SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team opens up Southland Conference play against Central Arkansas on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. (CT) at the McDermott Center.
The Cardinals are in the second game of a five-game homestand. Most recently, UIW got back into the win column against St. Thomas (TX) 74-52 on Saturday to stay undefeated at home this season.
FOLLOW ALONG
CARDINAL QUICK HITS
SPEER SUBDUES CELTS
Junior guard
Kara Speer, who has started every game for the Cardinals this season, recorded the team's first double-double of the season against St. Thomas. She scored 16 points (a career high), grabbed 10 rebounds while also recording four steals. The junior put the Cardinals ahead early in the game, shooting 4-4 form the field, 2-2 from three and going 2-2 from the free-throw line all in the first quarter.
FRESHMAN EMERGES
Freshman
Brittney Stafford emerged as an integral part of the team in three tough road games. The 5-3 guard is shooting 41.7 percent from beyond the arc and leads the team in threes made this season with 15 made. She led the team with 13 points against Power 5 opponent, Kansas State, shooting 55.6 percent from the field and going 3-6 beyond the arc.
DOUBLE DIGITS
Four Cardinals scored in the double-digits in the win over St. Thomas (TX);
Imani Robinson (19),
Brittney Stafford (17),
Kara Speer (16) and
Macy Ray (10).The Cardinals have had three players score in double-digits twice this season, first against Schreiner:
Alexis Henry (18),
Imani Robinson (13) and
Kara Speer (13); then against Texas A&M-International:
Macy Ray (12),
Kara Speer (10) and
Imani Robinson (10).
BIG WIN
The Cardinals' win over Schreiner (Nov. 5), was their largest margin of victory since 2017, when they beat Southeastern Louisiana 95-56 on Jan. 19, 2017. The team also stole the ball 18 times which is tied for third for most steals in a single game in program history.
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK
UIW's five turnovers against Colorado State (Nov. 26), committing zero in the first half, was the fewest number of turnovers in a game since the program moved up to Division I. The five turnovers are tied for eighth in the nation for fewest turnovers in a single game this season. The last time the team turned the ball over fewer than 10 times was at Houston Baptist (Feb. 28, 2018) when they gave up eight. The previous lowest number of turnovers in a game was at home against Central Arkansas (Feb. 13, 2016) when they only recorded six. UIW ranks second in the Southland Conference for fewest turnovers.
RECORD BOOK ROBINSON
Senior
Imani Robinson has 1,014 career points as a Cardinal and is the first player to reach 1,000 career point milestone since Ifunanya Mora (2010-14). The 5-11 guard ranks 10th in career field goals attempted (899), offensive rebounds (162) and games started (73). She also is in the career record book at UIW with 58 blocks (T-5th), 390 free throws attempted (9th) and 289 free throws made (T-6th).
SISTER ACT
UIW's sister duo Alexis and
Lunden Henry are one of 13 sets of twins playing in Division I women's basketball, and one of 22 sister duos.
SCOUTING THE SUGAR BEARS
- Central Arkansas leads the series with six wins over the Cardinals.
- Savanna Walker averages a team-high 8.9 points per game. She has led the Sugar Bears twice in scoring, with 13 points in their loss against Texas A&M (76-46), and with 18 points in their most recent win against Central Baptist (66-43).
- Central Arkansas averages 59.2 points per game shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 24.3 percent from beyond the arc.
- Defensively, UCA is holding its opponents to 37.3 percent while outrebounding opponents by an average of 4.5 per game.
- Junior forward Hannah Langhi leads the team with 48 rebounds, averaging 5.3 per game.
LAST GAME (W, 74-52 vs St. Thomas): SAN ANTONIO – A decisive fourth quarter in which the University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team outscored St. Thomas 30-7 propelled the Cardinals to a 74-52 victory Saturday afternoon at the McDermott Center. The Cardinals started the first quarter strong, getting ahead by as many as 15 points. Junior guard
Kara Speer got into a rhythm early in the first quarter, scoring 12 points on a perfect 4-4 from the field, including 2-2 from the three-point line and 2-2 from the free-throw line to put UIW up 21-9. A string of turnovers and missed shots by the Cardinals allowed the Celts to go on a 12-0 run that would tie the game with just seconds left in the first half, but a last-second layup by
Lunden Henry gave the lead back to UIW heading into halftime. St. Thomas took the lead for the first time in the game off an and-one with less than two minutes left in the third quarter. As the clock ran out in the third, the Celts hit a three that would give them a one-point lead (45-44) going into the final 10 minutes of the game. Senior
Imani Robinson, who scored her 1,000th career point during the match, proved to be the catalyst for the Cardinals in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of UIW's final 30 points to lift the team to a 74-52 victory.
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uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook.
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