San Antonio is a Spurs town, plain and simple. But if you head toward Broadway and Hildebrand, there's a smaller, scrappier story unfolding at the McDermott Center. Most people outside of South Texas probably couldn't pick the Cardinals out of a lineup. Honestly, that's a shame. University of the Incarnate Word basketball is currently caught in one of the toughest transitions in Division I sports, and watching them try to navigate the Southland Conference is a masterclass in patience.
It’s been a rough ride.
The leap from Division II to the big leagues isn't just about a change in jersey patches. It’s a total systemic shock. UIW made that jump relatively recently, officially becoming full DI members in 2017. Since then? It’s been a lot of "growing pains," which is a polite way of saying they’ve spent a lot of time near the bottom of the standings. But if you actually look at the roster builds under coaches like Shane Heirman, you start to see the vision. Or at least, the attempt at one.
The Brutal Reality of the Southland Conference
The Southland isn't the ACC. It isn't the Big 12. But don't let that fool you into thinking it's easy. It’s a league defined by speed, hyper-athleticism, and gyms that feel more like pressure cookers than basketball courts. For University of the Incarnate Word basketball, the challenge hasn't just been finding talent; it's been finding the right kind of talent that can survive a Tuesday night in Lake Charles or Hammond.
When Shane Heirman took the job, he didn't inherit a powerhouse. He inherited a project. Heirman came in with a reputation as a high-level recruiter—his time at Central Michigan and the legendary McEachern High School proved he could talk to elite prospects—but UIW is a different beast. You aren't recruiting against Kansas here. You’re recruiting against the transfer portal, which has basically turned mid-major basketball into the Wild West.
Last season was a grind. You saw flashes, though. Sky Wicks, for example, was a revelation. He wasn't just a "good for UIW" player; he was a legitimate Southland threat who could create his own shot when the offense broke down. That’s the blueprint. If the Cardinals want to stop being a "buy game" for Big 12 teams, they need three or four guys with that exact chip on their shoulder.
Recruiting in the Shadow of the Transfer Portal
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. The portal.
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In the old days, a school like UIW could find a diamond in the rough, polish them for two years, and have a monster senior season. Now? If a kid averages 15 points a game at University of the Incarnate Word basketball, he’s probably getting a call from a high-major school offering a NIL deal that UIW simply can't match. It’s a feeder system. It’s frustrating for fans. It’s even more frustrating for coaches who spend months building a relationship only to see it vanish in an Instagram graphic.
To counter this, the staff has to be creative. They’ve leaned into the international market and the junior college ranks. It’s a gamble. Sometimes you get a plug-and-play starter, and sometimes you get a guy who struggles to adapt to the defensive rotations of a DI system.
Why the McDermott Center Matters
The Alice P. McDermott Convocation Center is... intimate. That’s the nice word for it. It seats about 2,000 people.
When it’s empty, it feels like a high school gym. When it’s full? It’s a nightmare for visiting teams. The fans are right on top of the court. You can hear every word the opposing coach says. This is where the home-court advantage has to become a weapon for University of the Incarnate Word basketball. They have to make this place a house of horrors.
The problem is consistency. San Antonio has a lot of distractions. You’ve got the Spurs, UTSA's rise in football, and a million other things to do on a Saturday. Building a consistent student section is the "X-factor" that people don't talk about in SEO reports or stat sheets. If the "Redzone" student section shows up, the energy changes. The players feel it. You see a bit more hustle on a 50/50 ball. It sounds cliché, but at this level, emotion is a legitimate tactical advantage.
Defending the Perimeter in a High-Scoring Era
If you watch a UIW game, you’ll notice they tend to get into track meets. The Southland is a high-possession league. Teams want to run. They want to transition.
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Historically, UIW has struggled when the game gets chaotic. Their defensive efficiency numbers have hovered in the lower percentiles of DI. Improving the "points per possession" allowed isn't just about effort; it's about length. Heirman has clearly tried to get longer on the wings. You see more 6'6" and 6'7" guys in the rotation who can switch screens. That’s the modern game. If you can't switch 1 through 4, you're going to get picked apart by the guard-heavy offenses in this conference.
