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STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Women’s Basketball will host its annual Play4Kay game on Thursday at the EECU Center at 7 p.m., taking on the league leading California Baptist Lancers.
Sponsored by the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, the Play4Kay game recognizes the fight against all cancers affecting women. Tarleton State will wear commemorative pink accessories to honor those who have fought and are currently fighting against all cancers. Early arriving fans will receive a free pink mini basketball.
The game has special meaning for the Texans, including junior guard Caroline Lyles. Lyles’ mother, Donna, passed away from breast cancer in 2019. She will play in her first Play4Kay game.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting TarletonSports.com/Tickets or by visiting the EECU Center Box Office. Donations can be made to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund at kayyow.com/play4kay.
The Texans are playing three games in five days, all against the top three teams in the WAC. CBU currently leads the regular season standings at 8-1.
Leading scorer Gia Adams recently obtained her 1,500th career point on Tuesday. She is the only active player in the WAC to accomplish that feat.
Fans unable to attend the game in person can watch the game on ESPN+ and also listen to Clayton Neville’s radio call on Tarleton Sports Network.
PEAK PERFORMER
Tarleton State signed former All-WAC First Team player Gia Adams this past season. Adams currently leads the Texans in scoring and assists.
She scored her 1,500th career point at ACU (2/3), becoming the only active player in the WAC to have that feat.
Tarleton State has now had two straight seasons with a player who has had five 20-point games in a season. Arieona Rosborough had five 20-point games in 2024-25.
Adams was named to the ACU Christmas Classic All-Tournament Team, averaging 22.5 points and eight assists per game.
Adams was named to the 2023-24 All-WAC First Team at UT Arlington before transferring to North Texas. The Cypress, Texas, native was the Texans’ first transfer to sign with the Texans.
Averaging 14.5 points per game in her junior season at UT Arlington, Adams led the Lady Mavs in scoring and was the third-leading scorer in the WAC during the 2023-24 season. The Dave Campbell’s Honorable Mention All-Texas guard won four straight WAC Newcomer of the Week honors and registered six 20-point games in a UTA uniform. She dropped a season-high 30 points at CBU, the eventual 2024 WAC Champions.
Adams spent her first two seasons at Tennessee State and had one of the best seasons by a Tennessee State freshman in the program’s history, averaging 12.9 points per game en route to winning the OVC Freshman of the Year award.
FANTASTIC FRESHMAN
Freshman Elodie Lutbert is having one of the best seasons by a first-year college player since the Texans moved to Division I.
Lutbert recorded her fifth double-double of the season at ACU (2/3) with 16 points and 13 rebounds. She is the first freshman in the Division I era and the first since 2010-11 to have four double-doubles in a single season (Kiara Wright, 4).
Lutbert matched the D1 era program record for most rebounds in a game with 16 against UTA (1/21)
Lutbert had three straight double-doubles between Nov. 25-Dec.7. She is the first Tarleton State freshman since 1985-86 to have three straight games with a double-double (Kelly Hubbard, Nov. 12-20).
Lutbert has also blocked five shots multiple times this season. She is the first Tarleton State freshman since 2005 to have five blocks in a game (TaNesiah Leak).
With Shadasia Brackens, she was part of the first Texan duo to post three straight double-doubles in the same three games since 1985. Brackens and Lutbert accomplished that feat Nov. 25-Dec. 2.
She is currently second in the Division I era in single season blocks and in the top 10 on the program’s all-time list.
Lutbert was the last player to join the Texans, signing with Tarleton State in August. She previously represented Team France at the 2023 FIBA U18 Women’s European.
NEW YEAR, NEW ARENA
The Texans will play 15 games in its brand new two-story, $130 million EECU Center.
The EECU Center will seat up to 8,000 fans for basketball games. The two-story multipurpose arena will host NCAA Division I competition, conferences, concerts, conventions and community events, serving as a new hub for the university and the region.
Tarleton State broke ground on the building in August 2023 and officially opened in August 2025.
The Texans have posted a 7-2 record at the EECU Center this season, with their last home loss coming Nov. 16, 2025 (47-49 vs. McNeese).