Incarnate Word prevailed 75-73 in a battle of unbeatens as UCO missed four of five foul shots in the final 30 seconds. The Bronchos, looking to start the season 8-0 for the first time in school history, fell to 7-1 while the Cardinals improved to 6-0.
“It’s a tough loss, but we’ve got to learn from it and move on,” UCO coach Terry Evans said. “We couldn’t make our free throws and didn’t shoot well from outside, but when that happens we’ve got to find other ways to win and we didn’t do that tonight.”
The Bronchos made just 57.9 percent (22-of-38) of their free throws and were a horrid 15.8 percent (3-of-19) from 3-point range, but still had a chance down the stretch.
Dauntae Williams made two charity tosses with 37 seconds left to pull UCO within 73-72 and Jarrod McDaniel came up with a steal seven seconds later, but he missed both free throws after being fouled to leave the Bronchos one point behind.
UCO got a break when UIW missed two free throws at 0:23, but Tyler Phillips missed a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining and the Bronchos immediately fouled. Tracy Robinson then hit both free throws at 0:03 to make it 75-72.
Amazingly, the Bronchos got one final chance when Shane Carroll was fouled putting up a last-second 3-pointer and the junior guard made the first foul shot to make it 75-73. Carroll then missed the second free throw to leave it 75-73 and he miss-fired the final attempt on purpose, but the Bronchos were unable to come up with a last-ditch rebound basket.
Williams was 10-of-19 from the field and 10-of-13 from the line in scoring a season-high 32 points while adding eight rebounds, four assists and two steals to lead the Bronchos. Brent Friday was the only other player in double figures, hitting 7-of-12 shots in finishing with 18 points and nine boards.
UCO jumped out to a 15-7 lead six minutes into the contest before the Cardinals roared back to go on top by 14 (41-27) with 4:02 left in the half. The Bronchos answered back, getting six points from Friday and five from McDaniel in a 16-2 run to pull even at 43-all at intermission.
UIW went back in front by as many as eight in the second half before UCO came back again and no more than four points separated the two teams the final 12 minutes of the contest.
The Bronchos continue their Lone Star Conference crossover road trip Saturday with a 3 p.m. game at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
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