SAN ANTONIO – The University of the Incarnate Word fell late in a hard-fought game against visiting Abilene Christian, 75-67, on Saturday afternoon inside the McDermott Center.  
 
Senior Des Balentine produced a season-best 17-point effort with five assists and four rebounds. Sophomore Keaston Willis scored his sixth 20-point game of the season with a 23-point performance on 7-for-13 shooting and 4-for-7 from 3-point range and freshman Logan Bracamonte had his fifth double-digit scoring effort in his first season with 11 points. 
 
The Cardinals (6-8, 3-4 SLC) turned over the ball just nine times against the nation's top turnover forcing team, but a late surge by Abilene Christian in the closing minutes of the game gave the 'Cats a win in another physical conference game. 
  
UIW and Abilene Christian battled through five lead changes and three ties in the first half after the Wildcats took a quick 7-0 lead to open the game, the Cardinals stormed back with back-to-back 3s from Bracamonte and sophomore Brandon Swaby that lit a fire under the offense. The red and black continued on a 20-6 run to take a 20-13 lead with 11 minutes to play as Willis drained the team's fourth trey. 
 
UIW maintained the lead at the break with a slim, 31-29, edge. The Cardinals ended the half shooting 38.5% (10-for-26) with half of the shots coming from beyond-the-arc (5-for-13) to sustain the lead. UIW turned the ball over just three times in the half and finished with seven assists. 
 
Out of the break, ACU quickly tied the game twice in the first two minutes before the Cardinals went on a 9-2 run with back-to-back treys from Bracamonte and Swaby, a driving layup from Willis and a technical foul free throw made by Willis gave the Cardinals their largest lead of the game, 42-35, with 14 minutes remaining.  
 
The Wildcats, then, stormed back with an 11-3 run of their own to regain a 46-45 lead with 11 minutes to play heading into a media timeout. 
 
That was all the momentum ACU needed as UIW tried to chase down the 'Cats in the final ten minutes, the Cardinals pulled within a one-possession game, 59-56, after a three by Willis with six minutes to go, but it was the closest UIW got down the stretch.  
 
ACU built a ten-point lead with just over a minute to go as Damien Daniels drained a straight-away three. 
 
ACU (14-3, 6-1 SLC) shot 56% (14-for-25) in the second half to steal the game as five Wildcats scored in double figures. Joe Pleasant and Kolton Kohl led the team with 17 and 16 points, respectively, Daniels scored 12 points as Mahki Morris and Airion Simmons both pitched in with ten points. 
 
COACH CUNNINGHAM SAID 
 
"We shared the ball really well and kept our turnovers down in this game which was big against ACU. We are just going to have to keep getting better every day. We were better today, but still things that need to improve, and we are going to keep working at that. It's frustrating to lose, but we got better today, and we are going to keep working."

LOOKING AHEAD
 
UIW plays on the road for the first time since traveling to New Orleans on Jan. 9. The Cardinals head to Beaumont in a Cardinal showdown with Lamar on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. UIW also travels to the coast for the second meeting against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 3:30 p.m. CT. 
 
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. 
 
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