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ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington men’s basketball (12-6, 4-2 WAC) is back in the friendly confines of the College Park Center to host Tarleton State (11-8, 2-4 WAC) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. CT. UTA is looking to avenge its lone home loss of the season, which came 69-63 at the hands of the Texans on Dec. 29. Wednesday’s game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and can be heard live on the Varsity Network App with Will Conerly on the call.
 

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 24.1 ppg, which leads the nation. Johnson has played in 15 games for the Texans this season, all of which have come off the bench. He was held to his second-lowest-scoring game of the season in the previous meeting at UTA back on Dec. 29, two points after getting in early foul trouble.
 
In addition to Johnson’s incredible start to the season, two other Texans are averaging double figure scoring – senior guard Freddy Hicks (10.9 ppg and 6.1 rpg) and senior guard Cam McDowell (13.6 ppg and 3.4 rpg). McDowell scored 23 on 8-of-16 shooting in the win at UTA back on Dec. 29, while Hicks chipped in with 10 points and five boards.
 
Saturday’s meeting between UTA and Tarleton State will be the 18th all-time, with the Mavs leading 10-7.
 
For the Mavs, sophomore guard Cash Chavis is coming off a career-high 20 points on Saturday at Utah Valley, while senior Marcell McCreary had 15 points and five boards last time out and has been on a tear lately for the Mavericks. He is averaging a team-best 14.3 ppg and 5.1 rpg this season. Senior forward Raysean Seamster, who was a preseason All-WAC selection by the league’s head coaches, is averaging 13.2 ppg and a team-high 6.4 rpg.
 

— #BuckEm –

 
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