SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team did just enough down the stretch on Saturday to hold off a talented Nicholls squad for a 64-62 Southland Conference victory at the McDermott Center.
 
HOW IT WAS WON
 
The game couldn't have started much worse for the Cardinals (2-11, 1-1 SLC), who fell into an 11-0 hole just three minutes into the ballgame. After a timeout and mass substitution by Head Coach Christy Smith, UIW got on the board with an Alexandra Busby-Leija teardrop at the 6:16 mark.
 
Following a defensive stop, Sydnee Wynn connected on a layup, was fouled and successfully completed her and-one opportunity, cutting the Colonels' (6-6, 1-1 SLC) advantage to six points.
 
Preseason All-Southland selection Cassidy Barrios responded with a layup for Nicholls, but the Cardinals scored the final five points of the quarter, and trailed by just three, after 10 minutes of action.
 
Tia Charles opened the second quarter with a jumper for the Colonels, but UIW scored seven consecutive points to take its first lead of the afternoon, 17-15.
 
Barrios answered again with a layup to tie the ballgame, jump-starting a back-and-forth quarter that featured three ties and seven lead changes.
 
With 1:24 remaining in the first half, the game was knotted at 25, but Wynn and Quincy Baker combined for three quick layups. After a pair of Nicholls free throws, the Cardinals took a 31-27 advantage into the locker room.
 
Baker picked up where she left off in the first half, connecting on a layup to open the third period, but the Colonels countered with seven consecutive points to retake the lead.
 
With 3:42 remaining in the period, Nicholls held a five-point advantage, but UIW closed out the frame on a 10-2 run, capped by another Baker layup.
 
The Cardinals' advantage was swiftly erased at the start of the fourth, when the Colonels connected on a shot from long range to tie the game. UIW immediately punched back with a Kara Speer three-pointer, followed by a Wynn layup to go ahead, 51-46.
 
At the 5:00 mark, Cassidy tied the ballgame with a layup, but Imani Robinson added a basket of her own and a free throw on the next possession to give the Cardinals a three-point lead.
 
After missing 14 attempts from the free throw line in a nine-point loss to McNeese on Thursday, UIW started off appallingly from the charity stripe again on Saturday. The Cardinals went 2-for-10 at the free throw line in the first half, but improved to 13-for-19 in the second half, including 10-for-11 over the final 2:51.
 
With the game tied at 62 and just seven seconds remaining, Robinson stepped to the charity stripe and calmly nailed two clutch free throws to seal the win.
 
THE BREAKDOWN
 
UIW shot 37.3 percent from the floor and 23.8 percent from three-point range, while allowing 40.3 percent and 40 percent respectively. The Cardinals shot 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from the charity stripe in the victory, compared to just 22.2 percent (2-of-9) by Nicholls.
 
UIW earned a 26-15 edge on points off turnovers, a 29-17 advantage on bench points and a 9-4 edge on fast break points. The Colonels picked up a 17-11 advantage on second chance points.
 
LEADERS
 
Wynn led the Cardinals with her second career double-double, turning in 13 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals and an assist. Robinson scored a team-high 14 points, to go along with 8 boards, 4 steals and 2 assists. Speer contributed 11 points and Baker registered 9 points, 5 blocks and 4 rebounds in the win.
 
Marina Lilly paced the Colonels with 12 points, 10 boards, 2 blocks and 2 assists.
 
NOTEABLES
 
Saturday's victory marked the fourth consecutive win for UIW over Nicholls. The last time the Colonels defeated the Cardinals came on Jan. 30, 2016, when Nicholls recorded a 66-64 victory over UIW in San Antonio. Four of the past five meetings between programs have been won by six points or less.
 
The Cardinals have not lost to the Colonels in the Christy Smith era.
 
UP NEXT
 
UIW travels to Huntsville on Saturday, Jan. 6 for a 3 p.m. matchup with Sam Houston.
 
STAY TUNED
 
The Cardinals host Central Arkansas at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10 in San Antonio.
 
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow UIW Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.