# 2024–25 Incarnate Word Cardinals women's basketball team

The 2024–25 Incarnate Word Cardinals women's basketball team represents the University of the Incarnate Word in the 2024–25 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by sixth-year coach Jeff Dow, and are members of the Southland Conference (SLC). The season was surprisingly followed up with Dow not having his contract renewed.

## Media

Home games were broadcast on ESPN+.

## Preseason polls
### Southland Conference Poll

The Southland Conference released its preseason poll on October 17, 2024. Receiving 149 overall votes, the Cardinals were picked to finish fifth in the conference.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Lamar | 236 (19) |
| 2 | Southeastern Louisiana | 213 (5) |
| 3 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 200 |
| 4 | Stephen F. Austin | 193 |
| 5 | Incarnate Word | 149 |
| 6 | Texas A&M–Commerce (renamed) | 112 |
| 7 | Nicholls | 108 |
| 8 | New Orleans | 109 |
| 9 | UT Rio Grande Valley | 92 |
| 10 | Northwestern State | 67 |
| 11 | McNeese | 61 |
| 12 | Houston Christian | 51 |

### Preseason All Conference

No Cardinals were selected to a Preseason All-Conference team.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season games |||||||||
| Nov 4, 2024* 6:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Texas Tech | L 48–78 | 0–1 | 10 – J. Elliott | 5 – R. McCrary | 1 – J. Elliott | United Supermarkets Arena (3,584) Lubbock, TX |
| Nov 7, 2024* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at No. 12 Baylor | L 33–85 | 0–2 | 10 – B. Lusby | 4 – D. Norris | 2 – M. Cockrell | Foster Pavilion (3,332) Waco, TX |
| Nov 11, 2024* 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | Nelson | W 85–54 | 1–2 | 15 – J. Elliott | 8 – M. McQuietor | 8 – J. Elliott | McDermott Center (208) San Antonio, TX |
| Nov 14, 2024* 11:00 am, ESPN+ | | Texas Lutheran | W 57–51 | 2–2 | 11 – B. Lusby | 8 – B. Lusby | 2 – M. Cockrell | McDermott Center San Antonio, TX |
| Nov 18, 2024* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Prairie View A&M | W 68–49 | 3–2 | 18 – M. Bell | 8 – M. Bell | 5 – M. Cockrell | McDermott Center (94) San Antonio, TX |
| Nov 21, 2024* 12:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at No. 19 TCU | L 43–81 | 3–3 | 8 – R. McCrary | 5 – R. McCrary | 2 – J. Elliott | Schollmaier Arena (5,379) Fort Worth, TX |
| Nov 24, 2024* 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Abilene Christian | L 53–61 | 3–4 | 17 – R. McCrary | 13 – R. McCrary | 4 – S. Isono | McDermott Center (123) San Antonio, TX |
| Dec 6, 2024 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Northwestern State | W 48–46 | 4–4 (1–0) | 22 – J. Elliott | 10 – R. McCrary | 3 – M. Bell | McDermott Center San Antonio, TX |
| Dec 14, 2024 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Schreiner | W 93–36 | 5–4 | 23 – B. Lusby | 7 – R. McCrary | 4 – D. Whitaker | McDermott Center (100) San Antonio, TX |
| Dec 20, 2024 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | East Texas A&M | W 76–55 | 6–4 (2–0) | 16 – R. McCrary | 10 – R. McCrary | 5 – S. Isono | McDermott Center (76) San Antonio, TX |
| Dec 29, 2024* 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Our Lady of the Lake | W 104–37 | 7–4 | 19 – D. Whitaker | 12 – B. Lusby | 5 – J. Elliott | McDermott Center San Antonio, TX |
| Jan 2, 2025 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Lamar | L 47–69 | 7–5 (2–1) | 11 – E. McKinzie | 4 – M. Cockrell | 4 – S. Isono | Neches Arena (463) Beaumont, TX |
| Jan 4, 2025 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Stephen F. Austin | L 60–67 | 7–6 (2–2) | 13 – D. Norris | 11 – D. Norris | 4 – M. Bell | William R. Johnson Coliseum (996) Nacogdoches, TX |
