HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team travels east to take on Sam Houston State on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. (CT), with the game set to be broadcast on ESPN3.
 
The Cardinals (9-10, 5-5 SLC) and the Bearkats (14-6, 9-2 SLC) both head into the game having gotten back into the win column on Saturday with UIW taking down Abilene Christian, 71-70, and SHSU defeating SFA, 63-55.
 
GAME COVERAGE
Watch: ESPN3
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
 
SERIES HISTORY
Sam Houston leads UIW in the all-time series 4-2. The teams have faced each other once per year since UIW joined the Southland Conference in 2013-14. The Cardinals won back-to-back years during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
 
ROAD TO CONFERENCE
The Cardinals have picked up three of their five Southland Conference wins on the road, first against Northwestern State (Jan. 8) in overtime, then against Lamar (Jan. 22) and most recently against Abilene Christian (Feb. 1) in a narrow 71-70 win.
 
UIW IN THE SOUTHLAND
UIW has maintained the fourth-best defense in the conference, limiting opponents to 60.1 points per game. The Cardinals shoot a third-best 71.3 percent from the free-throw line. UIW improved to 29.8 percent accuracy from beyond the arc, which stands sixth-best in the league.
 
CARDINALS ON THE LEADERBOARDS
Senior guard Imani Robinson's 13.2 points per game leads the Cardinals and ranks ninth in the SLC. Meanwhile, her 39.9 percent accuracy from the field puts her among the top 25. Junior guard Kara Speer's 7.3 rebounds are tied for fifth on the Southland leaderboard and her 5.2 defensive boards rate fifth-best. Seniors Robinson and Lunden Henry swat away 0.7 shots per game, moved them up among the top-15 for blocks in the conference. Victoria Jackson averages 1.8 steals per contest, putting her along with Robinson's 1.7 steals among the top 15 in the league.
 
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 to Division I. The five turnovers rank third fewest in a single game in the nation. The last time the team turned the ball over fewer than 10 times was at Houston Baptist (Feb. 28, 2018), when it gave up eight. The previous lowest number of turnovers in a game was at home against Central Arkansas (Feb. 13, 2016), when the Cardinals recorded six. UIW turned the ball over just seven times in the most recent win against ACU. The Cardinals average a conference-best 15.9 turnovers, and have turned the ball over less than all other SLC opponents.
 
TRIPLE THREAT
Three Cardinals continue to rank among the best 3-point shooters in the league - Kara Speer, Macy Ray and Brittney Stafford. Speer's 36.4 percent accuracy is now seventh in the SLC, while her 1.1 3-pointers per game are tied for 20th in conference with Stafford. Stafford, a freshman, is shooting 30.6 percent from beyond the arc, which rates 19th-best in the league. Ray's 29.9 percent from three moved up to 20th in the SLC, while her 1.5 3-pointers per contest rank No. 15.
 
RECORD BOOK ROBINSON
Earlier this season, senior guard Imani Robinson recorded her 1,000th career point against St. Thomas. She is the first to reach the milestone since Ifunanya Mora (2010-14). Her 1,192 career points and 186 offensive rebounds rank sixth and seventh in program history respectively, while her 1,053 attempted field goals rate eighth best. The 5-11 guard is also in the career record book at UIW for her 348 made free throws (2nd) and 461 attempted (3rd) as well as 68 blocks (2nd).
 
DOUBLE DIGITS
UIW has had three or more Cardinals score in double-figures on eight separate occasions this season. The team is 8-0 in those games. Cardinals are 9-4 when Imani Robinson scores in double figures, every time UIW has won, Robinson scored in double digits.
 
SCOUTING THE BEARKATS

• Sam Houston State is 14-6 on the season with a 9-2 conference record, putting them in third in the SLC standings. The Bearkats fell to both A&M-Corpus Christi and Abilene Christian, but took down the conference leader SFA.
• The Bearkats rank third-best in the nation in turnovers forced (24.15). A chunk of Sam Houston State's turnovers forced stem from its 12.6 steals per game, which is sixth-best nationally. Four Bearkats are averaging 1.5 steals per game. Sophomore forward Amber Leggert leads the team with an average 2.75 steals, which ranks among the top 25 in the nation.
• SHSU averages 77.5 points per game ranking second best in the Southland. Sam Houston is shooting 35.1 from beyond the arc, averaging 6.5 threes per contest, also second best in the league.
• Leggertt is the second-best scorer in the Southland with an average of 15.0 points per game.
• Kiera McKinney, a 6-2 center, aids the Bearkat defense blocking 1.9 shots per game, which is tied for league-best.
• Senior forward, La'Sha Haynes is tied with UIW's Kara Speer at 7.3 rebounds per game (T-5th SLC).
• Jenniffer Oramas and Jaylonn Walker both rank among the top 20 in scoring in the Southland with an average 11.3 and 11.9 points per game respectively.