Give the ninth-ranked Cardinals their due: they know how to finish a game.

Going on an 18-4 run in the final 5:30, the Cardinals raced away from the Navarro College Bulldogs for a 78-64 Region XIV Conference win Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Gym.

In running their season record to 17-3, the Cardinals, now 8-1 in conference, maintained a decade-long dominance of the Bulldogs. The Cardinals have won 18 of the last 21 games against Navarro, dating back to the 2014-15 season.

With 5:30 left, the score was tied at 60-60. By the time Ahamad Bynum, Mahki Dorsey and the rest of the Cardinals were finished, the score was out of hand for the Bulldogs. Bynum tossed in 26 points, including three three-pointers, which gives the DePaul transfer 61 on the season.

Denim Johnson and Dorsey pushed the ball at a pace that on occasion put the Navarro defense in a bind. Mouhamed Mbaye gave the Cardinals a presence inside with quality minutes off the bench.

Dorsey finished with 14 points and Johnson had 13 to go along with 10 rebounds. Mbaye contributed 12 points.

Devyn Franklin had nine rebounds and six points for the Cardinals.

Navarro dropped to 11-9 and 4-5 with the setback.

The Cardinals are scheduled to be back in action Wednesday at Kilgore in a 7 p.m. tipoff. They are scheduled to be at home Saturday against Bossier Parish. Game time is 4 p.m.