CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – In one of the most evenly-matched contests of the 2016-17 season, the University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team came up one basket short, dropping a 68-65 decision to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday afternoon at the American Bank Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Trailing by three points with 13 seconds remaining, the Cardinals (9-20, 7-11 SLC) had one final opportunity to send the game into overtime. The Islanders (12-17, 8-10 SLC) defense answered the bell, forcing Celia Garcia Paunero into a tightly-contested fade-away 27-footer. Her shot careened off the backboard and went halfway down, before bouncing back out as time expired and A&M-Corpus Christi fans exhaled collectively.
 
The Islanders drew first blood on Saturday, sinking a layup just four seconds into the matchup. UIW punched back with a Haley Frias shot from deep on the ensuing possession. A&M-Corpus Christi pulled out to a 7-3 advantage, but the Cardinals scored five straight to recapture the lead at 8-7.
 
With 5:55 remaining in the first, the Islanders held a 9-8 advantage, but UIW ran off six unanswered points to secure a 15-9 lead. A&M-Corpus Christi responded, but the Cardinals maintained a 17-14 advantage at the end of one.
 
UIW expanded its lead in the second, and after an Imani Robinson jumper, held a nine-point advantage with 5:58 remaining in the half. Just when it looked like the Cardinals had gained control of the contest, the Islanders clawed their way back, closing out the period on a 16-5 run to take a 34-32 lead into the locker room.
 
The third quarter was a defensive struggle as the teams scored just 20 points combined and entered the final frame locked in a 43-43 tie.
 
After a Cheyenne Berry layup at the 5:17 mark of the fourth quarter, UIW held a five-point advantage, but A&M-Corpus Christi ran off 13-straight and held on in the final seconds to escapre with the victory.
 
THE BREAKDOWN
 
The Cardinals shot 38.8 percent from the floor and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc, while holding the Islanders to 38.5 percent and 38.9 percent respectively. UIW shot 62.5 percent (5-of-8) at the free throw line, compared to 64.7 percent (11-of-17) by A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
The Islanders won the battle of the boards, 43-39, and finished with a 7-2 edge on second chance points. A&M-Corpus Christi picked up a 31-13 advantage on bench points, a 6-2 edge on fast break points, a 9-7 advantage on points off turnovers and a 26-24 edge on points in the paint.
 
LEADERS
 
Berry led the Cardinals with 18 points, six assists and three rebounds in her final game in a UIW uniform. Garcia Paunero turned in her 18^th double-double of the season, finishing her Cardinal career with a 12-point, 11-board performance. She added two blocks and an assist. Robinson turned in a double-double of her own, stuffing the stat sheet with 14 points, 10 boards, four steals, four assists and two blocks. Alexandra Busby-Leija contributed 13 points, while Frias added six points and four rebounds. Tanjunique Ajeto chipped in two points and two boards, while solidifying the UIW defense in the final game of her collegiate career.
 
Kassie Jones (19 points) paced the Islanders, while Camesha Davis had team-highs in both rebounds (nine) and assists (four).
 
UP NEXT
 
All-Southland Conference teams will be announced prior to the league tournament in Katy.
 
STAY TUNED
 
Next season the Cardinals will be eligible for postseason play and Head Coach Christy Smith is determined to have the program ready to compete for a Southland Conference Championship.
 
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.