#RV Texas Lutheran (20-4, 14-2 SCAC) vs. Ozarks (AR) (13-12, 7-9 SCAC)
SCAC Championship Quarterfinal
Friday, February 28 at 12 PM CT
Maher Center | Irving, Texas
GameDay Quick Facts
LIVE STREAM: The game will be on FloSports with Cooper Sports Network handling the broadcast.
SERIES: Texas Lutheran trails the all-time series against Ozarks (AR) 6-8.
THIS WEEK
#RV TLU heads to Irving this week for competition at the SCAC Tournament. No. 2 seeded TLU (20-4) opens up in the quarterfinals on Friday (Feb. 28) against Ozarks (AR) at 12 p.m. to fight for a spot in the March 1 semifinals. The SCAC Championship game is set for 12 p.m. on Sunday (March 2). All the action takes place at the Maher Center on the campus of University of Dallas.
IN THE POLLS
Texas Lutheran has received votes in the D3hoops.com and Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Top 25 Polls for the first time in program history. Entering the tournament, Texas Lutheran has received votes in the WBCA Top 25 Poll for five straight weeks. Texas Lutheran enters the tournament ranked #38 in the NCAA Division-III NPI (NCAA Power Index) Rankings that determine the qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament.
QUICK HITS
• With 20 wins, TLU has reached 20 wins for the fifth time in program history and have reached the 20-win mark in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.
• At 14-2 in SCAC play, TLU collected its most conference wins in a season since joining the conference in 2013-14.
• Texas Lutheran has only been lower than the No. 2 seed once in four seasons under head coach Troy Patterson.
• With its 12-2 start to this season, the torrid run trumped the 11-3 season turned in by the Bulldogs in 1973-74 and the 11-3 start by the Bulldogs a season ago in the 2023-24 campaign for the best start in program history.
• Texas Lutheran currently ranks 10th in Division-III in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.24).
• TLU is 2-3 against teams currently ranked in the NPI top-50.
• TLU's 8-0 start was the best start to SCAC play for Texas Lutheran since joining the conference in 2013-14.
• Kailee Mulkey (New Braunfels/New Braunfels) has taken over for Savannah Hight as TLU's all-time steals leader in the program's NCAA history (214 career steals). Mulkey also currently ranks eighth in the program's NCAA history in assists and sixth in assists while ranking eighth all-time regardless of era in points scored (1,121).
• Despite missing games due to illness, Lauren Sansano (San Antonio/FEAST), the only Bulldog to earn SCAC Player of the Week honors this season, is the Bulldogs second leading scorer (12.2) and ranks second in the SCAC in field goal percentage (55.4) and fourth in assists per game (3.6).
• Angelina Sotelo (San Marcos/San Marcos) hit at least one 3-pointer in all but four games this season.
• TLU is 11-0 this season when holding opponents under 60.
BATTLING ADVERSITY
The Bulldogs have faced adversity with multiple players suffering injuries this season. This season the Bulldogs have had 72 missed games by rotational players. Four players on the Bulldogs roster suffered season ending injuries.
ON THE GLASS
The Bulldogs are 16-1 this season when they out rebound their opponent. Texas Lutheran has been effective on the offensive glass as they rank second in the SCAC in rebounds per game (39.9). Forward Sarahi Jones (Los Fresnos/Los Fresnos) ranks fifth in the SCAC in rebounds, averaging 8.5 per game and ranks 30th in Division-III averaging 7.5 defensive rebounds per game. Texas Lutheran has won the offensive glass in 13 games this season.
SCAC TOURNAMENT TAKE
Texas Lutheran is 10-8 all-time in the SCAC Tournament since joining the league for the 2013-14 season. Head coach Troy Patterson is 1-3 in the event.
The Bulldogs have reached the tournament championship game four times with tournament championships in 2014 and 2019.
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