STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton has a pair of tough non-conference games on tap surrounding Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday, beginning with a Tuesday match-up on the road against Texas-Permian Basin.
 
The TexAnns will begin the week of tough games with the unbeaten Falcons in Odessa at 6 p.m. and wrapping up with a post-Thanksgiving battle against No. 23 Northeastern State Saturday in Wisdom Gym.
 
In the season opener, Tarleton was led by Kiara Wright and Peyton Adamson who each posted 20 points. Wright added 10 rebounds for her 14^th career double-double.
 
The TexAnns also held Texas Wesleyan to just 27 percent shooting from the floor in the 77-48 season opening win. Tarleton held just five opponents to under 30 percent shooting all of last season.
 
Now they will turn their attention to a hot-shooting Falcon team, who enters Tuesday's contest at 3-0 following a win at Abilene Christian and home wins against Sul Ross State and Incarnate Word.
 
UTPB is led by a trio of double-figure scorers, including Teisha King who is scoring 20 points per game. Taniqua Ards (14.3) and Briannah Matthews (13.3) are also leading the team to its 85.3 points per game average.
 
Tarleton leads the all-time series against the Falcons, which dates back to 2004, having won seven of the eight total meetings. UTPB's only win came in the last meeting when the Falcons won 86-83 in Odessa January 11, 2010.
 
Since head coach Ronnie Hearne took over at Tarleton in 2003, the TexAnns are 5-2 in games following a season opening win.
 
Saturday, the TexAnns will return to the friendly confines of Wisdom Gym for a 5 p.m. bout against the No. 23 team in the nation, Northeastern State.
 
The Riverhawks, as of Monday, are 2-1 in their first season as a MIAA team and are averaging 71 points per contest. They are led by three double-figure scorers – Taylor Lewis (11.3), Tosha Tyler (11.0), and Katy Harsen (10.3).
 
NSU dropped its season opener to NAIA No. 1 Lubbock Christian in double overtime, but has rebounded to win two straight. They host Northwestern Oklahoma Tuesday night.
 
Tarleton trails the all-time series 5-10 while the Riverhawks have won the last two meetings and five of the last six. The TexAnns only win over that stretch came Dec. 3, 2009 in a 56-42 win in Stephenville.
 
For live stats and the KSTV online radio feed, click on the links above. For more information regarding TexAnn basketball, check out TarletonSports.com.