- Defensive Rotation: It's been the Achilles' heel. Too many open corner threes.
- Rebounding Margin: You can't give up second-chance points when your own offense is hit-or-miss.
- The Point Guard Gap: Finding a floor general who doesn't turn the ball over 4 times a game is the top priority every offseason.
The Financial Gap and the NIL Frontier
We have to be real about the money. University of the Incarnate Word is a private Catholic institution. It doesn't have the massive state subsidies of a Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or the deep-pocketed boosters of a major Power 5 school.
The NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) era has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, it allows local San Antonio businesses to support these athletes. On the other, it creates a massive disparity. The Cardinals aren't out here buying players. They are selling a "pathway." They are selling the idea that you can come to a beautiful campus, get a great education, and be "The Guy" instead of a benchwarmer at a bigger school.
It’s a tough sell. But for the right kid—the one who was overlooked because he was two inches too short or ten pounds too light—it works.
Key Matchups That Define the Season
When you look at the schedule, there are a few dates that UIW fans circle. The games against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Lamar are usually benchmarks. These are the programs that have figured it out. They are the standard for what a successful Southland program looks like.
If UIW can split those series, they’re in the conversation for the conference tournament in Katy, Texas. Making it to Katy is the baseline. Once you get to a neutral site in March, anything can happen. We’ve seen 15-seed upsets before. The Cardinals just need to get to the dance.
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The "Cardinal Way" vs. Modern Basketball
There is a certain pride in being a Cardinal. The school has a deep history, and the basketball program is trying to catch up to that legacy.
One thing that gets overlooked is the academic side. UIW puts a lot of emphasis on the "student" part of student-athlete. While that’s great for the university's mission, it does tighten the recruiting net. You can't just bring in anyone. They have to fit the culture.
Some people think that's a handicap. I think it’s a filter. It brings in high-character guys who are less likely to quit when the season gets tough in February. And let's be honest, February in the Southland is a grind. You're traveling on buses, playing in front of small crowds, and your body is beat up. You need guys who actually want to be there.
Tactical Shifts Under the New Regime
We've seen a shift toward a more aggressive, ball-screen-heavy offense.
It’s fun to watch when it works. When the spacing is right and the shooters are hitting, University of the Incarnate Word basketball looks like a team that can compete with anyone in the region. The issue is the "dry spells." There are stretches of 4 or 5 minutes where the basket seems to have a lid on it. Fixing those scoring droughts is usually a matter of veteran leadership—having that one senior who can put his head down, get to the foul line, and stop the bleeding.
Actionable Steps for the Program’s Growth
If UIW is going to take the next step and become a consistent winner, a few things have to happen. It's not just about what happens on the hardwood.
- Local Recruitment Focus: San Antonio is an underrated basketball city. UIW needs to own the 210. Keeping the best local talent from leaving for North Texas or Louisiana is paramount.
- Facility Upgrades: The McDermott Center is charming, but it needs modernization to attract the "Instagram generation" of recruits. Even small aesthetic changes make a difference.
- Alumni Engagement: There are thousands of UIW grads in San Antonio. Tapping into that base for consistent attendance would create a revenue stream that fuels better travel, better gear, and better recruiting budgets.
- Schedule Smarter: Playing "guarantee games" against blue bloods is great for the budget, but it can crush a team's confidence. Balancing the schedule with winnable home games is key to building momentum heading into conference play.
University of the Incarnate Word basketball isn't going to become a powerhouse overnight. It’s a slow burn. It’s about finding a coach who stays, players who care, and a community that actually shows up. The pieces are there. The location is perfect. The conference is winnable. Now, they just have to go out and execute.
The road to the top of the Southland is paved with tough losses and long bus rides. But for the Cardinals, the climb is exactly what makes the potential payoff so interesting. Keep an eye on the box scores this year; you might see a program finally starting to find its feet.