HOUSTON (Interstat) — Gwendlyn McGrew scored 22 points and Incarnate Word weathered a furious second-half rally by Houston Christian to secure a 74-65 victory in a Southland Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Sharp Gymnasium.

The Cardinals, who led by as many as 15 points in the first half, saw their advantage evaporate completely during a dominant third quarter by the Huskies before regrouping in the final period to sweep the season series.

Incarnate Word improved to 9-8 overall and 4-2 in conference play, while Houston Christian fell to 5-12 and 1-5.

The game’s pivotal shift came in the third quarter. After building a 31-24 halftime lead behind efficient outside shooting, the Cardinals were outscored 26-21 in the period. Houston Christian’s surge was fueled by defensive pressure that forced eight Incarnate Word turnovers, which the Huskies converted into 12 points. A 15-4 run by the home team, capped by a Madison Hurta 3-pointer with 1:31 left in the quarter, gave Houston Christian its first lead since the opening minutes at 49-48.

The Huskies took a 50-49 edge into the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals quickly reasserted control. McGrew, a 5-foot-10 guard from Pasadena, Texas, hit a hook shot in the lane to put Incarnate Word back in front, sparking a decisive 11-2 run. Jorja Elliott, who finished with 14 points, six assists and two blocks, drilled a critical 3-pointer with 3:15 remaining to extend the lead to 64-58, and the Huskies never recovered.

Incarnate Word’s success was built on superior shooting, particularly from beyond the arc. The Cardinals connected on 12 of 26 3-point attempts, a 46.2% clip, while Houston Christian managed just 6 of 26 from deep. McGrew was 4 of 8 from 3-point range. The Cardinals also shot 83.3% from the free-throw line.

Conversely, Houston Christian struggled from the field overall, shooting 33.3% on 23-of-69 shooting. The Huskies did capitalize on Incarnate Word’s mistakes, scoring 20 points off 18 Cardinal turnovers while committing only seven of their own. They also won the battle in the paint, 30-22.

Madison Williams added 13 points for Incarnate Word, and Madison Cockrell chipped in 11 points and four assists.

Houston Christian was led by a balanced attack. Tove Caesar of Stockholm, Sweden, and Sidney Carr each scored 12 points, while Grace Booth and Madison Hurta added 11 apiece. Jordan Jackson contributed eight points, five assists and a game-high nine rebounds.

The game began as a defensive struggle, with Houston Christian holding a narrow 13-12 lead after one quarter. The second quarter belonged to the Cardinals, who used a 12-2 run, fueled by three McGrew 3-pointers, to open a 31-19 advantage before taking a seven-point lead into halftime.

The victory marks the second time this season Incarnate Word has defeated Houston Christian, following a 56-52 win in San Antonio on Jan. 3. The Cardinals have now won three of their last four conference games.

Attendance was 793 at Sharp Gymnasium.

Incarnate Word next hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday. Houston Christian is scheduled to host Texas-Rio Grande Valley, also on Saturday.