Box Score BELTON, TX - The UT Dallas men's team opened its 2008-09 American Southwest Conference schedule Saturday night with a convincing 82-66 road win over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, the defending ASC champions.

The Comets (4-0, 1-0) got off to another fast start, scoring 11 of the game's first 12 points; the never let the Cru (0-3, 0-1) back in the game.

UTD got a 24-point game out of senior Ernie Lowery, who scored 14 points in the second half as UTD stretched out a 35-30 halftime advantage to as many as 20 points. Point guard Temaine Wright had another double-figures performance, contributing 14 points while junior post Jordan Eppink contributed 11.

The Comets squelched any Cru hopes of a comeback in this game, hitting 10 three-pointers, including four from Lowery. Despite losing a 37-25 tally on the boards, UTD made up for by shooting 53.8% from the field. Both teams spent a lot of time at the free throw line as a combined 50 fouls were whistled.

After taking an 11-1 lead to start the game, UTD got up by as many as 14 points in the first half, leading 20-6 just four minutes in. UMHB was able to mount a 24-15 run to finish the half and was only five points down to start the second period. The Cru sunk the first bucket of the second half and was withing three at 32-35 before UTD went on a 24-10 run to make it 59-40 with 9:30 left in the game. With 7:52 remaining. an Eppink free throw made it 64-44 and the Comet lead was never in danger.

UTD plays at Concordia University in Austin Monday night.

BOXSCORE