SAN ANTONIO – A made layup by Imani Robinson and a missed deep three were the dramatic plays in the final second to give University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team a, 53-51 win over Nicholls on Thursday night at the McDermott Center.
 
UIW and Nicholls put up the same amount of points in the first and second quarter with eight and fourteen, respectively. The Cardinals offense struggled to score, but the defense kept them within reach. UIW would head to the locker room trailing 24-18 at half.
 
Macy Ray hit a three to make it a one-possession game off a stolen ball by Stafford to start the second half.
 
Despite Nicholls holding on to the lead, it was a jump shot by Victoria Jackson that would tie the game for the first time with 20 seconds to go in the third. However, a foul at the Colonels end of the floor resulted in two made free throws, and the Cardinals would trail heading into the final quarter, 33-31.
 
UIW started the fourth quarter with a jump shot by Star Omozee. A bad pass at the other end of the court to put the ball back in Omozee's hands for a made shot, giving the Cardinals the lead for the first time in the game, 35-33.
 
Nicholls began to break away after a 6-0 run, but UIW fought its way back when Ray sank two 3-pointers back-to-back to tie the game, 49-49.
 
Jackson stole the ball, dribbled it down the court and finished with a layup to give UIW the lead, 51-49, with 17 seconds on the clock.
 
Nicholls managed to tie the game, but Robinson's layup with one second on the clock and a three-point attempt by the Colonels that rimmed out, gave UIW its first Southland Conference win of the new decade.
 
QUOTING COACH DOW
"I'm really proud of the resilience the team showed tonight. Even though we struggled offensively we kept with it and kept playing hard. The defense did a great job at never letting Nicholls pull away."
 
"We obviously got hot in the final four minutes of the game with players hitting big shots. A ton of people made big plays, Starr Omozee gave us a big lift off the bench, Macy Ray hitting those threes and of course Imani Robinson with the great finish."
 
NOTABLES

• UIW outrebounded Nicholls 34-31, grabbing 13 offensive rebounds to their seven.
• Three Cardinals scored in the double-digits; Imani Robinson (13), Starr Omozee (12) and Macy Ray (11).
• Robinson, who led the team with 13 points, has now scored in double figures in eight games this season and has stolen the ball three times twice.
• Omozee's 12 points are a season high, shooting 5-7 from the field, putting her in double-digits for the first time this season.
• Ray's three 3-pointers made are a season high.