Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team was able to hang onto a 65-64 win over visiting Lone Star Conference rival Texas A&M-Commerce on Wednesday night at the McDermott Center. (Box Score)

The Cardinals (15-6, 11-4) and Lions (7-13, 5-10) went back and forth all game long as the game featured 10 lead changes and three times.  The largest lead either team held was when the Cardinals went up by eight points with 7:08 remaining in the game.

The Lions held the lead for much of the first half and took a 24-18 advantage with 5:28 left in the first half on a three-pointer by Symone Brown.  The Cardinals responded with a 9-0 run to take the lead.  Joslinn Douglass (Austin/Del Valle HS) spurred the team with seven of the nine points during the run.  UIW closed out the half on a high note as Michelle Hale (Albuquerque, NM/Rio Grande HS) and Ify Mora (Grand Prairie/Arlington Bowie HS) each scored four points in the final two minutes to give UIW a 33-28 at the break.

The Cardinals maintained their lead until Commerce put together a 9-0 run to take a 41-39 lead after a conventional three-point play by Brown with 13:34 remaining.  UIW reclaimed the lead a few minutes later on a jumper by Mora and would never trail again.  The Cardinals took their biggest lead of the game after Rose Whitehead (Grapevine/Grapevine HS) scored seven straight points for the team to make it 52-44, but the Lions stayed close.

Over the final 4:34 the Cardinals never led by more than five points, but the Lions were unable to get the key bucker or stop to allow them to tie the game.  UIW scored their final 13 points of the game from the foul line.  Danielle Dixon hit a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer to make the final score a 1-point game.

The Cardinals shot 33.9 percent from the field, made 2-of-12 from three-point range and went 23-for-28 at the foul line.  Ashlyn Green (Irving/Irving HS) led the team with 19 points, seven rebounds, five steals, four assists and two blocks.  She went 9-of-12 from the foul line.  Whitehead came off the bench to score 17 points and grab a team high nine rebounds.  Douglass added 14 points off the bench and was 4-of-7 from the field.  Mora had a strong all-around game with eight points, seven rebounds and she tied a school record with six blocks.  The team had 36 rebounds and committed 12 turnovers.

The Lions shot 34.3 percent from the field, made 3-of-11 from three-point land and were 15-for-17 at the charity stripe.  Dixon led the team with 23 points while Breanna Harris had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.  Brown contributed 13 points and seven rebounds.  They had 50 rebounds, including 21 offensive boards that led to 18 second chance points, and committed 18 turnovers.

The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. when they travel to Tarleton State.  The team has officially clinched a berth in the LSC Tournament.
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