SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian University face off in a basketball doubleheader on Thursday night that will be shown live on ESPN 3.  The women's game tips off at 6 p.m. followed by the men's game at approximately 8 p.m.

The UIW women are 8-14 and 2-8 in the Southland Conference.  They are looking to snap a six-game losing streak that includes two games decided by five points or less last week.  Rose Whitehead (Grapevine/Grapevine HS) is the team's leading scorer at 13.6 points per game and she averages 5.2 rebounds per game.  Twin sisters Ifunanya and Kosisio Mora (Grand Prairie/Arlington Bowie HS) are the top rebounders on the team.  Ify averages 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while Kosy chips in with 9.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

The ACU women enter the game with a 13-11 record and 4-5 mark in the SLC.  Last year, the Cardinals and Wildcats split a pair of games when both were members of the Lone Star Conference.  They are led by Renata Marquez who is averaging 13.7 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 steals per game.  Suzzy Dimba has posted eight double-doubles on the season and is averaging 11.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.  Whitney West and Alexis Mason are each scoring over 11 points per game for the highest scoring offense in the league.

In the men's game, the Cardinals (18-5, 6-4) will be looking for a measure of revenge after losing twice to the Wildcats (8-16, 2-8) last year.  UIW boasts one of the top offenses in the nation averaging 84.2 points per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field.

Junior guard Denzel Livingston (Houston/Waltrip HS) leads the Cardinals attack with 20.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and he is also highly ranked in the conference in assists, blocks and steals.  He is the reigning Southland Conference Player of the Week.  Joining Livingston on the score sheet is Kyle Hittle (New Braunfels/New Braunfels HS) who is averaging 17.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.  Anthony Horton (League City/Clear Creek HS) and Sam Burmeister (San Antonio/Churchill HS) are both averaging 11 points per game.

The Wildcats went 1-1 last week and have been playing without their two top scorers for the last eight games.  Parker Wentz is scoring 11.9 points per game and has knocked down 56 three-pointers on the season.  Austin Cooke is the team's leading rebounder at 5.5 per game.

This is the first time the Cardinals have appeared on ESPN 3 this season and second time for the Wildcats.
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