LAS VEGAS – Utah Valley swept the regular season series from Tarleton State Women’s Basketball, but it was the Texans that came out on top and pulled off the upset over the No. 4 seed Wolverines 60-57 in the WAC Tournament Quarterfinals on Thursday at Orleans Arena.
The Texans, the No. 5 seed, were down by six entering the final period of play before going on a 7-0 scoring run in the last minute. Trailing by two in the final minute, senior guard/forward Kyriana Jones hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 31 seconds left. Freshman center Elodie Lutbert hit two clutch free throws with four seconds left, with the Texans getting the final stop on defense to advance to the WAC Semifinals.
Tarleton State will face No. 1 seed California Baptist on Friday 2 p.m. central time in the WAC Semifinals.
Lutbert, an All-WAC Freshman and Defensive Team honoree, led the Texans with her ninth double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds and five blocked shots, needing just one more to break the program’s all-time single season record. All-WAC Second Team guard Jakoriah Long and junior guard Caroline Lyles also added 11 points each.
“I shared with a story with the team that was in my devotional book this morning. One of (Baseball Hall of Famer) Yogi Berra’s saying was ‘It ain’t over til it’s over,'” head coach Bill Brock said. “I want to credit Utah Valley for a great year. They are hard to play against with their length and their change of defense. In the locker room, the coaches heard all the players celebrating and being happy for each other. That’s why I coach. Basketball has been so good to me and I want this team to experience some of those moments. The camaraderie means so much to me.”
The Texans started out firing, opening the WAC Quarterfinals on a 7-0 scoring run to take early command. Utah Valley answered with six straight points, but Tarleton State stayed in front thanks to a five-point spurt capped off by a second chance bucket from junior forward Allie Myers. Tarleton State ran into early trouble, however, when Lutbert picked up her second foul in the opening period.
Foul trouble continued when Long picked up her second foul moments later and Utah Valley took advantage. The Wolverines ended the first quarter on an 8-0 scoring run to take a one-point lead.
Senior guard Gia Adams quickly helped the Texans seize control again, starting the second quarter with a made jumper. Utah Valley answered by going on a 7-0 scoring run while forcing Tarleton State into another scoring drought. Back-to-back jumpers from Jones allowed the Texans to retake the lead before Utah Valley ended the first half with eight unanswered points, going into the locker room 32-25.
Utah Valley picked up right where it left off, scoring the first basket of the second half and going up by double-digits with four minutes to go in the third quarter. The Wolverines forced the Texans into a four-minute scoring drought, but the Texans showed the resiliency they had all season long. Long and Lutbert produced back-to-back 3-pointers to end the third period, cutting the deficit to six points heading into the final quarter.
A 3-pointer from sophomore Mar’Cyah Willis made it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter, with Lutbert’s layup and Lyles’ steal turned into a bucket giving the Texans’ their first lead since the first quarter. Utah Valley answered with a basket while drawing a foul and later got another layup following Tarleton State’s game-tying basket in the paint. Utah Valley took the momentum with 1:36 left to play, getting a layup to make it a two-possession game.
The comeback kids from Stephenville, however, put together a game-changing run to turn the tables.
After a layup from Lutbert, the Texans got a stop on defense to tie or take the lead on their next offensive possession. Doubled in the post, Lutbert found a wide open Jones in the corner. Jones, one of just three returning players from last year’s roster, showed why she is a senior leader. The Little Rock, Arkansas, native sank the clutch 3-pointer with 31 seconds left to play.
The Texans once again got a defensive stop and Lutbert drew a foul that sent her to the charity strike. A 45.2% free throw shooter entering Thursday’s game, Lutbert sank both pressure-packed free throws to make it a three-point game. Tarleton State completed the comeback by forcing Utah Valley to miss the game-tying 3-point attempt, advancing to their second consecutive WAC Semifinal.
Postgame Notes
- Tarleton State Women’s Basketball, the No. 5 seed, went on a 7-0 scoring run in the last minute and a half to upset No. 4 seed Utah Valley 60-57 on Thursday at Orleans Arena. The Texans will make their second straight appearance in the WAC Semifinals.
- Down by seven at halftime and by six points in the fourth quarter, the Texans won their fourth game of the season when trailing at halftime. It is the Texans’ second straight come-from-behind win.
- Tarleton State is 3-0 in its opening games of the WAC Tournaments. The Texans defeated ACU in 2024 in the first round to pick up its first-ever Division I conference tournament win and won against Southern Utah in 2025 to advance to its first Division I semifinal.
- Freshman center Elodie Lutbert recorded her ninth double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. She is the first freshman since 1985-86 to have nine double-doubles in a season (Kelly Hubbard, 13).
- Lutbert also recorded her third five-block game of the season. She needs one more block to break the program’s all-time single season blocks record.
- Senior guard/forward Kyriana Jones hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 31 seconds left in regulation. It was her only 3-point attempt of the game.
- Senior guard Jakoriah Long had her eighth straight game in double figures on Thursday, scoring 11 points. Long was named to the All-WAC Second Team earlier this week.
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