Incarnate Word began the day in first place in the Heartland Conference and it finished the day still on top with a 66-52 win over Texas / Permian Basin in the McDermott Center.
The Cardinals are 16-6 overall including their 9-3 Heartland-topping mark. UTPB with the loss went to 6-15 on the year and 3-8 in the conference.
The squads are competing for six positions in the Heartland’s post-season championship tournament. The top two regular season finishers get first round byes and will not have to play three games in three days to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Right now UIW is in the cat bird’s seat. Pending the outcome of its Saturday game in Austin against St. Edward’s, Newman is second. There are four games remaining on the schedule and even if Incarnate Word and Newman end up tied the Cardinals get the top seed by virtue of two wins over the Jets.
The tone was set early on Saturday against Texas / Permian Basin. In the first five minutes and 29 seconds of the game, UIW scored 12 points. The Falcons scored none, zero. Permian Basin finally got on the scoreboard on one of two free throws by Justin Bailey at the 14:31 mark.
The Incarnate Word lead was double figures the remainder of the first half including the 34-17 score at the break. There were no lead changes, there were no ties. The Falcons had 11 turnovers, the Cardinals had six steals.
UIW got the lead into the 20s in the second half almost immediately. Sophomore guard Shaun Umeh made a three-pointer at the 18:51 mark and the Cardinals were up 22, 39-17. The margin got as high as 26 on two occasions.
Four players were in double figure scoring for the Cardinals led by 16 from Umeh who was a perfect 4-4 on three’s. He also led Incarnate Word with his six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Junior guard Eric Stewart finished with 14 points while 12 were put up by junior forward Chris Johnson. Senior guard Pierce Caldwell tallied 11.
Next up for Incarnate Word is a two-game home set next weekend. UIW will end its home schedule with a February 11 game against Texas A&M International and a February 13 contest with St. Edward’s.