# 2023–24 Incarnate Word Cardinals women's basketball team

The 2023–24 Incarnate Word Cardinals women's basketball team represented the University of the Incarnate Word in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by fifth-year coach Jeff Dow, and were members of the Southland Conference (SLC). The team compiled an overall record of 19–11 and a 12–6 record in conference play. Their season ended in the first round of the SLC tournament losing to Texas A&M–Commerce.

## Media

Home games were broadcast on ESPN+.

## Preseason polls
### Southland Conference Poll

The Southland Conference released its preseason poll on October 10, 2023. Receiving 97 overall votes, the Cardinals were picked to finish fourth in the conference.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Southeastern Louisiana | 159 (15) |
| 2 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 140 (3) |
| 3 | Lamar | 132 (2) |
| 4 | Incarnate Word | 97 |
| T5 | Houston Christian | 74 |
| T5 | McNeese | 74 |
| 7 | Northwestern State | 65 |
| 8 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 58 |
| 9 | New Orleans | 56 |
| 10 | Nicholls | 39 |

### Preseason All Conference

No Cardinals were selected to the Preseason All Conference first team. Senior Nina De Leon Negron, a guard, was selected to second team.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 7, 2023* 11:00 a.m., ESPN+ | | Our Lady of the Lake | W 68–40 | 1–0 | 12 – C. Storer | 7 – J. Ellion | 3 – N. De Leon Negron | McDermott Center (557) San Antonio, TX |
| November 12, 2023* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | New Mexico State | L 52–59 | 1–1 | 12 – N. De Leon Negron | 7 – D. Terrell | 5 – A. Collins | McDermott Center (103) San Antonio, TX |
| November 15, 2023* 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at TCU | L 55–61 | 1–2 | 17 – A. Collins | 8 – N. De Leon Negron | 6 – A. Collins | Schollmaier Arena (4,754) Fort Worth, TX |
| November 19, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | UT Rio Grande Valley | W 67–57 | 2–2 | 7 – J. Elliontt | 9 – D. Terrell | 5 – N. De Leon Negron | McDermott Center (261) San Antonio, TX |
| November 27, 2023* 5:30 p.m. | | at Prairie View A&M | W 57–44 | 3–2 | 20 – Storer | 10 – Storer | 3 – De Leon Negron | William J. Nicks Building (246) Prairie View, TX |
| December 2, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Dallas Christian | W 103–52 | 4–2 | 16 – A. Collins | 8 – R. McCrary | 5 – R. McCrary | McDermott Center (95) San Antonio, TX |
| December 10, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Tarleton State | W 57–42 | 5–2 | 16 – D. Terrell | 7 – D. Terrell | 3 – A. Collins | Wisdom Gymnasium (419) Stephenville, TX |
| December 13, 2023* 11:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas Tech | L 35–76 | 5–3 | 8 – D. Terrell | 4 – D. Terrell | 3 – N. De Leon Negron | United Supermarkets Arena (13,748) Lubbock, TX |
| December 16, 2023* 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | St. Edwards | W 57–49 | 6–3 | 15 – N. De Leon Negron | 8 – J. Elliott | 5 – N. De Leon Negron | McDermott Center (164) San Antonio, TX |
| December 20, 2023* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas Lutheran | W 70–36 | 7–3 | 13 – B. Sanborn | 7 – D. Terrell | 4 – C. Storer | McDermott Center (126) San Antonio, TX |
| December 31, 2023* 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Arkansas | L 48–67 | 7–4 | 10 – J. Elliott | 11 – D. Terrell | 6 – N. De Leon Negron | Bud Walton Arena (3,420) Fayetteville, AR |
| Southland regular season |||||||||
| January 4, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Lamar | L 53–70 | 5–7 (0–1) | 13 – D. Terrell | 8 – D. Terrell | 2 – D. Terrell | Neches Arena (603) Beaumont, TX |
| January 6, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 61–63 | 7–6 (0–2) | 19 – A. Collins | 10 – D. Terrell | 4 – A. Collins | McDermott Center San Antonio, TX |