| Jan 9, 2025 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | Nicholls | L 57–68 | 7–7 (2–3) | 14 – J. Elliot | 10 – R. McCrary | 4 – M. Bell | McDermott Center (66) San Antonio, TX |
| Jan 11, 2025 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Houston Christian | W 76–45 | 8–7 (3–3) | 15 – B. Lusby | 6 – R. McCrary | 4 – M. Bell | Sharp Gymnasium (208) Houston, TX |
| Jan 16, 2025 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | UT Rio Grande Valley | W 52–43 | 9–7 (4–3) | 14 – D. Whitaker | 8 – D. Norris | 2 – D. Norris | McDermott Center (117) San Antonio, TX |
| Jan 18, 2025 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | W 76–58 | 10–7 (5–3) | 16 – J. Elliott | 9 – R. McCrary | 7 – R. McCrary | McDermott Center (231) San Antonio, TX |
| Jan 25, 2025 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Southeastern Louisiana | L 42–66 | 10–8 (5–4) | 11 – D. Whitaker | 4 – E. McKinzie | 3 – D. Norris | Lakefront Arena (619) New Orleans, LA |
| Jan 27, 2025 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at New Orleans Rescheduled from January 22 | W 58–55 | 11–8 (6–4) | 15 – B. Lusby | 6 – J. Elliott | 5 – J. Elliott | Lakefront Arena (137) New Orleans, LA |
| Jan 30, 2025 6:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at McNeese | W 77–63 | 12–8 (7–4) | 17 – J. Elliott | 8 – J. Elliott | 2 – J. Elliott | The Legacy Center (1,342) Lake Charles, LA |
| Feb 1, 2025 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Houston Christian | W 68–55 | 13–8 (8–4) | 18 – R. McCrary | 9 – D. Norris | 18 – R. McCrary | McDermott Center San Antonio, TX |
| Feb 6, 2025 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | Southeastern Louisiana | W 71–60 | 14–8 (9–4) | 20 – D. Whitaker | 8 – D. Whitaker | 4 – R. McCrary | McDermott Center (118) San Antonio, TX |
| Feb 8, 2025 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Southeastern Louisiana | L 43–62 | 14–9 (9–5) | 10 – B. Lusby | 7 – D. Norris | 3 – S. Isono | McDermott Center (136) San Antonio, TX |
| Feb 13, 2025 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | at UT Rio Grande Valley | L 37–59 | 14–10 (9–6) | 8 – D. Whitaker | 7 – D. Norris | 2 – M. Cockrell | UTRGV Fieldhouse (1,061) Edinburg, TX |
| Feb 15, 2025 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 53–55 $^{OT}$ | 15–10 (10–6) | 18 – M. Bell | 8 – M. Bell | 4 – M. Cockrell | American Bank Center (1,308) Corpus Christi, TX |
| Feb 20, 2025 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | Lamar | L 53–61 | 15–11 (10–7) | 13 – M. Bell | 9 – J. Elliott | 3 – J. Elliott | McDermott Center San Antonio, TX |
| Feb 22, 2025 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Stephen F. Austin | L 68–73 | 15–12 (10–8) | 20 – B. Lusby | 10 – D. Norris | 4 – M. Bell | McDermott Center (191) San Antonio, TX |
| Feb 27, 2025 6:30 pm, ESPN+ | | at Northwestern State | W 71–64 | 16–12 (11–8) | 13 – J. Elliott | 8 – J. Elliott | 2 – J. Elliott | Prather Coliseum (726) Natchitoches, LA |
| Mar 1, 2025 12:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at East Texas A&M | W 74–65 | 17–12 (12–8) | 17 – B. Lusby | 12 – M. Bell | 6 – R. McCrary | The Field House (347) Commerce, TX |
| 2025 Jersey Mike's Subs Southland Conference Tournament (1–1) |||||||||
| Mar 11, 2025 11:00 am, ESPN+ | (4) | vs. (5) Northwestern State Quarterfinals | W 69–54 | 18–12 | 14 – D. Norris | 11 – R. McCrary | 5 – J. Elliott | The Legacy Center Lake Charles, LA |
| Mar 12, 2025 10:30 am, ESPN+ | (4) | vs. (1) Southeastern Louisiana Semifinals | L 37–57 | 18–13 | 12 – J. Elliott | 5 – Tied | 1 – Tied - 5 players | The Legacy Center Lake Charles, LA |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central. |||||||||
Source:

## Conference awards and honors
### Weekly awards

Weekly honors :
| Honors | Player | Position | Date Awarded | Ref. |
| SLC Women's Basketball Player of the Week | Jorja Elliott | G | December 9, 2024 | |