Box Score SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The St. Edward's men's basketball team fell to NCAA Division I Incarnate Word Wednesday evening, 77-67, in an exhibition contest at the McDermott Center.
 
Incarnate Word started hot as they outscored St. Edward's, 17-0 in the game's first six minutes. The Hilltoppers missed their first 10 shots of the game, as they couldn't buy a bucket.
 
The lead would grow to as many as 19 points at the 9:57 mark of the first half after a three pointer by Anthony Horton. That is when St. Edward's started to heat up from outside. Over the next four minutes, the Hilltoppers got treys from ZACH GHORMLEY and JOHN RUTHERFORD, and two from ETHAN GILBERT. The outside shooting sparked St. Edward's on a 16-2 run and cut the lead to 30-25, with 5:56 left in the first half. Incarnate Word would take a 40-32 lead into the break.
 
The Hilltoppers opened the second half with back-to-back three pointers by Gilbert and JOHN GRAMLICH, plus two free throws by Gramlich got St. Edward's to within one, 41-40, with 17:41 remaining in the contest. A bucket by the Cardinals, followed by a three-point play, pushed the lead back up to six points.
 
That is where the lead would hover for most of the second half. With Incarnate Word leading, 63-54, with 6:29 on the clock, St. Edward's made one last charge. The Hilltoppers outscored the Cardinals, 10-2 over the next three minutes to cut the lead to one. HARLEY NUSSMAN led the way with four points during the stanza. The only problem was that St. Edward's could only score three more points in the final three minutes, as Incarnate Word finished on a 12-3 run to take the game.
 
Frankie MgBolu led the Hilltoppers with a double-double, registering 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Nussman narrowly missed one of his own with nine points and nine rebounds. Gramlich tallied 12 points and Gilbert added 11 points.
 
St. Edward's will be back in action Saturday when they host Open Bible College. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Recreation and Convocation Center. Live video and stats will be available on the Hilltopper Athletic Website.