STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — A dominant second-half defensive performance and a balanced scoring attack propelled the Tarleton State Texans to a 66-57 victory over the Texas-Arlington Mavericks in a non-conference women’s basketball game Monday night at Wisdom Gym.

A crowd of 832 watched the Texans improve to 7-5 on the season, while the Mavericks fell to 6-7.

The game’s pivotal sequence came late in the third quarter, shifting momentum permanently in favor of the home team. After a strong start, Texas-Arlington saw its offense stagnate. Leading 42-40 with under three minutes remaining in the period, the Mavericks committed a shot-clock violation. Tarleton State capitalized immediately, with Mar’Cyah Willis sinking a 3-pointer off an assist from Gia Adams. Following a Texans steal, Adams converted a fast-break jumper to close the quarter on a 7-0 run, turning a narrow deficit into a 47-42 lead.

That run ignited a larger 17-2 surge that extended deep into the fourth quarter, effectively deciding the contest. The Texans held the Mavericks without a field goal for a stretch of nearly seven minutes, building a 54-44 advantage. Texas-Arlington could not recover from the drought, never pulling closer than five points the rest of the way.

The game began as a back-and-forth affair. Texas-Arlington’s Jadyn Atchison, a 6-foot-1 guard from Cedar Hill, Texas, scored eight of her team-high 15 points in the first quarter, helping the Mavericks to a 19-11 lead after one period. The Texans responded in the second, outscoring UTA 17-8 to take a 28-27 halftime lead, fueled by defensive pressure that forced 10 Maverick turnovers in the quarter.

Tarleton State’s interior defense, led by 6-foot-6 center Elodie Lutbert of Sainte-Luce, Martinique, was a defining factor. Lutbert recorded five blocked shots and altered numerous others, contributing to the Mavericks’ 35% shooting from the field for the game. She also added 11 points.

The Texans showcased offensive balance with four players scoring in double figures. Shadasia Brackens, a 5-foot-11 forward from Fairfield, Texas, led the way with 14 points and two blocks. Guards Jakoriah Long of Waco and Kyriana Jones of Little Rock, Arkansas, each scored 13 points. Jones added a game-high 34 minutes.

For Texas-Arlington, Atchison’s 15 points and three assists paced the offense. Kira Reynolds, a 6-foot-4 freshman from South Bend, Indiana, provided a strong defensive presence with four blocks and eight points. Fellow South Bend native Amiyah Reynolds dished out three assists.

The Texans finished the game shooting 44% from the floor and outrebounded the Mavericks 42-35. Tarleton State also converted 14 points off 18 UTA turnovers.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Texas-Arlington entered the game with a 58.40 percent probability to win.

Both teams open their Western Athletic Conference schedules on Thursday. Tarleton State travels to face Utah Valley, while Texas-Arlington visits California Baptist. The two teams will meet again in Stephenville in a conference rematch on Jan. 21.