The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team has clinched the Heartland Conference regular season title, going into Bill Greehey Arena at St. Mary's University and beating STMU, 60-50.
The Cardinals are now assured the top seed in the Heartland Conference basketball tournament on March 4-6th where the two teams will likely face off again for the Heartland Conference Championship and a bid into the 2010 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Tournament.
Nia Torru drained five 3-pointers and finished with 18 points while Hayley Harvey and Cinnamon Kava both scored 13 points.
The Cardinals led by as many as 23 points in the second half at the 10:13 and scored 27 points off of turnovers and 26 points in the paint to the Rattlers' 15 and 20, respectively.
St. Mary never closed the gap to under double digits after UIW had its 23-point lead.
Incarnate Word now has only Arkansas-Fort Smith and Midwestern State left on its regular season schedule and neither result will have an effect on the Cardinals' standings in the Heartland Conference – as the Lions are still in-transition to NCAA Division II and the Mustangs are members of the Lone Star Conference.
The Fort Smith game is at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday night and Midwestern State will come to the McDermott Center on Saturday at 4 p.m. The MSU contest is also Senior Day for the Cardinal women.
