Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Clutch shooting and some tough defense allowed the University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team to snap a two-game losing streak and come away with a 51-50 win over visiting West Texas A&M in Lone Star Conference action on Thursday night at the McDermott Center. (Box Score)

Despite leading by 11 points at the half, the Cardinals (8-4, 4-2) needed a pair of key buckets and two defensive stops to secure the victory over the Lady Buffs (6-9, 2-4).  Trailing 48-46 with under 1:30 to play, the Cardinals worked the ball around the perimeter before Katy Cooke (Marble Falls/Marble Falls HS) drove baseline and found Joslinn Douglass (Austin/Del Valle HS) open in the corner and she buried the three-pointer with 1:02 to play.

The Lady Buffs responded by getting the ball to do-it-all forward Devin Griffin who knocked down a short jumper to give WT a 50-49 lead with 36 seconds remaining.  The Cardinals looked to score quickly and it was Ashlyn Green (Irving/Irving HS) converting a tough runner in the lane to reclaim the lead at 51-50 with 25 ticks left.

West Texas A&M had two opportunities to win the game.  Danielle Logan fired up a three-pointer, but the shot was deflected by Green and rebounded by the Cardinals.  However, the Cardinals were whistled for traveling on the rebound giving the ball back to the Lady Buffs.  On their last opportunity, Griffin had the ball knocked away from her by Ify Mora (Grand Prairie/Arlington Bowie HS) for a steal to clinch the game.

The Cardinals played well in the first half putting together a 12-2 run midway through and they held the Lady Buffs to four points over a 10:16 stretch.  They held WT to just 29.6 percent shooting in the first half and while scoring 14 points on second chance opportunities.

The second half was a reversal of fortunes as the Buffs pounded the ball inside to the tune of 20 points in the point.  The Cardinals shot just 30.4 percent from the field in the half and had no second chance points.  Douglass' three-pointer was the only one of the half for the Cards.

Incarnate Word shot 34.7 percent from the field, made 4-of-13 from three-point range and was 13-of-16 at the foul line.  Rose Whitehead (Grapevine/Grapevine HS) poured in 18 points in 18 minutes off the bench after playing scarcely in the past two games with an illness.  She was 5-of-7 from the field and 8-for-10 at the foul line.  Michelle Hale (Albuquerque, NM/Rio Grande HS) led the team with 10 rebounds while Green added nine points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals.  They pulled down six more rebounds than the Lady Buffs, but committed two more turnovers.

The Lady Buffs finished the game shooting 38.9 percent from the field.  They were 2-of-16 from three-point range and 6-of-9 at the foul line.  Griffin led the way with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds.  Chontiquah White added 10 points.  Casey Land dished out a game high five assists. 

The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday at 2 p.m. against LSC rival Eastern New Mexico at home.
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