SAN ANTONIO – Two clutch free throws from Myra Bell secured University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball's 57-54 victory over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday afternoon at the McDermott Center.
 
Four student-athletes finished in double digits for the Cardinals. Bell led the UIW charge with 12 points, five rebounds and three steals. Jaaucklyn Moore, Destiny Terrell and Tiana Gardner added 11 points each. Terrell finished with four steals and three assists while Gardner contributed five rebounds.
 
"It was really encouraging to see us have such a balanced scoring attack today with four players in double figures, and a fifth, Kamryn Gibson, with nine points," head coach Jeff Dow said. "We were a little uneven offensively, with two nine-point quarters, but fortunately we had outstanding second and fourth quarters.  And once again, our defense was solid and kept us afloat when we were struggling on the offensive end."
 
The first half was a battle between the Cardinals and Lions with nine lead changes through twenty minutes. Moore nailed a 3-pointer to put UIW within one point (26-25) with just under two minutes left in the second quarter. Terrell and Gardner each finished a layup, giving the Cardinals their largest lead (29-26) before ending the half on top, 29-28.
 
SLU started the third frame on a 10-3 run to put them ahead by six (38-32) halfway through the quarter. The Lions started the fourth quarter with a 42-38 advantage.
 
Terrell sunk two free throws and Gardner finished a hook shot to tie the game up, 42-42, with eight minutes left. Gardner attacked the paint and powered it up to give UIW a 48-45 advantage with four minutes to go. Gardner struck again with another contested layup and Terrell nailed two from the free throw line to put UIW ahead, 55-51, with 50 seconds left in the game. SLU pulled within one, 55-54, but Bell hit two from the charity stripe to clinch the UIW win, 57-54.
 
"That was a big win for our program and a huge confidence-builder for our young team," Dow said. "A few weeks ago we talked about wanting to feel like we were improving throughout the month of February and hopefully peaking going into the conference tournament in a few weeks.  And, I thought it was critical that we prove to ourselves that we can beat one of the upper echelon teams in the Southland. With good reason Southeastern Louisiana was a near unanimous pick to win the conference, and just a week ago they were undefeated in conference.  They are physical, long, and very experienced.  Realistically if we're going to make any kind of move in the conference standings, or make a run in the conference tournament, you have to beat teams of this caliber."
 
UP NEXT
The Cardinals travel to Houston Baptist University on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 5 p.m. CT and McNeese State University on Saturday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. for the final road stretch of the season.
 
FOLLOW ALONG 
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics, visit uiwcardinals.com, follow the Cardinals on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook.  
  
Follow the team on Twitter @UIWWBB and on Instagram @uiw_womenshoops.