STEPHENVILLE — Tarleton State junior guard Dior Johnson earned WAC Player and Newcomer of the Week for the third time this season, the league office announced on Monday.
Johnson was the only player in the NCAA this week to score 30+ points in at least two games. Johnson scored the third most total points in the nation this week totaling 72. He was also the country’s leader with 24 made free throws in the first week back from Christmas break. To wrap it up, he was sixth in field goals made as well with 22.
The Kingston, NY, native becomes the only player this season to win three WAC Player of the Week awards. He is also the only player in the WAC this year to earn multiple newcomer of the week awards as well. He joins Dominque Daniels Jr. and Dominick Nelson as the only players in the past two seasons to earn three player of the week honors in the same season, no one has earned four since the 2021-22 season.
“These awards are both very well deserved,” said head coach Billy Gillispie. “He played great for the Texans and the most important thing is that every single one of his scores were instrumental for us having a chance to win a conference game. The things he has done so far have been a lot of fun to watch. Here’s hoping they continue. Congrats, Dior, well deserved.”
Johnson notched his first of two 30-point performances in the opening week of WAC play against Utah Valley. The junior poured on for 36 points, setting the new Texan record for most points in a WAC game. Johnson gained fire in the second half scoring 26 of his 36 points and making his first six shots from the floor, accounting for 13 of the Texans first 15 second half points. He shot 12-for-21 from the field including three-for-five from beyond the arc. He also shot 75 percent from the charity stripe making nine of his 12 attempts. The guard accomplished all of this off the bench in 32 minutes of action.
The junior followed it up with a 34-point game in an 81-76 overtime win over California Baptist on Saturday evening. After entering the game off the bench in the final five minutes of the first half, he played the final 29 minutes of the game and contributed 34 points. Once again, he was crucial in the second half scoring 20 points. Johnson brought the Texans from behind to tie the game at 64 in the final seconds of regulation with two back-to-back driving layups. In the overtime period he notched 10 of the Texans 17 points helping ice the game at the free throw line. Johnson set another new Texan WAC record making 15 free throws, the most by a Texan in WAC play in program history. He also notched three steals and added a team-best two assists.
So far this season, Johnson has scored 30 or more in five games this season, the most in the NCAA. He is tied for the NCAA lead in points per game with 2025 ESPN No.1 freshman recruit, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, with 23.1 per game. Johnson ranks in the top 50 in total points (277) and field goal percentage (58.1) across the entire country. He is also 17th in the NCAA with 88 made free throws.
Tarleton State Men’s Basketball will be back in action on Thursday night in the EECU Center against I-20 rival, Abilene Christian at 7 p.m. Early arriving fans will receive Texan bang-a-banners to help support their favorite purple school.
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