UIW Press Conference | NWST Press Conference

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Four different UIW players scored in double figures as the fourth-seeded Cardinals knocked off No. 5 Northwestern State to advance to the semifinals of the Jersey Mike's Southland Basketball Championships.

UIW will return to the semifinals for the first time since 2022, when they won the title, as they take on top-seeded Southeastern in the semifinals at 10:30 a.m. on ESPN+. 

Dorian Norris scored 14 points, while Myra Bell added 12 points. Jorja Elliott stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, five assists, four rebounds, and three steals, while Destiny Whitaker scored 11. 

UIW started red hot with three 3-pointers in the first four minutes, coming from Norris, Elliott, and Bell, to race out to an 11-4 lead. Mya Blake and Sharna Ayres jump-started the Demons offense to cut the deficit to 14-11 at the end of the first. 

Elliott and Norris helped build the lead back out to seven in the second half and the Cardinals kept their foot on the gas pedal, using tenacious defense with a hot offense to take a 10 point lead at the break as Whitaker swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Blake continued her stellar offensive performance, getting the game down to six with five to play in the third quarter, but a 9-0 run blew the game wide open, giving UIW a 15 point lead. 

Though Northwestern State got it to eight at the end of three quarters, UIW was just too much on this day as they pulled away and finished things off to take the 15 point win.

Blake scored 29 points on 11 made field goals to go with three steals, while Vernell Atamah added 10 points, eight rebounds, and three steals.