STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton State Women’s Basketball saved its best, not allowing a basket from UT Arlington in the final period while ending the game on a 17-3 scoring run to push past the Lady Mavs 51-37 on Wednesday night at the EECU Center.
Wednesday’s win allowed the Texans to win their third straight game and finish the homestand with a 3-0 record.
Trailing at halftime and going into the final period tied 34-34, the Texans forced the Lady Mavs to miss their final 15 shots of the game. Tarleton State’s defense forced a team to shoot 0% in a quarter for the first time since Dec. 4, 2021 (0-for-11 vs. Arlington Baptist, 1st quarter).
Senior guard Gia Adams, who earned All-WAC First Team honors at UTA in 2023-24, led with a game-high 12 points and seven assists against her former team. Junior forward Shadasia Brackens added 10 points while freshman center Elodie Lutbert grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds to go with nine points. Lutbert’s 16 rebounds matched the Division I era single game program record for rebounds.
“It was a very hard fought game and we sure brought defensive basketball back up to the forefront,” head coach Bill Brock said. “I thought we hit a rhythm in the second half. We’re not as big as they are, but I thought our kids really competed. We had some good days of practice and I’m proud of their effort tonight.”
Senior guard Jakoriah Long hit the game’s first 3-pointer after a Lutbert free throw to give the Texans the early lead, with Brackens extending the advantage by hitting a basket while being fouled. The Texans scored five unanswered points later in the opening period off a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Mar’Cyah Willis and a bucket from junior guard Caroline Lyles. UTA closed the first quarter on a 7-0 scoring run to make it a one-point game through the first 10 minutes.
After a basket by Brackens, UTA responded with back-to-back baskets to swing the advantage. Brackens hit a turnaround jumper to once again give the Texans the lead, but UTA answered with a 5-0 scoring run to go out in front. UTA forced Tarleton State into a six and a half minute scoring drought to close the first half, taking a 23-20 lead into the locker room.
The Texans quickly got to work in the second half, opening the third quarter with seven unanswered points. Lutbert scored the next seven points for the Texans, putting her team up by eight with four minutes left in the period.
The intensity went up another notch after UTA made a basket to make it 34-30. UTA’s Jadyn Atchison collided into Adams after her basket and had some words for the former UTA guard. Lutbert immediately stepped in to protect her teammate, forcing the two to be separated. Atchison was called for a technical foul and a flagrant two foul, resulting in her ejection.
“When that situation happened, we took it as energy,” Adams said. “It wasn’t a bad thing. It wasn’t a good thing either, but it fueled us. It made us play hard and that’s how we finished the game.”
After UT Arlington tied it up at 34, the Texans went back to work in the final period. Long knocked down another 3-pointer to give the Texans the advantage with just under eight minutes to play before the Texans got another spark off the bench.
Junior forward Allie Myers missed the Texans’ last game to attend her late mother’s funeral, making an impact in her first contest back. Myers scored the next six points for the Texans to stretch their lead to eight, scoring all of her points in the fourth quarter. Myers, whose mother passed away on the same day as the first game with UTA this season, played for her family in those final moments.
“When it comes to being on the court, I try to play for everybody back home,” Myers said. “I know my grandparents, especially, are watching the games and cheering me on. I try to play for everybody, especially for my mom now.”
A layup by Adams put the Texans up by double digits before capping off a 17-1 scoring run with a fastbreak bucket with 1:27 left in regulation. UTA hit just two more free throws to end the game and were held without a basket in the final 10 minutes. The Texans forced UTA to shoot 3-for-29 in the second half to take the second matchup of the season against the Lady Mavs.
Tarleton State begins a three-game road trip next week, starting with round two of the I-20 rivalry. The Texans will travel to in-state rival Abilene Christian on Monday for a 6 p.m. tipoff.
Postgame Notes
- Tarleton State defeated UT Arlington 51-37 on Wednesday night at the EECU Center. The Texans finished their three-game homestand with a 3-0 record.
- The Texans held UTA to just 37 points, the fewest in a WAC game since joining the conference in 2020. It is the fewest points the Texans have allowed in conference play since Feb. 29, 2020 (37 at Texas A&M-Kingsville).
- The Texans held UTA to 0-for-15 shooting in the fourth quarter. It is the first time since Dec. 4, 2021 Tarleton State held a team to 0% shooting in a quarter (0-for-11 vs. Arlington Baptist, 1st quarter).
- Trailing at the half, Tarleton State ended the game on a 17-3 scoring run in the fourth quarter. This was the Texans’ first game this season that they won when trailing at halftime.
- Senior guard Gia Adams led all scorers with a game-high 12 points to go with seven assists. Adams was a former UTA guard from 2023-24, earning All-WAC First Team honors.
- Freshman center Elodie Lutbert grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds to go with nine points. Lutbert tied the Division I era single game program record for most rebounds in a game.
- Lutbert also had three blocks, the second-most in a single season in the Division I era. She needs one more to crack the top 15 on the program’s all-time single season blocks list.
- Senior guard Jakoriah Long hit two 3-pointers on Wednesday, bringing her career total to 107. She is now tied for eighth on the program’s all-time career 3-pointers list with Raven McGrath (2011-16).
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