ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington men's basketball (8-4, 0-0 WAC) is set to open Western Athletic Conference play when it hosts Tarleton State (9-4, 0-0 WAC) at the College Park Center on Monday night. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and can be heard live on the Varsity Network App with the Voice of the Mavs, Josh Sours on the call.
 
The Mavericks come into action coming off a 69-57 win on the road at Oral Roberts last Monday, make their return to the CPC for the first time in a month. Tarleton State has won four straight, including a 78-54 win at home its last time in action against Florida A&M on Dec. 19.
 
The Texans are led by head coach Billy Gillispie, who is in his sixth season as the head coach in Stephenville. Gillispie was previously the head coach at Ranger JC (2015-20), Texas Tech (2011-12), Kentucky (2007-09), Texas A&M (2004-07) and UTEP (2002-04), and has been an assistant at Illinois, Tulsa, Baylor and Texas State.
 
Tarleton State is led by junior guard Dior Johnson, who is averaging 22.8 ppg, which if he met the minimum of playing in at least 75% of his team's games, would tie for third in the nation, alongside PJ Haggerty of Kansas State and Cade Tyson of Minnesota, and just behind BYU's AJ Dybantsa (23.1) and Duke's Cameron Boozer (23.3). Johnson has played in nine games for the Texans this season, all of which have come off the bench.
 
In addition to Johnson's incredible start to the season, two other Texans are averaging double figure scoring - senior guard Freddy Hicks (12.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg) and senior guard Cam McDowell (10.0 ppg and 3.4 rpg). Sophomore guard DJ Dormu scored 10 in his only appearance of the season, a loss at SMU, but hasn't played since Nov. 3.
 
Saturday's meeting between UTA and Tarleton State will be the 17th all-time, with the Mavs leading 10-6.
 
Tarleton State junior guard Kade Douglas spent his first two collegiate seasons playing at UT Arlington, where the Lancaster, Texas native averaged 4.8 ppg in 51 career appearances, eight of which were starts.
 
For the Mavs, senior guard Marcell McCreary has been on a tear, having scored in double figures in nine of his last 10 games, including a 16-point outing at Oral Roberts. Sophomore point guard Cash Chavis scored 13 and added six boards at ORU and is averaging just over 10 points per game (10.1) and just under five assists per game (4.4). UTA will need a strong performance from senior forward Raysean Seamster, who was a preseason All-WAC selection by the league's head coaches. He is averaging a team-high 14.3 ppg and 6.8 rpg.
   
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