JONESBORO, Ark. – Behind senior guard Arieona Rosborough’s double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds and sophomore center Faith Acker’s 21 points and nine rebounds, Tarleton Women’s Basketball collected a 78-68 win at Arkansas State Thursday night at First National Bank Arena.
Rosborough, who collected her first double-double as a Texan, recorded a season-high for points, rebounds and assists (7). The Mansfield, Texas, native nearly obtained the program’s first triple-double in the NCAA Era and registered her third 20-point game of the season.
After coming up with 18 points and eight rebounds in Monday’s win over New Mexico State, Acker made 10 of her 11 shots en route to her season-high for points. Acker, who was one rebound shy of her third double-double of the season, set a new Division I program record with the highest field goal percentage in a single game at 90.9% (min. 10 shot attempts).
Tarleton also got a lift from a pair of seniors in guard Jakoriah Long and forward Elise Turrubiates. Long scored 13 points to go with six boards while Turrubiates tallied nine rebounds off the bench.
“I thought our kids did a really good job of breaking their press and getting to open spots on the floor. Arkansas State’s press is a hard style to play against,” head coach Bill Brock said.
Tarleton got off to a red-hot start in Arkansas State’s Red Out Night, opening the first quarter on a 9-0 scoring run. The Texans held the Red Wolves to just three points through the first five minutes and forced Arkansas State into just 18.8% first quarter shooting. A Turrubiates fast break bucket and a Rosborough jumper in the paint with five seconds left in the opening period allowed the Texans to take an early 24-8 lead.
Acker helped keep the Texans out in front with three consecutive baskets to open the second quarter, finishing with a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor in the second period. Arkansas State looked to capitalize off a turnover by drilling a basket to go with a pair of free throws in the closing first half minutes, but Turrubiates knocked down a turnaround jumper to make it 13-point game. Arkansas State hit a driving layup just before the halftime buzzer to cut Tarleton’s lead to 11 after 20 minutes.
Arkansas State responded out of the locker room by trimming Tarleton’s lead down to single digits, hitting a 3-pointer to make it a six-point game with just over five minutes to play in the third quarter. Rosborough helped the Texans stay out in front, hitting a jumper and assisting on a Miannah Little 3-pointer to double the advantage. The Red Wolves scored the final six points of the third period to make it an eight-point game heading into the final 10 minutes.
The Texans kept the momentum from shifting in the final period, with Long starting the fourth quarter off with a basket while drawing the foul. Rosborough fueled a Tarleton run, scoring five straight points to make it 13-point game. Arkansas State finished the game on a 7-0 scoring run, but the Texans weathered the storm and left Jonesboro in the win column.
Tarleton will play one more game at Wisdom Gym before the Holiday Break, taking on St. Mary’s (TX) on Saturday at 2 p.m. Early arriving fans will receive a free mini basketball and hoop. All tickets purchased are good for the men’s game at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Postgame Notes
- Tarleton Women’s Basketball defeated Arkansas State 78-68 Thursday night in the two’s first meeting in women’s basketball. The Texans got their first victory of the season over a Sun Belt Conference team.
- The Texans never trailed in Thursday night’s game. They have held the lead for 78:24 out of 80 minutes this week.
- Senior guard Arieona Rosborough collected her first double-double of the season with a season-high 22 points and 10 rebounds to go with seven assists. Rosborough registered her third 20-point game of the season and nearly obtained the first triple-double in the NCAA Era. The program’s only triple-double came in 1982 when Tarleton Hall of Famer Jennifer Washington scored 31 points, 22 rebounds, and had 10 steals when the Texans were affiliated with the NAIA.
- Sophomore forward Faith Acker made 10 of her 11 shots and scored a season-high 21 points to go with nine rebounds in Thursday’s win. Acker’s 90.9% shooting set a new single game Division I program record with the highest field goal percentage (min. 10 shot attempts).
- Rosborough and Acker are the first duo under head coach Bill Brock to score at least 20 points each in the same game. It is the first time since March 5, 2021 two Tarleton players scored 20 points each in the same game (Marissa Escamilla and Iyana Dorsey, 22 pts each vs. UTRGV).
- Tarleton began the game on a 9-0 scoring run and held a 24-8 lead after the first quarter. The Texans shot 56.3% from the floor while holding Arkansas State to just 18.8% shooting in the opening period.
- The Texans shot 55.6% percent in the second half to close out the game, shooting over 52% in both the third and fourth quarters. Tarleton has shot over 50% from the floor in five out of its last eight quarters.
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