The stretch run is well underway for positions in the Lone Star Conference post-season championship tournament and with a slot clinched Incarnate Word men's basketball team hit a speed bump in Wichita Falls Wednesday night.

The Cardinals dropped a game at Midwestern State by a 77-53 count to slip just a bit in the standings.  UIW is now 13-9 on the year including 9-6 in Lone Star action.  The loss allowed idle Cameron at 9-5 to slip just in front of the Cardinals into third place.  The Aggies come to San Antonio on Saturday for a 4:30 p.m. game with the winner gaining a major foothold on third seed for the tournament.

The Wednesday win put Midwestern State at 19-2 and 12-2 in league play.  That is second to Tarleton State which is 12-1.

The Mustangs led the entire game in handing UIW its most severe defeat of the year, 24 points.  The Cardinals were their own worst enemy by shooting just 21.9 per cent in the second half and 30 per cent for the game.  MSU led 36-32 at the halftime break but came out strong and over the first six and one-half minutes outscored the Cardinals 16-6 to lead 52-38 allowing the Mustangs to play it out.

Senior forward Chris Johnson led Incarnate Word with a game high 23 points to go with nine rebounds.  The current LSC offensive player of the week, Johnson topped 20 points in a game for the fourth time this season.  He had 22 last Saturday in a UIW win over Tarleton State, the then number four team in the nation.

Senior guard Shaun Umeh was the only other Cardinal to reach double figure points. He had 10.

The loss was just the second in the last nine games and broke a two-game winning string.  Incarnate Word has three games remaining in conference play.  Beginning with Cameron on Saturday UIW will host Abilene Christian and then travel to Angelo State.