TEMPE, Arizona -- The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball is set to begin the 2018/19 regular season Tuesday night (9:30 p.m. CT) against No.23 Arizona State at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe, Ariz.
 
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I-MONEY

• UIW return seven players from last year's squad, including junior all-conference guard Imani Robinson.
• Robinson became the first preseason first team All-SLC selection in program history for UIW this fall.
• The Round Rock native led the team in points (12.8), minutes (27.4), field goals made (118), free throws attempted (165) and made (117) last season.
• This is yet another in a string of conference recognitions for Robinson. She was named 2016-17 Southland Freshman of the Year two seasons ago and finished last year with third team All-SLC honors.
• The junior is coming off a season in which she scored 368 total points, the most of any Cardinal in a single season since joining DI, and the most since 2009/10 (Nia Torru).

 
KEY RETURNERS

• The lone senior, Gabbi Bowie, will play a prominent role this season. She is one of two returning starters, along with Robinson. Bowie averaged 6.8 points, 3.3 boards while logging 26.4 minutes per game, second most on the team (Robinson).
• The Cardinals are also returning last season's team leader in three-point shooting, sophomore guard Kara Speer. Speer drained 33 threes last season, earning most of her minutes off the bench. She will continue to be an outside threat that defenses have to account for throughout the 2018-19 season.
• Sophomore Olivia Noah will hope to improve on an impressive ending to her freshman season. After injuries forced her to miss over half the season, the 6-1 forward showed her potential in the final eight games, averaging 7.25 points-per-game on .324 shooting from three.

 
NEW FACES

• Head coach Christy Smith signed three JUCO transfers, Alexis Henry, Lunden Henry and Angelica Wiggens, from Moberly Area Community College, a team that went 32-1 last season and earned a 3rd overall seed in the NJCAA Division 1 national tournament. UIW will look for them to make an immediate impact this year.
• Wiggens was named Women's Basketball Coaches Association honorable mention All-American and 1st Team All-Conference at MACC last season. She averaged nearly 13 PPG, four rebounds and four assists in 32 starts for her junior college. Her winning mentality and offensive prowess will be welcomed to a UIW team that averaged 51.7  points per game last season.
• The Cardinals welcome a pair of decorated freshman to the squad:  Starr Omozee comes to San Antonio from Pflugerville HS where she helped her team reach the State 6A Semifinals. Macy Ray earned All-District 19-6A honors while at Katy Taylor HS.
• The basketball team also welcomes two-time letter winning sprinter, Victoria Jackson. She spent the last two years competing in the long jump, triple jump, 200m and 400m races for UIW Track & Field. She will play guard, where her speed and quickness is expected to provide an immediate impact to the team's defense and transition game.

 
NONCONFERENCE GUANTLET

• The non-conference schedule is loaded with notable opposition.
• Nine of the 11 non-conference opponents are coming off winning seasons.
• The season opener is at Arizona State, a team that reached the second round of the 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament.
• That will be one of two games against 2018 NCAA Tournament teams, as UIW visits Minnesota on Dec. 5.
• South Dakota, Houston, and Rice each took part in the WNIT.
• Weber State (WBI) also saw postseason play in 2017-18.

 
SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE

• The Sun Devils are coming off a campaign in which they tied the school records for consecutive NCAA appearances (five) and 20-win seasons (five).
• The team will return all of its core players next season including 2018 All-Pac-12 standout and leading scorer Kianna Ibis and 2018 All-Pac-12 honorable mention/Pac-12 defensive honorable mention selection Robbi Ryan.
• This will be the first-ever meeting between UIW and ASU.

 
 
UP NEXT
The Cardinals stay in Arizona to play Grand Canyon University on Friday night, a 7:00 p.m. tip-off. The Cardinals close out the road trip two days later at South Dakota, 3:15 p.m., before opening the home schedule against Houston, next Friday at 11:30 a.m.

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For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.