Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – On the day before Thanksgiving, cross-town rivals University of the Incarnate Word and St. Mary's University engaged in a friendly contest between women's basketball teams.  The Cardinals (3-2) came out on top at Bill Greehey Arena, 65-54 over the Rattlers (3-1).  (Box Score)

The game featured plenty of passion between the two teams, but neither was able to consistently score.  The score was just 6-4 Cardinals until Ify Mora (Grand Prairie/Arlington Bowie HS) put in a layup with 12:05 left in the first half.  The Cardinals would lead by as many as nine points in the first half, but it could have been more as they went 7-of-15 from the charity stripe.  They took a 29-22 lead into halftime.

The second half could not have started any worse for the Cardinals.  They turned the ball over five times in the first five minutes and the Rattlers took advantage by ripping off a 10-0 run to take a 32-29 lead.

The Cardinals reclaimed the lead with an 8-0 run, but gave it right back when the Rattlers went on an 11-2 run that included eight free throws and a three-pointer by Lia Kioa.  St. Mary's led 43-39 with 8:23 remaining in the game and it did not look good for the Cardinals.  However, the tide was close to turning.

Michelle Hale (Albuquerque, NM/Rio Grande HS) got the Cardinals started by knocking down a pair of free throws.  On their next possession, Rose Whitehead (Grapevine/Grapevine HS) tied the game with a lay-up.  She followed that by making two free throws the next time down the court to give the Cards a 45-43 lead with 6:27 remaining.

The Cardinals broke the game open when Katy Cooke (Marble Falls/Marble Falls HS) and Katie Novak (Homer Glen, IL/Lockport Township HS) hit back-to-back three-pointers.  Felicia Jacobs knocked down a jumper for the Rattlers to make it 51-45, but then Whitehead scored five straight points to give the Cardinals a double-digit lead with 2:39 remaining that practically sealed the victory.

The Cardinals shot 35.8 percent from the field, made 3-of-11 from three-point range and were 24-of-37 at the foul line.  Whitehead led the team with 14 points off the bench in just 20 minutes of action.  Mora contributed a double-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.  Joslinn Douglas (Austin/Del Valle HS) made her first career start a memorable one with 11 points, five assists and five steals.  The team had 43 rebounds and committed 16 turnovers.

The Rattlers shot 31.6 percent from the field, made 3-of-13 from three-point range and were 15-of-26 at the charity stripe.  Jacobs had a strong game with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals.  Jackie Woods led the team with 16 points while Mariah Lee nearly had a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds.  They had 43 rebounds and committed 22 turnovers.

The Cardinals do not play again until next Thursday when they open up Lone Star Conference play at home against Midwestern State at 5:30 p.m.
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