the WAC opening victory for the Purple and White. Cam McDowell led all scorers with 23 points.

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.

Dior Johnson and Cam McDowell are 1-2 in the WAC in scoring per game in conference play. Johnson is averaging 26.0 points per game and McDowell is averaging 21.0. The duo is the only pair of players to rank in the top 2 in their conference in league play in points per game. Tarleton State is one of six teams to have two players averaging 20 or more in conference games this season. (Duke, BYU, Portland State, Radford, Samford). BYU is the only school with three. Johnson and McDowell are 2 of just 74 players as of Jan. 20 to average at least 20 points per game in conference play.

Tarleton State is averaging 19.11 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 second in the nation in steals per game averaging 11.4. The squad has snagged double digit steals in 12 of the last 13 contests and in each of the last ten. The Texans are also 12th in the nation with a +4.8 turnover margin.

Cam McDowell has scored 10 or more in ten of his last 11 games. He has also tallied at least 20 points in seven of his last nine.  He is one of 26 players in the country to have 7 or more 20+ games since Dec. 3. He is tied for 13th. He and Johnson are one of 70 players with at least 4 games of 20+ in conference games. They are tied for 15th. He led the team in scoring for just the fourth time this season with 25 at Utah Tech. McDowell scored 24 on the road at Southern Utah with 18 coming in the second half and in overtime.

Johnson leads the nation in points per game (24.1). Despite missing four games, he is still 35th in the NCAA and 2nd in the WAC with 361 total points, five points behind Dom Daniels Jr. He ranks 12th in the nation and leads the WAC with 113 made free throws. The junior is 54th in the NCAA and 3rd in the WAC shooting 56.5 percent from the floor.

Tarleton State lead the nation averaging 46.1 bench points per game this season. Johnson and McDowell have combined for 17 20+ point scoring games off the bench this season. The Texans have scored at least 50 bench points in ten games this season with a season best of 70 at Southern Utah. The bench has accounted for 58.4 percent of the Texans total points this season. The Texans have notched 60+ bench points in four games. 70 at Southern Utah, 67 against Howard Payne, 65 against Utah Valley and 61 at MVSU. In total, a Texan has scored 10 or more off the bench 32  times with at least one in 17 of the 18 games and in each of the last nine.

Freddy Hicks has been a free throw line magnet since his Texan debut in 2020. Among those that debut collegiately in 2020 or later, Hicks ranks 10th with 535 made free throws. Among active D1 players, he is third behind PJ Haggerty (565) and Austin Benigni (557). All-time, Hicks ranks 328th among all NCAA Division I players.

Tarleton State will return home to take on Abilene Christian on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. All fans in attendance will be treated to $1 hot dogs and $1 beer.