Preview: Tarleton State Texans at Texas-Arlington Mavericks ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — A pair of surging Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball teams will meet Monday when the Tarleton State Texans visit the Texas-Arlington Mavericks at College Park Center. Both teams enter the Dec. 29, 2025, matchup with positive momentum. The visiting Texans (9-4) have won four straight, including a 78-54 rout of Florida A&M on Dec. 19. The Mavericks (8-4) are coming off a 69-57 road victory at Oral Roberts on Dec. 22. A key matchup will feature Tarleton State guard Leroy Kelly against Texas-Arlington’s Marcell McCreary. Kelly is averaging 11.2 points per game but is coming off an 18-point performance in 35 minutes against Florida A&M. McCreary has been a consistent scorer for UTA, posting 16 points against Oral Roberts and averaging 14.5 points per game over his last four contests. Tarleton State’s recent win streak has been fueled by balanced scoring. In the win over Florida A&M, Dior Johnson added 13 points and Andy Sigiscar had 12. The Texans’ offense has been potent, scoring 93 and 119 points in wins earlier this month. Texas-Arlington has shown resilience, winning an overtime game at Texas-Rio Grande Valley 55-50 on Dec. 11 before the solid road win at Oral Roberts. Raysean Seamster and Casmir Chavis provided crucial support alongside McCreary in that victory. This game serves as a non-conference tune-up before both teams begin WAC play in earnest in January. They are scheduled to meet again in conference action on Jan. 21 in Arlington. The Mavericks will look to defend their home court, where they are 4-1 this season. The Texans have proven capable on the road, with a 3-2 record away from Stephenville. Tipoff is set for Monday night at College Park Center.