CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team travels south on Saturday afternoon to take on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, where the Cardinals have an opportunity to clinch a spot to the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time in program history.
 
The Cardinals (14-12, 10-7 SLC) fell to the Islanders (20-7, 14-3 SLC) in the first go-around of Southland play. The game in Corpus is the first of the final two games on the road in the regular season for UIW.
 
TIPOFF COVERAGE
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CLINCHING OPPORTUNITIES
If UIW defeats TAMU-CC, then the team secures an automatic bid to the conference tournament. However, even if they lose, should Central Arkansas fall in its matchup against Abilene Christian, the Cardinals could secure their spot in the tournament.
 
CARDIAC CARDINALS
UIW went into overtime against Lamar (Feb. 26) for a narrow 68-67 victory. This is the second consecutive Wednesday game UIW has won by one point and was decided by a made free throw and a missed layup by the opponent in the final seconds.
 
UIW IN THE SOUTHLAND
UIW has maintained the fourth-best defense in the conference, limiting opponents to 62.2 points per game. The Cardinals also have the fifth best 3-point field goal percentage and defense, shooting 31.9 percent from beyond the arc, making 5.6 threes per contest, while limiting opponents to 29.5 percent from the perimeter.
 
CARDINALS ON THE LEADERBOARDS
Senior guard Imani Robinson's 14.3 points per game leads the Cardinals and ranks fifth in the SLC while shooting 41.2 percent from the field. Junior guard Kara Speer's 7.1 rebounds are sixth on the Southland leaderboard. Seniors Robinson and Lunden Henry swat away 0.98 and 0.7 shots per game, respectively, putting them up among the top-20 for blocks in the conference. Angelica Wiggins' 0.6 blocks per game put her among the top 25 in the league following her three blocks, a career high, against Northwestern State. Victoria Jackson and Imani Robinson average 1.7 and 1.8 steals per contest respectively.
 
SCOUTING THE ISLANDERS

• The Islanders are led by Dalesia Booth and Alexes Bryant, who are each averaging 12.5 points per game. Bryant shoots 47.8 percent from the field and Bryant is shooting a rate of 46.6 percent.
• Bryant also is a big defensive contributor, leading the team with 6.5 rebounds per game, while also averaging 1.7 blocks, which leads the conference.
• TAMU-CC holds opponents to 56.5 points per game, which is second best in the conference.
• The Islanders are a force in the paint, shooting an SLC third-best 43.5 percent, while limiting opponents to 36.6 percent under the basket.
• TAMU-CC has a defensive advantage over opponents, limiting them to 32.3 rebounds per game, while also swatting away a league-best 4.68 shots per contest.

 
STAY TUNED 
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