OREM, Utah – Tarleton State Women’s Basketball was unable to start the new calendar year in victorious fashion, with Utah Valley defeating the Texans 74-49 on Thursday afternoon at the UCCU Center.
Utah Valley, who is third in the country in turnovers forced per game (28.3), made the Texans commit a season-high 29 turnovers. The Wolverines scored 28 points off those turnovers.
Junior forward Shadasia Brackens led the Texans with nine points while junior guard Caroline Lyles scored a season-high eight points to go with seven rebounds off the bench. Freshman center Elodie Lutbert also scored eight points, making all four of her shot attempts.
Lutbert helped the Texans get off to a fast start with back-to-back baskets. After Utah Valley swung the advantage, Brackens helped the Texans get back on track with two straight buckets.
Utah Valley forced five early turnovers in the first quarter, but was unable to turn them into points thanks to the Texans’ defense. Tarleton State forced Utah Valley into missing its next 11 shots over the last four minutes to stay out in front, with the Texans knocking down two straight baskets to take a one-point lead. The Wolverines reclaimed the lead 14-13 as time winded down in the opening period, scoring a second chance basket after an offensive rebound.
The Texans cut the Utah Valley lead in the second quarter with a 3-pointer from senior guard Jakoriah Long and a second chance basket from junior forward Allie Myers. After a jumper from Lyles made it a one-point game, Utah Valley answered with a basket while drawing the foul. Lyles once again answered with a 3-pointer, but the Wolverines responded with two consecutive baskets to stay in front.
Tarleton State continued to answer Utah Valley’s attack, with Lyles scoring her seventh point of the quarter to make it a three-point game with just over a minute left in the half. Utah Valley, however, obtained the momentum going into the locker room. The Wolverines knocked down a 3-pointer while being fouled, converting the four-point play to go up 34-27 at halftime.
Going inside early and often, Utah Valley’s posts made their presence and scored inside to give the Wolverines a double-digit lead early in the third quarter. The Wolverines forced the Texans into a five-minute scoring drought to go up by 21.
Utah Valley shot 60% from the field and 75% from 3-point range to move ahead by 20 entering the final period. The Texans were held to just 27.3% shooting in the fourth quarter and just six makes off 23 shots in the second half, allowing Utah Valley to come away with the win.
Tarleton State continues its WAC road trip on Saturday at 3 p.m. with an afternoon contest at California Baptist.
Postgame Notes
- Tarleton State was defeated by Utah Valley 74-49 on Thursday at the UCCU Center. Utah Valley now has a 7-3 record against the Texans all-time.
- The Texans had a season-high 29 turnovers, with Utah Valley scoring 28 points off those turnovers. Utah Valley ranked third in the country in forcing turnovers (28.3 per game) entering Thursday’s game.
- This was just the second-ever New Year’s Day game in program history, where Tarleton State defeated Utah Valley 61-48 in 2022. Tarleton State is 1-1 all-time on New Year’s Day.
- Junior guard Caroline Lyles scored a season-high eight points and matched a season-high seven rebounds off the bench. She last had seven rebounds in the season opener on Nov. 3, 2025 against Schreiner.
- Freshman guard Jaylynn Perez-Richard scored her first collegiate basket with 3:14 left to play. She was the only Texan to finish with a positive +/- on Thursday, finishing with +2.
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