INCARNATE WORD 65, ST. MARY'S 63
It was Saturday night, the game was tied, Incarnate Word had the ball for the final shot with five seconds remaining in regulation. No problem. It's Eric Stewart time for the second consecutive Saturday.
The Cardinals (23-6) won the game 65-63 claiming their second consecutive Heartland Conference tournament title and their second consecutive trip to the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament next weekend at a site to be determined. To get to this final game, one night earlier UIW had to go to overtime to defeat number four seed Dallas Baptist 106-103 in the semi-finals.
The score was tied at 63 and number three seed St. Mary's (17-13) turned the ball over under the UIW hoop. The Cardinals called time out facing the drama of having to inbound the basketball under their own basket, hustle the length of the floor and get up a shot.
“Coach (Ken Burmeister) drew it up in the huddle,” Stewart said afterwards. “He said it gave me time to get to the free throw line for the shot.” Indeed it did. Stewart took the ball, streaked the length of the court to the left elbow of the charity stripe and let fly. When it swished through the netting it was totally surrounded by the red light around the glass signifying the game was over and it was a made basket.
This was the second time in seven days for Mr. Clutch. Stewart ensured Incarnate Word of top seeding in the Heartland title affair. Needing a win to sew up the top spot UIW was at Dallas Baptist the previous Saturday. The score was tied with just seconds remaining. Stewart again went the distance to launch a three-pointer which hit the bottom giving Incarnate Word the 73-70 victory.
Stewart finished with 15 points on 6-9 shooting from the field. It was when the points came that was so very important to the Cardinals. He got 11 of his scores in the final 9:32 of the game, a time when the lead belonged mostly to the Rattlers. Twice St. Mary's led by four only to have Stewart cut it to two. And twice St. Mary's led by three to see Stewart's production cut it to one.
The Rattlers were up by two with 13 seconds to go when Pierce Caldwell came wide open for a score-tying layup. And the assist came from whom else? Eric Stewart.
With the winner on the books the celebrating commenced as did the pushing, shoving, shouting and all-around confusion on the court involving players and fans and an extraordinary amount of adrenalin. Order was questionably restored long enough to get the Cardinals to their locker room area but no formal presentations were forthcoming.
As always when the Cardinals and Rattlers get together the game was rough and tumble with an even 50 fouls being called. Combined the two squads shot 72 free throws assuring a lack of graceful flow to the game. The considerable edge went to St. Mary's, 30-42 to 15-30. To counter balance that, UIW made 24 field goals to 16 for the Rattlers.
Caldwell led the Cardinals with 17 points. Stewart was the only other UIW player in double digits. Stewart led the team with his six assists while Caldwell and Chris Johnson were the leading rebounders with six each.
And if all that weren't enough excitement, the game was delayed one hour because of a faulty shot clock at the court's south end.
But so what, the Cardinals are going to the regional tournament with the Heartland regular season and tournament titles in their pockets.
