HOUSTON --- Houston Christian University held off a late charge from the University of the Incarnate Word, defeating the Cardinals 86-83 in the 10
th annual "Hustlin' Husky" Throwback game at Sharp Gym on Saturday evening. The victory snaps a four-game losing streak for HCU, and improves their mark in the retro uniforms to 7-3 all-time.
The Huskies got out of the gates quick.
Bonke Maring scored four early points and
Jay Alvarez followed with a personal seven-point spurt of his own, giving HCU a 19-12 lead with 12:33 to go in the first half.
The lead would grow to double-digits not long after.
Pierce Bazil scored six points over a two-minute stretch as the lead mounted to 13, 31-18 at the 7:44 mark. The Cardinals would peck away at the lead, and a jumper by Josh Morgan was followed by a dunk from Josh Akpovwa, pulling the visitors to within three, 34-31. After a three from
Marcus Greene,
Michael Imariagbe put together a strong move and finish, earning a conventional three-point play to give the Huskies a 40-31 lead. UIW would close to within four at the intermission, 45-41.
After the break, the second half began much like the first, as the Huskies would get another personal run from
Jay Alvarez.
Marcus Greene connected on a two straight three-pointers to give HCU a nine-point lead before Alvarez scored the next 10 points for the Huskies, giving them a 60-49 lead just over five minutes into the frame.
HCU's lead would stay in double-digits until the 6:46 mark, when UIW began chipping away. A three-point play from Josiah Hammons cut the lead to eight with 5:35 to go, and a moment later, Morgan connected on a triple of his own to knock three more off the lead. Hammons would then strike from long range with 3:07 to go, and the Cardinals trailed by just two, 75-73. After a bucket by Alvarez, Elijah Davis earned three the old-fashioned way, and HCU led 77-76 with 2:05 to play.
Unlike two weeks ago in San Antonio when the Cardinals stormed back with a 13-3 closing run to win, the Huskies stood firm.
Marcus Greene got a steal and seconds later,
Tristan Moore slithered his way to the cylinder for a layup to push the lead back to four. Up two with 32 ticks left, it was Moore again, as he found himself in the corner and coolly stroked a three-pointer that gave HCU a five-point cushion that it would not relinquish.
The Huskies shot 54% for the game, including 40% at the three-point line, offsetting a tough night at the charity stripe and being outrebounded 39-29. HCU trailed in the game, and after the only tie of the game at the 19:01 mark of the first half, led the final 38:41 of the night.
Four players found their way into double-digits for the Huskies, led by the game-high 25 of
Jay Alvarez. The junior from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania went 11-17 from the floor and pulled down a game-high nine boards as well before fouling out.
Michael Imariagbe had 18 points and seven caroms, while
Marcus Greene and
Bonke Maring rounded out the group with 14 and 11 points, respectively. UIW falls to 7-16 overall and 2-8 in the Southland.
Hammons paced the losing effort with 22 points, while Dylan Hammon added 16 and a team-best eight boards. The Josh's, Skpovwa and Morgan, chipped in 14 and 12 for the Cardinals.
HCU is now 6-16 on the season and improves to 4-7 in the SLC. The Huskies now stand in a tie with Northwestern State, one game ahead of UNO and Commerce, and 1.5 in front of UIW. . The Huskies return to action on Monday night as the homestand concludes when league-leading McNeese comes to Fondren Road.
#DawgsUp
