Women’s basketball completed a regular-season sweep of Tarleton State on Saturday in Stephenville. The three-game sweep comes after the modified 2026 Western Athletic Conference schedule, which features just seven teams, down from nine or 10 in previous seasons.
The third win over Tarleton came on the back of a career high and school Div. I era record 36 points from Payton Hull, junior guard from Peaster.
“It was actually awesome,” Hull said on breaking the single-game record. “I knew I was going to get there at some point, just because of how much I like to score.”
In addition to Hull’s three-point prowess, her ability to read the defense, drive inside and score has allowed her to not only create her own open shots but create scoring opportunities for her teammates.
“It’s an incredible accomplishment by Payton to score 36 points, on the road, in a game where we needed all 36,” Head Coach Julie Goodenough said. “She has just such an elite scoring mentality, and she’s reading the defense so well right now.”
The 72-67 victory improved the Wildcats to 10-3 in WAC play and 19-7 overall while knocking the Texans to 6-7 in WAC games and 12-12 on the season.
Elodie Lutbert led the Texans with 18 points while hauling in eight rebounds and shooting 75% from the floor. She also recorded two blocks and two assists in her 32 minutes.
“She’s tough to handle,” Goodenough said. “She’s tough for us. We get smaller and smaller with each injury, so being able to put Aimee Flippen in, I thought, really helped us.”
The Wildcats trailed by five at halftime before losing the third quarter by a single point. Despite the six-point fourth quarter deficit, the team had its highest scoring quarter of the game, posting 22 points while allowing just 11 from Tarleton.
“I think the main part of us being successful is that we’re out there having fun and we love each other,” Hull said. “We’re just playing together.”
Bre Davis, senior guard from Waxahachie, was the only other Wildcat in double digits. Her 12 point-effort was a season high and was accompanied by two assists and two rebounds.
“Bre is a great facilitator,” Hull said. “I say that every time. She’s good at seeing the floor, and I think she executed really well. Her driving to the basket was a huge part of some of the points that we needed, and her free throws were crucial at the end of the game.”
Emma Daugherty, freshman forward from Summerville, South Carolina, did not play in the game after exiting in the loss to California Baptist University with a lower leg injury.
Hull’s 36 points and 30-point average for the week earned her WAC player of the week. Southern Utah University’s Brooklyn Fely earned WAC Newcomer of the week after averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds last week. Fely has scored 26 and 18 points in her two games against the Wildcats this season.
With five remaining games before the WAC tournament, the Wildcats will play SUU in Cedar City, Utah, on Sunday. The Thunderbirds currently trail the Wildcats by a single game in the WAC standings after beating CBU last week.
“We just need to continue to have confidence in ourselves,” Hull said. “It’s so much fun playing with them, and I think we all have a mindset of finishing, like, going to the WAC Championship and winning. I think that is just a huge part of what’s pushing us into each game and letting us be successful out there.”