| January 11, 2023 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Commerce | W 70–62 | 8–6 (1–2) | 21 – A. Collins | 9 – N. De Leon Negron | 4 – J. Elliott | The Field House (238) Commerce, TX |
| January 13, 2023 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Northwestern State | W 63–57 | 9–6 (2–2) | 16 – D. Terrell | 11 – N. De Leon Negron | 5 – A. Collins | Prather Coliseum (411) Natchitoches, LA |
| January 18, 2023 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Nicholls | L 59–65 | 9–7 (2–3) | 14 – A. Collins | 9 – N. De Leon Negron | 3 – N. De Leon Negron | McDermott Center (120) San Antonio, TX |
| January 20, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | McNeese | W 67–55 | 10–7 (3–3) | 16 – N. De Leon Negron | 10 – tied (2) | 4 – tied (2) | McDermott Center San Antonio, TX |
| January 27, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Houston Christian | W 77–49 | 11–7 (4–3) | 11 – M. Bell | 9 – N. De Leon Negron | 6 – N. De Leon Negron | McDermott Center (181) San Antonio, TX |
| February 1, 2023 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Southeastern Louisiana | L 86–93 $^{OT}$ | 11–8 (4–4) | 22 – N. De Leon Negron | 12 – N. De Leon Negron | 7 – N. De Leon Negron | Pride Roofing University Center (1,248) Hammond, LA |
| February 3, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at New Orleans | W 64–54 | 12–8 (5–4) | 17 – D. Terrell | 8 – M. Bell | 6 – N. De Leon Legron | Lakefront Arena (440) New Orleans, LA |
| February 8, 2023 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Lamar | L 68–72 | 12–9 (5–5) | 28 – A. Collins | 8 – N. De Leon Negron | 3 – N. De Leon Negron | McDermott Center (192) San Antonio, TX |
| February 10, 2023 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Houston Christian | W 67–40 | 13–9 (6–5) | 14 – J. Elliott | 9 – D. Terrell | 3 – A. Collins | Sharp Gymnasium (231) Houston, TX |
| February 15, 2023 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Commerce | W 72–61 | 14–9 (7–5) | 25 – J. Elliott | 12 – N. Leon Negron | 4 – A. Collins | McDermott Center (104) San Antonio, TX |
| February 17, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Northwestern State | W 53–45 | 15–9 (8–5) | 20 – J. Ntambwe | 8 – J. Ntambwe | 4 – K. Dean | McDermott Center (110) San Antonio, TX |
| February 22, 2023 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Nicholls | W 52–47 | 16–9 (9–5) | 16 – A. Collins | 6 – M. Bell | 3 – N. De Leon Negron | Stopher Gymnasium (433) Thibodaux, LA |
| February 24, 2023 1:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at McNeese | W 61–48 | 17–9 (10–5) | 15 – A. Collins | 10 – D. Terrell | 4 – N. De Leon Negron | The Legacy Center (347) Lake Charles, LA |
| February 29, 2023 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | Southeastern Louisiana | W 53–51 | 18–9 (11–5) | 15 – N. De Leon Negron | 13 – D. Terrell | 5 – N. De Leon Negron | McDermott Center (169) San Antonio, TX |
| March 2, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | New Orleans | W 79–76 $^{OT}$ | 19–9 (12–5) | 28 – N. De Leon Negron | 11 – D. Terrell | 3 – N. De Leon Negron | McDermott Center (319) San Antonio, TX |
| March 6, 2023 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 43–65 | 19–10 (12–6) | 9 – N. De Leon Negron | 8 – D. Terrell | 2 – N. De Leon Negron | American Bank Center (1,744) Corpus Christi, TX |
| 2024 Jersey Mike's Subs Southland Conference tournament |||||||||
| March 12, 2024 11:00 a.m., ESPN+ | (4) | vs. (5) Texas A&M–Commerce Second round | L 57–66 | 19–11 | 14 – N. De Leon Negron | 9 – N. De Leon Negron | 3 – N. De Leon Negron | 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 | Aliyah Collins | G | November 20, 2023 | |
| SLC Women's Basketball Player of the Week | Nina De Leon Negron | G | February 19, 2024 | |