SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team matched defending Southland Conference Champion Central Arkansas blow-for-blow through the first half on Wednesday night, but a disastrous third quarter allowed the Sugar Bears to pull away from the Cardinals and secure a 57-35 victory at the McDermott Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Central Arkansas (12-4, 5-0 SLC) scored first on Wednesday, but UIW (3-11, 2-1 SLC) quickly answered with an Imani Robinson layup. After the Sugar Bears took a 4-2 lead, Quincy Baker countered with a hook shot in the paint. Central Arkansas punched back with a three-pointer, but Baker connected on another powerful midrange hook shot and raced to the defensive end, before rousing her teammates with an emphatic yell and fist pump.
 
At the 6:05 mark of the first quarter, the Sugar Bears held a five-point advantage, but the Cardinals scored five consecutive points to tie the ballgame at 12 apiece.
 
The see-saw battle continued as Central Arkansas scored five straight points of their own to grab a 17-12 advantage. As the clock wound down on the opening frame, Sydnee Wynn nailed a jumper in the paint, and UIW trailed by just three points after 10 minutes of action.
 
The second quarter was a low-scoring defensive stalemate. The Sugar Bears added to their lead methodically in the period, and after a Kara Speer three-pointer in the waning minutes, Central Arkansas held a 28-21 advantage at the break.
 
Things took a terrible turn for the Cardinals in the third quarter. Kamry Orr knocked down a jumper only 14 seconds into the frame, starting an onslaught that spanned the entire 10 minutes of the period. When the dust finally settled, UIW had been outscored, 24-5, and the Sugar Bears held an imposing 26-point advantage.
 
Rather than checking it in, the Cardinals came to play in the final quarter, turning the tables on Central Arkansas with an impressive defensive performance. And while UIW managed just nine points of their own in the frame, Central Arkansas was held to only five.
 
THE BREAKDOWN
 
The Cardinals shot 27.3 percent from the floor and 11.1 percent from beyond the arc, while connecting on 45.5 percent of their free throws. The Sugar Bears shot 37 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three-point range, while making 71.4 percent of their opportunities at the charity stripe.
 
Central Arkansas won the battle of the boards, 37-33, and committed four fewer turnovers. The Sugar Bears earned a 24-9 edge on points off turnovers, a 13-4 advantage on second chance points, a 28-20 edge on points in the paint and an 8-5 advantage on bench points.
 
LEADERS
 
Robinson led UIW with 14 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and a block. Quincy Baker added 12 points, 2 boards, 2 blocks, 2 steals and an assist.
 
Orr and Taylor Baudoin combined for 9 rebounds, 6 steals, 4 assists and 40 of Central Arkansas' 57 points.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Cardinals travel to Nacogdoches for a 3:30 p.m. showdown with Stephen F. Austin on Saturday.
 
STAY TUNED
 
UIW faces Lamar in Beaumont at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
 
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