Cameron vs Tarleton State prediction: Eric Haut's rebuilt Tarleton State debuts against old rival Cameron
With 10 newcomers on the roster and a new coach on the bench, Tarleton State's opener against a former Lone Star foe is the first look at what Haut has built.
- Tarleton State should control a Division I vs. non-Division I opener; the bigger question is how fast Haut's newcomer-heavy roster gels.
- Tarleton's ball pressure against Cameron's guards: last season the Texans forced turnovers at a rate ranked 2nd nationally.
- No spread or total is posted yet; the most recent meeting was a 93-63 Tarleton home win on Dec. 7, 2025.
A new coach, a new roster
Tarleton State opens its season at home for the first time since 2021, and almost nothing about the team resembles last year's. Eric Haut, named head coach on March 13 after serving as Utah State's associate head coach, has filled the roster with 10 newcomers and four returners. Nine of those newcomers came through the transfer portal, including Virginia Tech transfer Brett Freeman.
The freshman count is unsettled. A July school release said one freshman, while an ESPN roster lists three: Malek Archie, Jaden Jinks and Leroy Kelly IV.
That turnover makes last season's 14-18 team a weak guide. Tarleton's adjusted net efficiency entering this season is -5.4 (points per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents), 222nd of 365, but most of the players behind that number are gone.
What last season's Texans did well
If any identity carries over, it starts on defense. Last season Tarleton forced turnovers on 24.4% of opponent possessions, 2nd in the country, and its steal rate ranked 4th. Against a non-Division I opponent, that kind of pressure tends to decide games early.
The flaws were just as loud. The Texans turned it over on 20.0% of their own possessions, 344th nationally, and took the fewest threes of any Division I team. They also played fast, with a pace ranked 42nd. Whether Haut keeps that frantic, rim-and-free-throw style or reshapes it around his transfers is the first thing to watch.
An old Lone Star rivalry
Cameron, coached by Nathan Kennedy since April 2025, visits Tarleton for the second straight season. The two programs are former Lone Star Conference foes, and the last meeting was lopsided: Tarleton won 93-63 at home on Dec. 7, 2025.
Tip is 7 p.m. local time on Monday, Nov. 2. Before then, Tarleton has one more exhibition, against Houston Christian on Oct. 24, which should offer the first public read on Haut's rotation. No injury or eligibility news has surfaced for either team.
Numbers that matter
| Forced turnover rate, last season | 24.4% | Ranked 2nd nationally in 2025-26, the clearest strength Tarleton could carry into Haut's first season. |
|---|---|---|
| Own turnover rate, last season | 20.0% | Ranked 344th of 365, the weakness a rebuilt backcourt has to fix. |
| Last meeting | 93-63 | Tarleton's home win over Cameron on Dec. 7, 2025, with a very different roster. |
| Adjusted net efficiency, last season | -5.4 | Ranked 222nd of 365 for a 14-18 team, though most of that roster has turned over. |
Cameron vs Tarleton State: quick answers
When is Cameron vs Tarleton State?
Monday, November 2, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.