CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team fought a competitive Southland Conference battle against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday night, but despite closing the gap to within two points late in the game, the Cardinals dropped a 70-61 decision.
 
UIW is now 6-17 on the season and 1-9 in conference play. TAMU-CC improved to 10-13 overall and 5-5 in the conference.
 
NOTABLES

• UIW hit seven of 12 from beyond the three-point arc (58.3 percent).
• Christian Peevy scored 22 points, hitting six for nine from the floor and 10 of 12 free throw attempts.
• Charles Brown III scored 13 and Jordan Caruso nine. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half:

• UIW started Peevy, Brown, Augustine Ene, Jorden Kite and Jordan Caruso.
• Kite's three-pointer from the corner and Peevy's layup off of Antoine Smith Jr.'s assist provided the first UIW scoring as TAMU-CC took a 12-5 lead into the first media timeout.
• The Islanders subsequently took a 10-point lead, but Caruso's three pointer pulled UIW to within five, 15-10, with 12:58 left.
• Dwight Murray Jr.'s two three pointers on consecutive possessions, the first at 10:45 and the second at 10:00, cut the TAMU-CC lead to 18-17.
• Peevy's two free throws at 7:07 cut an Islander three-point lead to one, 20-19.
• Brown's layup off of Caruso's assist cut the Islanders' lead to two, 23-21, with 4:03 left.
• Brown's short jumper at 3:10 narrowed the Islanders' lead to two, 25-23.
• Brown's three pointer narrowed the TAMU-CC lead to two, 28-26, with 2:47 left.
• Peevy's two free throws at 1:07 kept the Cardinals within two, 30-28.
• An islander three pointer and three free throws within the last minute gave TAMU-CC an eight-point lead, 36-28, at halftime.
• Brown had nine points at halftime. Peevy and Murray had six each.
• The Cardinals shot a respectable 47.4 percent from the floor, but they hit five of eight three-pointers, a superlative shooting percentage of 62.5 percent from behind the arc. 

Second Half:

• Brown's put back with 17:20 left kept the margin within eight, 38-30.
• Caruso's three pointer with 16:54 left cut the Islanders' lead to five, 38-33.
• At 13:25, Peevy's layup and associate free thrown cut the TAMU-CC lead to four, 44-40.
• The lead fluctuated between five and seven for the next four minutes before TAMU-CC took a nine-point lead with 12 minutes remaining.
• Ene's two free throws at 11:15 cut the lead to eight.
• Peevy's free throw at 7:30 again cut the Islander lead to eight, 57-49.
• Peevy's three-point play, a jumper and free throw, pulled the Cardinals to within seven, 59-52, at 6:52.
• Graham's three-pointer at 5:46 reduced the Islanders' margin to four, 59-55.
• Peevy's layup at 4:40 pulled the Cardinals to within five, and his two free throws at 4:28 put UIW within three, 62-59.
• Caruso's free throw at 3:50 closed the Islander lead to two, 62-60.
• At 3:30, with the Cardinals down by three, Peevy appeared to make a layup and draw a foul, ostensibly giving UIW a chance to tie the game. However, the officials instead called a charge.
• TAMU-CC outscored UIW, eight to one, in the last 3:50 to finish with a 70-61 victory.

NEXT UP
UIW travels to Hammond, Louisiana, Wednesday, Feb. 13, for a 7 p.m. tipoff against Southeastern Louisiana
 

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.