Incarnate Word Cardinals Defeat East Texas A&M Lions 82-73
Saturday, February 21, 2026, 6:00 PM ET · The Field House
Incarnate Word Cardinals 82, East Texas A&M Lions 73, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Incarnate Word Cardinals vs East Texas A&M Lions?
Incarnate Word Cardinals beat East Texas A&M Lions 82-73 at The Field House on February 21, 2026.
Who was favored in Incarnate Word Cardinals vs East Texas A&M Lions?
East Texas A&M Lions were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -192 (about 66% implied). The underdog won.
In a closely contested matchup, the Incarnate Word Cardinals emerged victorious against the East Texas A&M Lions with a final score of 82-73. The game, held at The Field House, showcased the Cardinals' ability to capitalize on their scoring opportunities, particularly in the second half, where they outscored the Lions.
The Cardinals entered the game with an away record of 11-17 and were on a four-game losing streak, having struggled in their last ten games with a record of 2-8. They averaged 71.7 points scored and allowed 81.3 points during this stretch. In contrast, the Lions, with a home record of 11-18, had a slightly better recent form with a record of 3-5-2 over their last ten games, averaging 53.4 points scored and 58.8 points allowed. The Lions had a modest winning streak of one game prior to this matchup, having defeated the SE Louisiana Lions 70-53 in their last outing.
Historically, the Cardinals have had the upper hand in their recent meetings with the Lions, holding a 2-1 record in their last three encounters. The most recent game prior to this one was on January 19, 2026, where the Cardinals won decisively 80-58. Their previous meetings in the 2025 season saw the Lions lose 68-75 at home and 53-65 away.
In terms of injuries, the block does not provide specific details that may have impacted either team's performance. However, the absence of key players can often influence the dynamics of such games, particularly in closely matched contests like this one.
The betting market from DraftKings indicated that East Texas A&M was favored by 3.5 points, with a total set at 145.5. The home money line was priced at -192.0, while the away money line for Incarnate Word was at 160.0. These odds reflect the expectation of a competitive game, which was indeed the case as the match unfolded.
As the game progressed, the second half proved pivotal for the Cardinals. They managed to tie the game at 73 with a tip-in layup by Ronnie Harrison, followed by a three-point jumper from Tahj Staveskie, which shifted the momentum in favor of the Cardinals. Free throws by Davion Bailey and Staveskie in the closing moments solidified their lead, culminating in an 82-73 victory.
The conditions in The Field House appeared to favor an energetic atmosphere, which likely contributed to the players' performances. Viewers were treated to a display of resilience from both teams, but ultimately, the Cardinals' ability to execute under pressure made the difference.
This game not only highlighted the competitive nature of NCAAB but also underscored the importance of capitalizing on scoring opportunities and maintaining composure in the final moments.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | ETAM -3.5 | 145.5 o -110 / u -110 | Incarnate Word Cardinals +160 · East Texas A&M Lions -192 |
Leaders
- PointsNoah Pagotto26East Texas A&M Lions
- AssistsGianni Hunt6East Texas A&M Lions
- ReboundsNoah Pagotto8East Texas A&M Lions
- PointsTahj Staveskie33Incarnate Word Cardinals
- AssistsTahj Staveskie5Incarnate Word Cardinals
- ReboundsMihael Tomic8Incarnate Word Cardinals
Recent form
East Texas A&M Lions
Last 10: 3-5-2Streak W153.4 scored · 58.8 allowed per game2-3 at home
- W70-53vs SE Louisiana LionsFeb 16
- L54-97vs McNeese CowboysFeb 14
- L70-74at Stephen F. Austin LumberjacksFeb 10
- W52-48vs Northwestern State DemonsFeb 7
- W74-68at Northwestern State DemonsFeb 5
- L85-94vs LSU New Orleans PrivateersFeb 3
- L68-72vs Nicholls ColonelsJan 31
- L61-82at Lamar CardinalsJan 28
- D0-0at Lamar CardinalsJan 27
- D0-0at Northwestern State DemonsJan 24
Incarnate Word Cardinals
Last 10: 2-8Streak L471.7 scored · 81.3 allowed per game1-3 away
- L64-78vs LSU New Orleans PrivateersFeb 17
- L83-91vs Nicholls ColonelsFeb 14
- L62-74at SE Louisiana LionsFeb 10
- L64-81at McNeese CowboysFeb 7
- W71-69at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi IslandersFeb 3
- L93-106vs UT Rio Grande Valley VaquerosJan 31
- L75-81at Houston Christian HuskiesJan 28
- L71-79vs Texas A&M-Corpus Christi IslandersJan 24
