Box Score PORTALES, NEW MEXICO – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team found themselves in a perilous position on Saturday at Eastern New Mexico, but battled back to win, 64-61 in overtime. (Box Score)

The Cardinals (16-8, 12-6) trailed the Zias (7-19, 6-12), 44-29 after Nelsha Peterson's jumper with 13:08 remaining in the Lone Star Conference game.  UIW responded with an 8-0 run, but the Zias pushed the lead back to 11 points with 7:35 to play.

The Cardinals locked down the Zias defensively over the final 7:35 giving up a total of seven points.  Ify Mora (Grand Prairie/Arlington Bowie HS) started the comeback for the Cardinals with six straight points and the team pulled to within two points on a jumper by Katy Cooke (Marble Falls/Marble Falls HS) with 3:16 remaining in regulation.  Peterson drained a pair of free throws to make it 51-47 ENMU and then Katie Novak (Homer Glen, IL/Lockport Township HS) buried a three-pointer with 1:05 to play for the Cardinals.

After the teams traded layups, Peterson connected on a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left to make it 55-52.  The Cardinals tied the game when Cooke missed a three-pointer, Mora grabbed the rebound and kicked it back out to Cooke who drained the second chance opportunity with eight ticks left on the clock.

In overtime, the were still tied with under a minute to play when Rose Whitehead (Grapevine/Grapevine HS) scored on a short jumper in the lane and was fouled with 22 seconds left.  She sank the free throw and the Cardinals went home happy after Jordyn Cooper's three-point attempt missed the mark.

The Cardinals shot 37.5 percent from the field, made 2-of-15 from three-point range and were 14-of-18 from the foul line.  Ashlyn Green (Irving/Irving HS) came off the bench to lead the team with 17 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.  Whitehead added 13 points.  Mora finished with eight points, nine rebounds and three assists.  The team had 41 rebounds and committed 12 turnovers.

The Zias shot 33.8 percent from the field, made 4-of-23 from three-point range and were 11-of-13 from the foul line.  Peterson had an incredible game with 24 points and 11 rebounds in only 17 minutes of action off the bench.  Alexa Candelaria added 10 points while Lakeeyscia Griffin had 8 points and five assists.  They finished with 46 rebounds and committed 15 turnovers.

The Cardinals are back in action on Wednesday night for the final home game of the season against Abilene Christian at 5:30 p.m.
####
pr13137smm