Hanging on for a 65-64 win Wednesday night against Tyler at Wagstaff Gymnasium, the second-ranked Cardinals are assure of no worse than a share of the Region XIV Conference championship.

The Cardinals, 26-2 on the year, raised their conference mark to 18-2. They are two games up on Angelina with two games to go.

The Cardinals are scheduled to travel Saturday to Baytown to take on Lee at 2 p.m. They will be at home to end the regular season next Wednesday, March 5 against Blinn at 7:30 p.m.

Tyler saw its records slip to 15-13 and 9-11.

Tyler Smith put the Cardinals up 65-62 with a free throw with 9.1 seconds left. It proved to be the difference. Smith was 18-of-20 from the line in a 27-point performance.

As a team, the Cardinals hit 24-of-29 free throws.

M.J. Wardlow had 13 points for the Cardinals.

Garrett Nuckolls, who had five points, led the Cardinals with 12 rebounds.

The Cardinals led 31-29 at the half.