SAN ANTONIO – After splitting the first road trip to open league play, the University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team returns to the McDermott Center for a two-game home stand against McNeese and preseason favorite Stephen. F. Austin. UIW squares off against McNeese on Jan. 13 at 7 p.m., then host SFA in the night cap of a men's and women's double-header on Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m.
 
THE GAMES THIS WEEK 

• UIW welcomes McNeese (Jan. 13) and SFA (Jan. 16) to the friendly confines of the McDermott Center.
• McNeese is 6-5 coming into the Wednesday night matchup, the Cowboys are 0-2 in conference play.
• SLC preseason favorite SFA is 5-2 overall and currently third in league standings. The Lumberjacks take on Central Arkansas on Wednesday before visiting the Cardinals.

TUNE IN

• vs. McNeese, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
  • Watch - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/uiw/
  • Live Stats - http://www.sidearmstats.com/incarnateword/mbball/
  • UIW Spectator Info - https://uiwcardinals.com/sports/2020-21
• vs. SFA, Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
  • Watch - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/uiw/
  • Live Stats - http://www.sidearmstats.com/incarnateword/mbball/
  • UIW Spectator Info - https://uiwcardinals.com/sports/2020-21

THE CARDINALS 

• UIW looks to get back in the win column and stay in the top half of conference standings after a down game at New Orleans on Jan. 9.
• The Cardinals currently hold the third-best field goal percentage (47.4) and fifth-best 3-point field goal percentage (36.6) in the Southland Conference.
• Sophomore Keaston Willis continues to lead the league in scoring with an average of 19.7 ppg.
• Willis needs six more 3-pointers to reach 100 in his career and move into a tie for tenth in program history with Mitchell Badillo '16.
• In his last four games, freshman Logan Bracamonte has averaged ten points per game while shooting 50% (15-for-30) from the field.
• Freshmen, GG Ezedinma and Thomas Zevgaras both recorded season-bests in points scored at New Orleans; Ezedinma finished with ten and Zevgaras had eight.

THE CUNNINGHAM CULTURE 

• Since taking over as head coach in 2018-19, Dr. Carson Cunningham has guided the Cardinals to new heights in the classroom, in the community and on the court.
• Overall team GPA rose from sub-3.0 in 2017-18 to 3.23 in 2018-19, 3.46 in 2019-20 and a Fall 2020 GPA of 3.35.
• In 2018-19, the Cardinals registered the program's first 1,000 APR score.
• In 2018-19, UIW completed 282 hours of community service. The team was also the top men's program at UIW by completing 261.5 service hours in 2019-20.
• UIW had a five-win improvement in conference play, going from one (2018-19) to six (2019-20) - the highest conference wins total since the team went 7-11 in the 2016-17 season.
• The Cardinals are one of the top-100 teams in the country in field percentage (57th, 47.4), 3-point field goal percentage (67th, 36.6) and 3-point field goal defense (43rd, 29.1).

HISTORY

• UIW began playing men's basketball in 1980-81. Our teams have achieved a 602-467 record. The Cardinals transitioned to Division I status when they joined the Southland Conference in 2013-14.
• The Cardinals are 91-115 (.441) all-time in Southland Conference games.
• UIW is 396-163 (.708) all-time inside the McDermott Center.
• UIW, the largest Catholic university in Texas, was founded in 1881 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. Enrollment is 10,389.

HISTORY vs. THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS

• UIW is 2-6 all-time against McNeese since joining the Southland Conference in 2013-14. The Cardinals won a thrilling, 65-59, game inside the McDermott Center the last time the teams shared the floor on Feb. 19, 2020.
• UIW is 1-12 all-time against SFA. The Cardinals are seeking their first win against the Lumberjacks since Jan. 22, 2017, a stretch of seven games.

SCOUTING THE COWBOYS 

• The Cowboys had two student-athletes selected to the SLC preseason all-conference teams in Dru Kuxhausen (first-team) and A.J. Lawson (second-team).
• Despite an 0-2 SLC start, McNeese leads the League in scoring (89.4 ppg), scoring margin (+22.3), 3-point field goal percentage (39.3), rebounds per game (41.4), rebounding margin (+8.3) and assists per game (21.2).
• McNeese is coming off a 78-75 loss to Northwestern State. Four cowboys scored in double figures; KeyShawn Feazell (22), A.J. Lawson (17), Jeremy Harrell (12) and Ra'Shawn Langston had 10 off the bench.
• Kuxhausen leads the SLC with an average of 3.7 3-pointers per game and Lawson leads the league with 4.7 assists per game.

SCOUTING THE LUMBERJACKS 

• SFA squares of with Central Arkansas on Jan. 13, before traveling to the McDermott Center.
• The Lumberjacks defeated Midwestern State, 87-71, on Jan. 8, after the team's game against A&M-Corpus Christi was postponed. Cameron Johnson led all scorers with 36 points; he shot 13-for-16 from the field and 8-of-11 at the line.
• Gavin Kensmil and Roti Ware were SLC preseason all-conference first- and second-team selections, respectively.
• Johnson ranks second in the SLC, behind Keaston Willis, in scoring at 19.3 ppg. and is second in field goal percentage (60.6).

FOLLOW ALONG

For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwathletics.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook.

Follow the team on Twitter @UIWMBB and on Instagram @uiwmensbasketball.