LUBBOCK, Texas -- the University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team played a strong first half, but Texas Tech used a solid second half to pull away from the Cardinals, winning 87-37 on Tuesday night in the opening game of the UIW's men's basketball season.
 
The first half saw the Cardinals surge back into contention each time the Red Raiders seemed to be pulling away. Texas Tech, who reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last year, fought off UIW in the second frame of the contest.
 
Texas Tech jumped out to a 9-0 lead, but the Cardinals battled back to cut the margin to four. That was the story of the first half. The Red Raiders would appear to have established a comfortable margin, but UIW's youth-laden corps would rally. At one point late in the half, Tech led by 11, but the Cardinals cut the lead back to six.
 
The first half established several new UIW freshmen as student-athletes with promise. Two first-year players, Antoine Smith Jr. and Morgan Taylor, dominated the scoring. Smith had 14 points and Taylor had seven, more than two-thirds of the Cardinals' scoring output in the first half.
 
Texas Tech led 39-30 at the half, but only on the strength of a last-second three-pointer by the Red Raiders. UIW shot 52.6 percent from the floor in the first half, but TTU proved to be too strong on both ends of the court as the home team pulled away in the second half.
 
UIW returns to action Friday for its home opener against St. Francis of Illinois. The Cardinals play three games in four days, meeting the University of Texas at Tyler on Saturday and Texas Lutheran on Monday. All games tip off at 7 p.m. (CT).
 
STAY TUNED
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics