Box Score LAREDO, TEXAS - The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team narrowly escaped a Texas A&M-International comeback picking up a 72-68 win on the road on Saturday night.

The Cardinals (3-1) held a 13-point lead at half only to see that disappear in the first eight minutes of the second half. The Dustdevils (2-1) overcame the deficit and took the lead with 12 minutes remaining in the game. TAMIU would only hold this lead for a few seconds until Dionelle Rucker (San Antonio, TX/New Life Christian Academy) made a pair of free throws. UIW would not trail again after that point. The Cardinals iced the game down the stretch by going 7-for-8 from the free throw line at the end of the game. 

The Denzel Livingston (Houston/Waltrip HS) led the Cardinals with a game-high 19 points. Livingston picked up eight of his 19 points from the free throw line and also pulled down seven rebounds. Freshman Kyle Hittle (New Braunfels/New Braunfels HS) played a large role in the win going 4-of-6 from beyond the arc for all 12 of his points. As a team the Cardinals shot 47.1 percent from the field, made 7-of-16 from three-point land and were 17-for-24 at the foul line.  Two other Cardinals reached double figures for the game.  Rucker finished with 15 points and Anthony Horton (League City/Clear Springs) added 12 points.  Mitchell Badillo (Houston/Cy-Falls HS) led all players with eight assists.  The team had 32 rebounds and committed 15 turnovers.

The Dustdevils shot 43.9 percent from the field, made 7-of-24 from three-point range and were 11-of-18 at the foul line.  Matthew Culliver, Jr. led the team with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists.  Johnel Gray chipped in with 14 points and nine rebounds.  They had 38 rebounds as a team and committed 17 turnovers.

The Cardinals now have three straight home games starting with a matchup against St. Edwards on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. 
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