Box Score RICHARDSON, TX (01.19.09) - The UT Dallas men's basketball team, which rallied from a slow start Saturday to claim a dramatic one-point win, came out on the short end of tight game Monday night, falling 68-66 to the University of the Ozarks.
It was only the Comets' (14-2, 9-2) second loss in American Southwest Conference action, but the first of the season on the UTD Activity Center floor. Ozarks improved to 8-8, 6-5 with the win.
UTD struggled offensively in the first half, and struggled defensively throughout the game to solve the Eagles' aggressive attack. Ozarks scored 32 points taking the ball to the hole, and converted 22 Comet turnovers into 26 points.
The Comets fell behind early, misfiring from the field, and had to rally to make the game close by intermission at 29-28. In the second period, UTD ratcheted up its offense, hitting at a 59.3 percent clip (16-of-27), and was part of five ties and eight lead changes. The Comets took a 65-64 lead with 2:39 remaining when
Jimmy Witten stole a ball and
Brandon Greene converted on a jumpshot, but Witten then was victimized on his own turnover and Ozarks'
Chris Williams scored at 1:57 to give the Eagles a lead they would not give up.
With:18 on the clock, UTD was forced to foul down 66-65, but Ozarks' Tony Brock hit both free throws to make it a three-point game. With less than a second on the clock, UTD's
Ernie Lowery was fouled, but only had a chance at two points from the free-throw line and the game was over.
Midway through the second half, UTD did rally to build a five-point lead (48-43) with 12:10 remaining, but Ozarks countered with a quick 6-0 run in just over a minute to go back out in front at 49-48.
Witten ended up as UTD's top scorer, with 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Brandon Greene had 10 points along with reserve point guard
Jared Fleming, who got the Comets back in the game with a 4-for-6 stint in the second half. Ozarks got 23 points from Williams.
The No. 20-ranked Comets, who hold a slight half-game edge on LeTourneau and UT-Tyler, travel to UT-Tyler on Thursday.
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