Southern Utah Hosts Tarleton State After Johnson's 33-Point Performance

The Southern Utah Thunderbirds are set to welcome the Tarleton State Texans to the America First Event Center on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. EST.

 

Both teams are eager to make a statement in this Western Athletic Conference (WAC) matchup.

 

Southern Utah (4-13, 0-4 WAC) has shown resilience at home, holding a 3-2 record in Cedar City.

 

The Thunderbirds have been focusing on ball control, averaging 13.1 turnovers per game.

 

Notably, they are 2-2 when committing fewer turnovers than their opponents.

 

On the other side, Tarleton State (11-6, 2-2 WAC) is coming off a narrow 84-80 loss to Abilene Christian, despite a stellar 33-point performance from Dior Johnson.

 

The Texans have been formidable offensively, averaging 80.2 points per game and outscoring opponents by an average of 7.6 points.

 

Southern Utah's shooting efficiency stands at 44.6% from the field, slightly below the 45.3% that Tarleton State allows.

 

Defensively, the Thunderbirds have been challenged, conceding an average of 80.4 points per game, just above the Texans' scoring average.

 

This game marks the first conference meeting between these two teams this season.

 

Key players to watch include Elijah Duval for Southern Utah, who averages 12.6 points and 3.3 assists, and Jaiden Feroah, contributing 12.5 points over the last 10 games.

 

For Tarleton State, Dior Johnson leads with a 56.9% shooting accuracy and an average of 23.8 points per game, while Camron McDowell has been consistent, averaging 14.6 points over the last 10 games.

 

In their recent outings, the Thunderbirds have faced challenges, going 2-8 and averaging 71.4 points per game.

 

Conversely, the Texans have been on a stronger trajectory, with a 7-3 record in their last 10 games, averaging 81.8 points.

 

As the Thunderbirds aim to leverage their home-court advantage, fans can anticipate an intense and competitive game.