The Tarleton State University TexAnn basketball team made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament this year, for only the second time in school history. Colorado Mesa University ended the TexAnns’ season on March 15, but the Tarleton ladies played hard all year.

The TexAnns started out the season going 14-1, recording their only loss against Northeastern State University on Nov. 19.

Following the winning streak, the TexAnns lost two straight games to Cameron University and West Texas A&M University.

The Tarleton women’s basketball team was 20-7 going into the Lone Star Conference Tournament.

In the LSC tournament, the TexAnns beat Texas A&M-Commerce (84-55) and Texas Woman’s University (61-46) to put them in the championship game.

In the LSC championship game, West Texas A&M won 67-76, with the TexAnns getting the No. 3 seed in the South Central region, and advancing to their sixth NCAA Regional tournament.

Senior All-American Kiara Wright was honored as LSC Player of the Year as well as Defensive Player of the Year, both for the second consecutive season.

Also for the second year in a row, Wright was named the best player in the South Central region as well as being named the region’s Daktronics Player of the Year. She was also named first-team all conference and all region after averaging 20.1 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game for Tarleton.

The LSC also honored three other TexAnns: Kathy Thomas, Brianna Bledsoe and Shanae Lowrance. Thomas was Newcomer of the year, Bledsoe received second-team all-LSC selection and Lowrance earned LSC All-Academic Team.

The TexAnns were 22-9 overall and 10-6 in conference play.