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Tarleton State University Athletics

DiameTexasPreview
Avery Golden

Women's Basketball Grant Cohen

Tarleton State Women’s Basketball travels to Austin for second nationally-ranked opponent of season on Saturday

AUSTIN, Texas – Tarleton State Women's Basketball meets No. 6 nationally-ranked Texas at the Moody Center on Saturday at 12 p.m. 

The two schools meet for the third time in program history. No. 6 nationally-ranked Texas will be the second team from the top 25 poll the Texans will face this season. Texas, a 2026 Final Four team, is the second team from the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Tarleton State's schedule. Senior guard Lucia Navarro, an Oregon State transfer, is coming off a career-high 14 points and nine rebounds on Wednesday. 

Fans can follow the action by watching on SEC Network+ and/or listening to Clayton Neville's call on Tarleton Sports Network. Live stats will also be provided for Sunday's game. 

IMMEDIATE IMPACT 
  • With 11 newcomers on the 2026-27 roster, Tarleton State's newcomers have made an immediate impact. 
  • Fifth year guard Olivia Medford posted her first Division I double-double with a career-high 14 points and a career-high 12 rebounds, accomplishing that feat on her birthday. She is just the second Texan to post a double-double in the season opener in the Division I era. 
  • Senior guard Stephany Gonçalves led the Texans in scoring with 16 points and seven assists against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (11/4). Her seven assists were the most by a Texan in a season opener since 2023. 
  • In just the third game of the season, senior guard Lucia Navarro nearly posted a double-double and had career-best numbers with 14 points and nine rebounds against Sul Ross State (11/11). 
DEFENSE, TEXANS, DEFENSE
  • When Tarleton State's defense is at its best, the result is obvious: the Texans win. 
  • The Texans held Sul Ross State (11/11) to just 22.2% shooting in the final 20 minutes, resulting in a 20-point win. 
  • Holding Sul Ross State to just 44 points, the Texans have now held back-to-back home opponents to under 50 points. It is the first time since the EECU Center opened the Texans held two consecutive home opponents to under 50 points. It is the first time since the 2022-23 season the Texans had back-to-back home games holding the opposition to under 50 points. 
  • Freshman guard Marie Diame had five steals against Sul Ross State (11/11). She is the first freshman since Dec. 7, 2024 to have five steals in one game.
TOUGH TESTS
  • The Texans face three teams that played in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Texans will also play three other opponents that qualified for postseason play last season in non-conference play. 
  • Tarleton State's first of three NCAA Tournament teams from last year was No. 15 nationally-ranked TCU in Fort Worth (11/8, L 42-89). 
  • Tarleton State will face Texas on Saturday, Nov. 14, the second time in the last three years the two schools have met. Texas won the SEC Tournament to obtain a No. 1 seed in March Madness last season, reaching the 2026 Final Four. 
  • The Texans then travel to Texas A&M (12/15), a 2026 WBIT Team, for the second straight season. 
  • The United Athletic Conference-Atlantic Sun Alliance wraps up non-conference play, with the Texans facing four teams from the Atlantic Sun. Tarleton State will head to Jacksonville, Florida, for a two-game road trip at North Florida (12/29) and Jacksonville (12/31). Jacksonville, the 2026 Atlantic Sun Champions, qualified for its second-ever NCAA Tournament last year. 
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Players Mentioned

Olivia Medford

#1 Olivia Medford

G
5' 11"
Fifth Year
Lucia Navarro

#7 Lucia Navarro

G
6' 0"
Senior
Marie Diame

#17 Marie Diame

G
5' 8"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Olivia Medford

#1 Olivia Medford

5' 11"
Fifth Year
G
Lucia Navarro

#7 Lucia Navarro

6' 0"
Senior
G
Marie Diame

#17 Marie Diame

5' 8"
Freshman
G