SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team dropped the opener of the UIW Invitational sponsored by Denny's to Bethune-Cookman, 83-58. The Cardinals played the Wildcats closely for the duration of the first half, but a flurry of three-pointers from Bethune-Cookman combined with a cold shooting streak for UIW created more significant separation between the two teams in the second. 
 
"We played with zip in the first half but didn't not have the same level of energy in the second," Cardinals coach Carson Cunningham said. "That was frustrating. As the coach, I've got to do a better job of making sure we come out with zip in the second half. Bethune-Cookman deserves credit for a well-played game. We need to bounce back quickly for our 10 a.m. start Saturday."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF
Bethune-Cookman knocked down the first two shots of the game, but UIW responded with an 8-0 run behind four quick points from freshman forward Vincent Miszkiewicz and a pair of layups by Keaston Willis and Dwight Murray, Jr. Coming off a career-performance in which Willis connected on four three-pointers, the freshman drilled another moments later to retake the lead for the Cardinals, 11-8 with 13:20 left to play in the half. 
 
The Wildcats responded with a 6-0 scoring run and retained their lead for the remainder of the half, but solid play on the interior from Miszkiewicz and efficient shooting from Murray Jr. and Willis kept the Cardinals within striking distance throughout the half. 

Miszkiewicz was the story of the first half, causing an array of problems for the Wildcat frontcourt with six points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots. Murray Jr. also filled up the box score, contributing six points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the opening frame. The Cardinals went into halftime trailing by three, 30-27. 
 
SECOND HALF
The Wildcats went on an 11-2 run to open up the second half behind a pair of three-pointers and didn't look back. Bethune-Cookman made 20 of their 30 shot attempts in the second half, including six three pointers, sealing the 83-58 victory. 
 
NOTABLES 

• Murray Jr. tied his season-high in scoring with 15 points and assists with four. 
• Miszkiewicz came one point shy of recording his second-career double-double, finishing with nine points and 12 rebounds.
• Miszkiewicz also recorded two blocks and a steal.
• Willis scored in double figures for the second consecutive game, tallying 12 points with three rebounds and a steal. 
• The Cardinals had a great game at the free-throw line, sinking 17 of their 22 attempts (77.3 percent)

UP NEXT
UIW will take on St. Francis (Ill.) in their second game of the UIW Invitational sponsored by Denny's at 10 a.m. tomorrow. 

STAY TUNED 
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The UIW men's basketball team is on Twitter at @UIWMBB and Instagram at @uiwmensbasketball.