SAN ANTONIO_ The most prolific three-point shooting team in the Southland Conference did just that in the second half Friday night as the Incarnate Word Cardinals broke the University of Central Arkansas' two-game winning streak with a 71-69 victory at the McDermott Convocation Center.

    The Cardinals  (13-9, 8-3) nailed 10 of 22 three-pointers (45.5 percent) in the second half after making just 2 of 12 (16.7 percent) in the first half. Still, the Bears (5-16, 4-7) hung around, surviving a 14-2 run by the Cardinals to tie the game at 67-67 on Derreck Brooks' three-pointer with 1:35 to play.

    UIW went back ahead 69-67 on Kyle Hittle's basket with 22 seconds remaining. UCA's Jordan Howard misfired on a three-point attempt from the corner and UCA fouled Mitchell Badillo with 4.7 seconds left and he made both for a 71-67 lead. Jeff Lowery went the length of a court for a layup to close it to 71-69. UCA then fouled Hittle, who missed both free throws, however, UCA's last-second heave from halfcourt missed. 
    
    "What you have to do is you have to learn how to win close games,' said UCA head coach Russ Pennell. "And we haven't been in many close games. But the thing I was most proud of was, with five minutes to go we were down seven and took a time out. And we climb back in the game and get it tied with a minute and a half to go. 

    "We gave ourselves a chance to win. Jordan (Howard) had a great look. I thought it was in. He was wide open and he rushed the shot a little bit. And they got after him all game and forced him into some tough shots. But we had our chances I'm as disapponited as anyone that we didn't win but I love the heart and character and how we fought tonight.' 

    UIW entered the game making a league-high 7.9 three-pointers per game and finished 12 of 34. They shot just 33.9 percent overall and actually attempted more three-pointers than two-pointers. The Cardinals made six three-pointers in the first 6:30 of the second half but led just 47-45. UCA got a rebound basket from Kamba and a three from Howard to go up 50-47 with 12:15 to play.

    But the Cardinals connected four more times from three-point range and won for the eighth time in their last 10 games.
 
    The Bears overcame a slow start that resulted in a 10-point deficit midway through the first half to grab a 31-28 lead at the break. UCA's first lead at 29-28 came on a pair of free throws by Howard with 1:39 to play. Jeff Lowery's length-of-the-floor layup set the halftime margin at 31-28. Howard led the Bears with nine points in the half, while sophomore Mathieu Kamba tied his season high with nine rebounds before halftime.

    UCA's defense held UIW to just 31 percent from the field and 2 of 12 (16.7 percent) from three-point range.

    UCA got 16 points from Howard and Kamba totaled 15 points and 15 rebounds, the most since LaQuentin Miles had 16 in December 2013. Brooks scored 12 and had 10 rebounds and Jeff Lowery had 11 points for the Bears, who outrebounded the Cardinals 45-34. Hittle was 5 of 9 from three-point range and led the Cardinals with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Badillo was also 5 of 9 from beyond the arc and finished with 17 points.

    "(Mathieu) really got us going early,' said Pennell. "We couldn't score very well and he got on the glass and had a couple of put-back baskets. Mathieu is just going to be such a good player. If it's not for him, we're not even in this game tonight. I thought he was outstanding.'

    It was Kamba's second career double-double. Lowery had a team-high four assists Justin Foreman and Jake Zuilhof had six rebounds each.

    The Bears return home Monday night to host Northwestern State, which beat UCA in the first meeting in Natchitoches, La. Tip-off is 7 p.m. at the Farris Center.