SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team fought admirably on Senior Night, but couldn't overcome a talented Nicholls squad and a herculean effort from Liam Thomas, dropping a 77-68 decision at The Convo.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Both teams came out sloppy, combining for three missed shots and two turnovers over the first two minutes. The Cardinals (11-16, 6-10 SLC) scored first on a Simi Socks jumper at the 18:08 mark, but the Colonels (13-15, 6-9 SLC) matched UIW step for step, and five minutes into the action, the game had already featured four ties.
 
At the 14:51 mark, the Cardinals were locked in an 8-8 tie with Nicholls, but UIW ran off seven straight points, punctuated by a Sam Burmeister three-pointer with just under 13 minutes remaining in the half.
 
The Colonels battled back, chipping away at the lead, and after a Lafayette Rutledge shot from deep, Nicholls captured a 19-18 advantage at the 8:34 mark. The Cardinals punched back with a Socks three-ball and a Shawn Johnson layup to secure a four-point lead, but minutes later the Colonels tied the ballgame again on a pair of Johnathan Bell free throws.
 
Nicholls pulled out to a five-point advantage with 2:20 remaining in the frame, but UIW scored the final seven points of the period and escaped with a 35-33 lead at intermission.
 
The Colonels stormed out of the break, overwhelming the Cardinals with a 24-7 run, and with 10:48 remaining in the game, Nicholls led UIW, 57-42.
 
The the Cardinals clawed their way back with a 9-0 run of their own, cutting the Colonels' advantage to five at the 7:29 mark, but Nicholls quickly pushed its lead back to 14 points and UIW came no closer.
 
THE BREAKDOWN
 
The Cardinals shot 40.3 percent from the floor and 32.0 percent from three-point range. Their percentages were largely altered by the long arms of Thomas, the national leader in blocked shots. UIW found refuge from Thomas at the charity stripe, where the Cardinals shot 66.7 percent. The Colonels shot 41.3 percent from the field and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc, while knocking down 94.4 percent (17-of-18) of their attempts at the free throw line.
 
The Colonels won the battle of the boards, 45-32, and took advantage with a 15-10 edge on second chance points. Nicholls earned a 30-26 advantage on points in the paint and a 9-7 edge on fast break points.
 
The game turned into a block party as the two teams combined for 21 blocks on the night. The Colonels racked up 12 swats, while the UIW totaled nine.
 
LEADERS
 
Socks paced the Cardinals with 22 points, four rebounds, two steals and an assist. Jalin Hart had 18 points, five assists, four boards and a block. Burmeister finished with 16 points and two rebounds in the contest. Shawn Johnson tallied nine points, seven boards, three steals and two assists in the loss.
 
Thomas led the way for Nicholls with a 14-point, 13-rebound, 10-block triple-double. He added two assists and one steal on the night. Johnathan Bell contributed a double-double, scoring 17 points and pulling down 11 boards, while dishing out five assists, recording three steals and blocking one shot. Jahvaughn Powell poured in 18 points, three rebounds and two steals, while tossing a team-high eight assists in the victory.
 
UP NEXT
 
UIW plays at Abilene Christian on Wednesday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.
 
STAY TUNED
 
The Cardinals conclude the season at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday, March 4 at 1:30 p.m.
 
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.