SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team ran their record to 4-0 with a 105-83 victory over visiting Texas A&M-International on Monday night at the McDermott Center.

The Cardinals shot a scorching 62.3 percent from the field and were able to fend off a pesky Dustdevil (2-3) team that fought to stay in the game.  UIW had three players score at least 20 points and they eclipsed the century mark for the first time this year.

The game was very close at the start as the two teams traded the lead back and forth seven times and had five ties through the first 12:30 of the game.  The Cardinals held a 29-28 lead with exactly six minutes remaining in the half when they blitzed TAMIU to the tune of a 16-0 lead.  UIW hit a trio of three-pointers in the run and also had a conventional three-point play by Denzel Livingston (Houston/Waltrip HS) cap off the run.  The Cardinals took a 51-34 lead into halftime and connected on 8-of-10 three-point attempts.

In the second half, the Cardinals continued to shoot the ball well and took a 77-54 lead after a Shawn Johnson (Gretna, LA/Alief Hastings HS) alley-oop dunk off a nice pass from fellow freshman Jontrell Walker (Aurora, IL/West Aurora HS) with 11:55 remaining in the game.

The Cardinals still led by 19 points with 6:39 to play when the Dustdevils put on a little run and pulled to within 12 points with 3:42 remaining on a fast break layup by David Horst.  Coming out of a timeout, Walker hit a tough jumper in the lane that seemed to open the flood gates for UIW as they closed the game on a 15-6 run.  Johnson recorded four of his season high six blocks in the final 2:48 of the game.

The Cardinals 71 percent in the first half and finished 33-of-53 from the floor and they were 15-of-25 from three-point range.  They also knocked down 24-of-31 from the foul line.  Livingston led the team with 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field.  Walker scored over 20 points for a second straight game as he went for 26 points and five assists while draining six three-pointers.  Kyle Hittle (New Braunfels/New Braunfels HS) had another strong performance with 22 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals while going 8-of-9 from the field.  Johnson added nine points, eight rebounds and the aforementioned six blocks while Mitchell Badillo (Houston/Cy Falls HS) chipped in 12 points and eight assists.

The Dustdevils shot 53.3 percent from the field, made 9-of-17 from three-point range and were 10-of-12 at the foul line.  They had five players score in double figures with Vadal Faniel leading the way with 23 points and eight boards.  Montrice McKnight pumped in 16 points, including four three-pointers, and dished out four assists.  Anthony Alston had 10 points, four assists and four steals.

The Cardinals are back in action on December 4 against St. Edward's for their final home game of 2014.
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