Box Score HAMMOND, LOUISIANA – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team lost their first-ever Southland Conference game on Thursday night at Southeastern Louisiana, 67-55.

The Cardinals (6-7, 0-1) trailed by only five points at halftime, 35-30 and quickly made up the gap.  A three-pointer by Katie Novak (Homer Glen, IL/Lockport Township HS) followed by a layup from Joslinn Douglas (Austin/Del Valle HS) with 13:14 remaining in the game tied the contest at 43-43.

The Lions (3-12, 2-1) followed that Douglas basket with a 7-0 run over the next four minutes.  UIW missed eight shots and turned the ball over twice during that stretch before finally scoring on a pair of free throws by Ify Mora (Grand Prairie/Arlington Bowie HS) with 8:01 to play.

The teams traded buckets over the next few minutes and it remained a five point lead for the Lions with 2:44 to play after two free throws by UIW's Rose Whitehead (Grapevine/Grapevine HS).  However, a three-pointer by Peaches Anderson and then a quick bucket by Symone Miller gave the Lions a 10-point lead that proved to be too much to overcome.

The Cardinals shot 35.1 percent from the field, made 3-of-13 from three-point range and were 12-of-16 from the foul line.  Whitehead led the team with 18 points as she went 7-of-14 from the field.  Mora added 13 points and a team high five rebounds.  The team had 27 rebounds, seven assists and 12 turnovers.

The Lions shot 49.1 percent from the field, went 2-of-13 from three-point range and were 9-of-14 at the charity stripe.  They enjoyed a huge advantage on the glass  with 17 more rebounds than the Cardinals.  Nanna Pool led all players with 17 boards.  Aja Gibson led the team with 19 points and also grabbed nine rebounds.  Miller finished with 17 points on the night.  They had 13 assists and 17 turnovers as a team.

The Cardinals are back in action on Saturday at New Orleans with tip-off slated for 11 a.m.
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