SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word defense shut down visiting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as the Cardinals defeated the Islanders, 72-53, Saturday afternoon in the McDermott Center.
 
UIW (6-6, 3-2 SLC) limited the Islanders to just 25 points in the second half as the Cardinals' offense got hot behind freshman Logan Bracamonte's five 3-pointers and sophomore Keaston Willis' 13-point effort.
 
The Cardinals shook of some rust from a week's break as they found themselves down by ten (16-6) in the first five minutes of play before a team timeout. UIW came back strong with an 11-5 run and fought back to get within two after freshman Thomas Zevgaras put in a layup. Island University got back out to a nine-point lead (26-17) with five minutes remaining after a pair of free throws from Myles Smith.
 
The black and red defense tightened up and the offense clawed back with a 24-14 run before closing out the half. With the shot clock and game clock virtually the same. Des Balentine found a wide-open Charlie Yoder in the left corner who knocked down his first career points and gave the Cardinals their first lead of the game 30-28 heading to halftime.
 
UIW used the first half momentum and was red-hot from the start of the second half to build its own ten-point lead in the first three minutes off the hand of Willis' jumper. Two possessions later, Smith hit a trey to cut the Cardinals' lead to five (40-35), but the stingy defense got after A&M-Corpus Christi's offense and went on a 21-11 run to lead 61-43 on an emphatic dunk by Kenyon Holcombe with nine minutes to play.
 
GG Ezedinma pulled the Cardinals out to 20 with a pair of free throws with seven minutes remaining in the second half and sealed the win.
 
The Cardinals shot 44.2% (23-for-52) from the field and Bracamonte accounted for five of the team's 11 3-pointers and a team-high seven rebounds. Ezedinma finished with nine points and Drew Lutz added eight in the balanced offensive attack for UIW.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was led by Jalen White's 17 points, the only Islander in double-figures, as the team was limited to just 36.7% (18-for-49) for the game.
 
COACH CUNNINGHAM SAID

"I was really impressed by the fellas' ability to stay in the battle, to grapple their way to a halftime lead even though we missed some good looks and had some foul trouble early on in the opening frame. Our defensive intensity was awesome, and it carried over to the second half. We are going to continue to work at creating that fire every game. The league is a battle, so we rest tonight, then get ready for the next challenge."

LOOKING AHEAD

UIW hosts HBU (Jan. 27) and Abilene Christian (Jan. 30) next week at 7 p.m. CT and 6:30 p.m. CT, respectively, to close out the five-game home stand before its makeup game at Lamar on Feb. 3.

FOLLOW ALONG

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