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University of the Incarnate Word Athletics

ESPN+
Kosy Mora vs ACU
Mark Walton

Women's Basketball

Cardinals Fall to Wildcats

Box Score SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – A trio of late three-pointers pushed visiting Abilene Christian University over the top in their 73-67 win at University of the Incarnate Word on Thursday night, 73-67 in Southland Conference women's basketball action at the McDermott Center.

The Cardinals (8-15, 2-9) guarded the Wildcats (14-11, 5-5) well on the perimeter until the final few minutes of the game.  ACU guard Whitney West drained a pair of three-pointers and then Renata Marquez added a third trifecta within a 2:30 span to give the Wildcats a 4-point lead with 1:55 to play.  The team's traded buckets over the next minute and then ACU clinched the game at the foul line.

For the Cardinals it was a heart-breaking defeat, the third straight where they led at halftime.  UIW took a 39-38 lead into the halftime break and then extended the lead to nine points with 10:17 to play on a layup by Shelby Leinneweber (Floresville/Floresville HS).  The troubles for the team came with under six minutes to play when the team's top two post players, Leinneweber and Rose Whitehead (Grapevine/Grapevine HS).

ACU was able to take advantage on the inside in the final five minutes of the game with twins Suzzy and Lizzy Dimba doing most of the damage.

The Cardinals shot 40.6 percent from the field, made 4-of-11 from three-point range and were 11-of-16 at the charity stripe.  Kosisio Mora (Grand Prairie/Arlington Bowie HS) scored a career-high 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and had five steals for her second consecutive double-double.  Twin sister Ifunanya Mora (Grand Prairie/Arlington HS) added 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists.  Freshman Natalie Hessong (Corpus Christi/King HS) provided a spark off the bench with 14 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting.  UIW forced 15 turnovers and only committed nine.

The Wildcats shot 40.9 percent from the field, made 7-of-24 from three-point range and were 12-of-16 at the foul line.  Lizzy Dimba led the team with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field.  Suzzy Dimba added eight points, 14 rebounds, five blocks and four assists.  Marquez, West and Alexis Mason each scored in double figures for the visitors.  They grabbed 11 more rebounds than the Cardinals in the game.

UIW is back in action on February 22 at 2 p.m. against New Jersey Institute of Technology at home.
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