LOUISIANA – The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team split two games this week, losing to the number one ranked Southeastern Louisiana Lions, 77-67, on Thursday before defeating the New Orleans Privateers,78-70, on Saturday afternoon.
 
Both the Cardinals and the Privateers started the game scoring fast and furious. Stephon Payne III led the way scoring six points in the first five minutes before subbing out due to foul trouble. Throughout the remainder of the half, UIW hung around, only getting down by six points. With seven minutes left, the Cardinals went on a run which saw five different student-athletes - Jonathan Cisse, Trey Miller, Josh Morgan, Niki Krause and Davante Dennis - score consecutively. Every player who entered the game for the Cardinals in the first half scored, but UIW still trailed 38-39 at the half.
 
UIW took control in the second half. The Cardinals held UNO to only four field goals in the first 10 minutes of the half to take a 13-point lead (60-47.) With just under five minutes to go, New Orleans' guard K'mani Doughty hit his second 3-pointer of the half followed by a Privateer dunk, cutting the Cardinal lead back down to seven (66-59). The two teams traded baskets in the final minutes of the game before UIW secured the 78-70 win.
 
In the first game of the week, Josh Morgan tied his season high with four 3-pointers, scoring 18 points to go with 17 from Cisse and 11 from Krause. 
 
UIW got out to an early 13-2 lead, stopping SLU from scoring a field goal until almost five minutes into the game. Later in the half, the Lions went on a 13-2 run, bringing them within three points (23-20). SLU came close again with 3:10 left in the half as Boogie Anderson hit a jump shot to come within one (28-27). The Cardinals knocked down two more 3-pointers bringing their total to seven for the half and taking a 36-33 lead heading into the break.
 
UIW held onto the lead until SLU scored 10 straight points in the paint to retake the lead. The teams went back and forth for a few minutes, but SLU took advantage of the Cardinals poor 3-point shooting in the second half to extend the lead to six with seven minutes left in the game. The Lions held their lead for the remainder of the game taking the game by a final score of 77-67.
 
UIW will be back at home next week for games against Lamar and HCU.
 
FOLLOW ALONG 
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