ABILENE, Texas (Interstat) — The Abilene Christian Wildcats used a dominant performance in the paint and capitalized on a slew of turnovers to defeat the Incarnate Word Cardinals 69-56 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Friday night at Moody Coliseum.

The Wildcats improved to 2-0 on the young season, while the Cardinals dropped their second consecutive contest to start the year.

Abilene Christian seized control of the game with a decisive 19-point second quarter, turning a narrow 12-10 lead after the first period into a 31-24 halftime advantage. The Wildcats extended their lead further in the third quarter, outscoring the Cardinals 21-17 to take a 52-41 lead into the final frame.

A key factor in the victory was Abilene Christian’s overwhelming advantage in points off turnovers. The Wildcats scored 22 points from Incarnate Word’s 21 miscues, while the Cardinals managed only two points from Abilene Christian’s eight turnovers. The Wildcats also controlled the interior, outscoring UIW 46-26 in the paint and grabbing 16 offensive rebounds to the Cardinals’ 11.

Despite a cold shooting night from beyond the arc, making just 5 of 32 attempts, Abilene Christian’s efficiency inside and its ability to generate extra possessions proved decisive. The Wildcats also dished out 10 assists and recorded 10 steals as a team.

Incarnate Word struggled with its offensive execution throughout the game, posting an offensive rating of 80.6 points per 100 possessions compared to Abilene Christian’s 93.0. The Cardinals shot 36.7% from the floor and committed 21 turnovers.

Emma Troxell led the Wildcats with 19 points, while Erin Woodson and Meredith Mayes added 18 and 14 points, respectively. Mayes, a center, also contributed to the team’s interior dominance.

For Incarnate Word, Madison Cockrell and Raimi McCrary shouldered the scoring load. Cockrell, a guard from Dallas, finished with 18 points, while McCrary, a forward from Allen, added 15 points.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 575. Abilene Christian will look to continue its winning streak when it hosts Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday. Incarnate Word returns to action Monday, seeking its first win of the season at home against St. Thomas.