- L58-80vs East Texas A&M LionsJan 19
- W76-74vs Northwestern State DemonsJan 17
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen F. Austin | 28-6 | - | 20-2 |
| McNeese | 28-6 | 1 | 19-3 |
| UT Rio Grande Valley | 19-14 | 6 | 14-8 |
| Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 18-15 | 7 | 13-9 |
| LSU New Orleans | 15-18 | 8 | 12-10 |
| Nicholls | 14-19 | 8 | 12-10 |
| Houston Christian | 12-20 | 12 | 8-14 |
| Northwestern State | 10-22 | 12 | 8-14 |
| Incarnate Word | 12-19 | 13 | 7-15 |
| Lamar | 12-19 | 13 | 7-15 |
| East Texas A&M | 11-21 | 14 | 6-16 |
| SE Louisiana | 9-22 | 14 | 6-16 |
Box score
| Stat | Incarnate Word Cardinals | East Texas A&M Lions |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 27-52 | 29-59 |
| Field goal % | 52 | 49 |
| Three-pointers | 13-26 | 10-28 |
| Three-point % | 50 | 36 |
| Free throws | 15-16 | 5-8 |
| Free throw % | 94 | 63 |
| Rebounds | 28 | 25 |
| Offensive rebounds | 10 | 12 |
| Defensive rebounds | 18 | 13 |
| Assists | 14 | 21 |
| Steals | 5 | 4 |
| Blocks | 0 | 4 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 6 |
| Team turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 13 | 6 |
| Fast-break points | 0 | 6 |
| Points in the paint | 22 | 34 |
| Fouls | 10 | 14 |
| Largest lead | 11 | 0 |
| Lead changes | 0 | 0 |
| Time in front | 94 | 0 |
How the scoring went
- 1st Half43-39Tahj Staveskie makes 12-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half43-42Tay Mosher makes 23-foot three point jumper (Damian Garcia assists)
- 2nd Half45-42Harold Woods makes driving layup (Tahj Staveskie assists)
- 2nd Half45-44Ronnie Harrison makes 6-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half48-44Tahj Staveskie makes 28-foot three point jumper (Harold Woods assists)
- 2nd Half48-46Noah Pagotto makes 7-foot floating jump shot (Tay Mosher assists)
- 2nd Half50-46Davion Bailey makes driving layup (Tahj Staveskie assists)
- 2nd Half50-48Noah Pagotto makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half50-50Noah Pagotto makes 2-foot dunk
- 2nd Half53-50Love Bettis makes 25-foot three point jumper (Davion Bailey assists)
- 2nd Half54-50Mihael Tomic makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half55-50Mihael Tomic makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half55-52Ronnie Harrison makes layup
- 2nd Half57-52Davion Bailey makes 6-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half57-55Vinny Sigona makes 24-foot three point jumper (Evan Phelps assists)
- 2nd Half60-55Tahj Staveskie makes 24-foot three pointer
- 2nd Half60-58Vinny Sigona makes 26-foot three point jumper (Gianni Hunt assists)
- 2nd Half63-58Love Bettis makes 26-foot three point jumper (Davion Bailey assists)
- 2nd Half64-58Harold Woods makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half65-58Harold Woods makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half65-59Gianni Hunt makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half66-59Tahj Staveskie makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half67-59Tahj Staveskie makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half67-61Noah Pagotto makes layup (Damian Garcia assists)
- 2nd Half69-61Love Bettis makes 18-foot step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half69-63Noah Pagotto makes layup (Vinny Sigona assists)
- 2nd Half71-63Mihael Tomic makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half71-66Vinny Sigona makes 28-foot three pointer
- 2nd Half71-68Ronnie Harrison makes layup (Gianni Hunt assists)
- 2nd Half71-70Gianni Hunt makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half71-71Gianni Hunt makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half73-71Harold Woods makes layup (Love Bettis assists)
- 2nd Half73-73Ronnie Harrison makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half76-73Tahj Staveskie makes 25-foot three point jumper (Marcus Glover assists)
- 2nd Half77-73Davion Bailey makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half78-73Davion Bailey makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half79-73Davion Bailey makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half80-73Davion Bailey makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half81-73Tahj Staveskie makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half82-73Tahj Staveskie makes free throw 2 of 2
Win probability
Above the line favours East Texas A&M Lions, below favours Incarnate Word Cardinals.
Venue
- The Field HouseCommerce, TX
- Attendance634
- OfficialsTrent Dews, Eric Kronebusch, Daniel Shafer
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