NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — A dominant first quarter and a career-high 27 points from Brynn Lusby propelled the Incarnate Word women’s basketball team to a 79-68 victory over winless New Orleans on Thursday night at Kiefer Lakefront Arena.

The Cardinals (4-5, 1-0 Southland Conference) seized control immediately, opening the game on a 17-0 run while holding the Privateers scoreless for the first six and a half minutes. New Orleans (0-10, 0-1) missed its first 13 field goal attempts and did not record a point until Shanihya Brown sank a free throw with 3:40 remaining in the opening period. By the end of the quarter, Incarnate Word led 18-7, a margin built on stifling defense and opportunistic offense.

The most important stretch of the game, however, came in response to a furious New Orleans rally in the second quarter. The Privateers, sparked by Brown and a surge of energy, exploded for 29 points in the period. They trimmed what was once a 20-point deficit down to just six points, at 36-30, after a technical free throw and a driving layup from Brown with under three minutes to play in the half. The Cardinals, reeling from the Privateers’ full-court pressure and sudden offensive efficiency, were in danger of surrendering all of their early advantage.

Incarnate Word steadied itself in the final two minutes of the half. Raimi McCrary converted a layup off an assist from Londyn Oliphant, and after a defensive stop, Morgan Borgstadt drew a foul and made one of two free throws to push the lead back to nine. The Cardinals entered halftime with a 41-36 lead, a crucial reassertion of control after New Orleans’ best run of the night. That sequence to close the half provided the necessary buffer, and Incarnate Word never allowed the Privateers within a single possession again.

The third quarter saw the Cardinals rebuild their lead. Lusby, a 5-foot-10 guard from Frisco, Texas, was instrumental, scoring eight points in the period as Incarnate Word pushed its advantage back to 61-52 heading into the final frame. The Privateers could not replicate their second-quarter magic, shooting just 22 of 70 (31.4%) from the field for the game, including 5 of 28 (17.9%) from three-point range.

Lusby, whose previous season high was six points, was efficient and relentless, shooting 11 of 17 from the floor while adding five rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes. She was supported by McCrary, who scored 14 points and had two blocks, and Jorja Elliott, who added 15 points and four assists. Bria McClure provided a key spark off the bench with 12 points, all from beyond the arc, hitting four of Incarnate Word’s 10 three-pointers.

New Orleans was led by Brown, who scored 19 points and dished out five assists. Sephora Kayolo added 13 points, and Lauren Banks chipped in 10. The Privateers were effective at the free-throw line, making 19 of 22 attempts, and forced 21 Cardinals turnovers, but their own offensive struggles and 12 turnovers against Incarnate Word’s defensive pressure proved too much to overcome.

Statistically, the game was defined by shooting disparity. Incarnate Word’s 52.8% field goal shooting (28 of 53) starkly contrasted with New Orleans’ 31.4%. The Cardinals also won the possession battle, scoring 79 points on 72 possessions for an offensive rating of 109.0, while the Privateers managed only 68 points on 78 possessions (86.7 offensive rating).

The victory marks a positive start to Southland Conference play for Incarnate Word, which had lost five of its first eight games. For New Orleans, the search for its first win of the season continues after a tenth consecutive defeat. The announced attendance was 110.

Incarnate Word next hosts McNeese State on Dec. 29. New Orleans travels to face Texas-Rio Grande Valley on the same date.