SAN ANTONIO – Four Cardinals scored in double-figures as the University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team came within seconds of completing a 23-point comeback effort, but came up just short in Wednesday's 72-66 loss to Northwestern State. 

"It was a tale of two halves," Cardinals coach Carson Cunningham said. "It was impressive to see the fight and comeback, but we needed to do a better job executing and knocking down shots in the first half. The deficit proved too much. Northwestern State deserves credit. In this league, you have to learn from it and get ready for the next game. They're all battles."

NOTABLES 

• Freshman center Marcus Larsson was a major matchup problem for the Demons, putting together his best performance of the season with career highs in points (14), rebounds (9), and blocks (4). 
• Freshman guard Keaston Willis led the Cardinals in scoring with 16 points, sinking three three pointers while dishing out a pair of assists. This was the eighth consecutive game Willis made at least one 3-pointer. 
• Freshman guard Drew Lutz was the architect of the UIW offense, tallying a career-high eight assists on the evening to go along with 12 points and five rebounds. 
• Freshman guard Brandon Swaby pulled down a career-high seven rebounds while getting on the scoreboard with a made 3-pointer.
• UIW's 22 offensive rebounds were the most against a Division I opponent since the Cardinals moved to Division I in 2012-2013. 
• The Cardinals outscored the Demons in the paint, 36-26. 
• The Cardinals outscored the Demons outright in the second half, 41-33.

HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST HALF
Larsson started the game a perfect 2-2 from the floor to account for UIW's first four points of the game. The Cardinals had trouble finding other sources of offense early on as the Demons raced out to a 23-10 lead. Lutz led an offensive charge to bring UIW back to within single digits, by scoring or assisting on three of the next four shots for the Cardinals to reduce the deficit to 26-18. Northwestern State responded with an 8-3 run to extend its lead back to 13 before closing out the half with a 3-pointer to take a 39-25 lead heading into the break.  

SECOND HALF
Once again, the Cardinals turned to Larsson for the team's first points of the half, but not before the Demons sparked a 9-0 scoring run to open the second period. UIW started to piece together its comeback attempt four minutes into the half on the shoulders of Lutz, Willis and Larsson, going on a 25-10 scoring run to come back to within five points with seven-and-a-half minutes remaining in the game. The Demons held the Cardinals scoreless for the next three-and-a-half minutes before Lutz chipped in four points on a layup and a pair of free throws to reduce the deficit to 65-59 with three minutes left in the game. 
The Cardinals looked to be out of luck as they trailed the Demons by nine points with under a minute left to play, but a 3-pointer by Swaby and three consecutive free throws from Willis reduced NSU's lead to just 69-66 with 25 seconds left. The Demons managed to put the game away, however, sinking three more free throws to put the Cardinals away, 72-66. 

UP NEXT
UIW's conference slate continues with a matchup against New Orleans at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, January 11, at the McDermott Center. 

STAY TUNED 
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. 

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