SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Visiting Abilene Christian University hung close to the University of the Incarnate Word on Senior Night at the McDermott Center, but the Cardinals were able to pull out a 64-52 win on Thursday in Southland Conference men's basketball action.

The Wildcats (10-20, 4-13) held the Cardinals (18-9, 10-7) without a point to for nearly five minutes to start the game.  ACU led by as many as seven points in the first half after a three-pointer by LaDarrien Williams with 13:00 left.  UIW responded by scoring the next 16 points of the game and they took a 20-11 lead after a three-pointer by Kyle Hittle (New Braunfels/New Braunfels HS) with 4:55 remaining in the half.

It looked like the Cardinals might blow the game open in the first half, but the Wildcats buckled down to close out the half.  They held UIW scoreless over the final 2:16 and made it 23-19 at the break.

In the second half, the Wildcats quickly tied the score at 27-27 less than three minutes into the period, but they would never take the lead.  Mitchell Badillo (Houston/Cy-Falls HS) sparked the team in the second half and the Cardinals started to control the paint area.  Harrison Hawkins kept ACU in the game with 15 second half points, but eventually the Cardinals would push the lead to double digits.

The Cardinals honored their two seniors, Denzel Livingston (Houston/Waltrip HS) and Winslo Barry (Nassau, Bahamas/Tyler JC), prior to the game.  Livingston finished with 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the team.  Overall, UIW shot 49.0 percent from the field, made 3-of-13 from three-point range and they were 13-of-17 from the foul line.  Hittle finished with 13 points and seven rebounds while Traylin Farris (Pearland/Manvel HS) had 12 points and six boards.  Badillo added 10 points and six assists off the bench.

The Wildcats shot 31.1 percent from the field, made 3-of-15 from three-point range and were 11-of-12 at the foul line.  Hawkins finished with 21 points in 22 minutes while Williams had 10 points and seven rebounds.  They had 10 fewer rebounds than the Cardinals.

The Cardinals close out the regular season on Saturday when they travel to Houston Baptist for a 7 p.m. start.
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