• The Texas Southern women's basketball team is back in action for its non-conference finale at Tarleton State on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
• This marks the third season for TSU head coach Vernette Skeete. This season also marks the first time the roster will be upperclassman heavy after fielding underclassmen-heavy rosters the past two years. Five newcomers were added via the transfer portal and two via the JUCO ranks.
• TSU returns three starters and six letterwinners as the Tigers also underwent a change in their coaching staff as they added a pair of assistant coaches and an operations director in the offseason.
• This marks the second straight year both teams will play as Tarleton State defeated TSU 52-40 last season in the first meeting between both programs. Tarleton State is the second of two consecutive teams from the WAC TSU faced as they played Cal Baptist last week.
• Tarleton State was picked sixth in the WAC preseason poll.
• Junior forward Jaida Belton was named to the 2024 Southwestern Athletic Conference Preseason All-SWAC Second Team. A native of Baltimore, Md., Belton was TSU's top rebounder with seven boards per game while also averaging 8.2 points per contest. She has emerged as one of the top shot blockers in the SWAC with 48 blocks last season.
• TSU ranks third nationally in offensive rebounds (19.6) and 44th in rebounds (41.7). They rank 23rd in steals per game (12.4). Aaliyah Henderson leads the team and is 17th nationally with 3.1 steals per game. Courtlyn Loudermill ranks 45th nationally in three-point attempts per game while Jaida Belton has four double-doubles and ranks 45th in the NCAA.
• TSU leads the SWAC in blocked shots (37) and is second in steals (112).
• TSU was picked to finish ninth in the SWAC's Preseason Poll.
• TSU has squared off against five NCAA D-1 conferences this year as they faced teams from the Big 12 (3), American (2), WAC (2), SEC (1), Southland (2).
• TSU head coach Vernette Skeete has yet to win a game in the month of December.
