KATY, Texas – Playing for their first time in a week, the top seeded HBU women's basketball team could not get shots to fall against the fifth ranked UIW Cardinals, in a 54-33 loss Saturday afternoon in the Merrell Center.
 
The Huskies (16-10, 12-2 SLC) fought back to tie the game in the first quarter after the Cardinals (12-16, 5-9 SLC) opened the game on a 7-0 run. Back-to-back knock down threes from Timia Jefferson and three made free throws brought the Huskies even with UIW at nine. Both teams traded buckets until things were tied up at 13. Destiney Terrell made a pair of free throws with 18-seconds left for the Cardinals, as UIW took a 15-13 lead into the second quarter.
 
The Huskies opened the second quarter with just one point over the first five minutes and allowed the Cardinals to jump out to a 23-15. HBU finally found its range when Enya Maguire connected from long range with 4:54 before halftime. The Huskies missed 14 of its first 19 shots and was out rebounded by almost double in the first half.

After outscoring UIW 10-8 and cutting the lead down to just seven in the third quarter, the Cardinals iced the game in the early minutes of the fourth. The Cardinals connected on four of their first seven shots and held the Huskies scoreless through the first seven minutes of final period.
 
Southland Conference Player of the Year Timia Jefferson produced more than half of HBU's offense, accounting for 20 points and three rebounds. Marilyn Nzoiwu led HBU in rebounding with nine while Abbey Sutherland and Kennedy Wilson each grabbed at least five. Sutherland and Nzoiwu each tallied three blocks.
 
The Huskies' season continues on next week as they will play postseason basketball for the first time since HBU Athletics returned to NCAA Division I competition in 2007. They will participate in the WNIT tournament with location and game times expected to be announced tomorrow.