EDINBURG, TX – The University of the Incarnate Word women's basketball team concluded the 2025-26 regular season with a 72-64 loss to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Saturday afternoon inside UTRGV Fieldhouse.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The opening quarter of play was a back-and-forth affair as both sides were even at 14 points apiece through the first 10 minutes of action.
• In the second quarter, UTRGV opened on a 9-4 run over the period's first 3:29 to build a five-point lead. The lead advantage grew to as large as eight points as UTRGV carried a 35-28 edge into intermission.
• Incarnate Word quickly closed the gap with a three-pointer from Madison Cockrell to open the third quarter; however, the Vaqueros kept their lead intact and held a 55-47 lead to start the fourth quarter.
• UTRGV's lead quickly grew to double digits, extending the advantage to a game-high 13 points, 62-49, with 7:55 to play.
• The Cardinals did not go quietly, closing the deficit to just two points with under a minute to play before the Vaqueros hit six free throws down the stretch to put the game away.

NOTES

• Incarnate Word finishes the regular season with an 11-11 mark in Southland Conference play, putting them in position for a berth in the 2026 Air Force Reserve Southland Conference Basketball Championships pres. by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, next week.
• Jorja Elliott led the Cardinals with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Cockrell followed with 13 points of her own to go with four assists.
• Brynn Lusby and Raimi McCrary scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, to round out the double-digit scorers for Incarnate Word.

UP NEXT
Incarnate Word sets its sights on the SLC Championships that begin on Monday, March 9, in Lake Charles, Louisiana at Townsley Law Arena. The Cardinals are the tournament's No. 6 seed, but have to await the conclusion of the regular season schedule tomorrow to determine their opponent.