Box Score CLINTON, MS (01.30.09) - The UT Dallas men's basketball doesn't win often in Mississippi, but they did so Saturday afternoon, rallying in the second half for a 72-63 American Southwest Conference win over Mississippi College.
The 22nd-ranked Comets (who improved to 17-2 overall) rallied from a two-point halftime deficit behind a 23-point effort from point guard
Temaine Wright to move to 13-1 in ASC play and maintain a one-game advantage over LeTourneau in the East Division standings.
The win in Mississippi was UTD's first at MC since the championship game of the 2005 ASC Championship Tournament, and first regular season win there since 2004. The Choctaws (13-5, 9-5) had won the last eight meetings between the two teams.
Despite MC's struggles this season, the Comets needed a big second half to pull away and claim the win in a game that featured six ties and six lead changes - most in the first half. UTD shot the lights out in the second period, hitting 66 percent from the field, while holding the Choctaws to an 8-for-22 effort after halftime.
The Comets started their comeback in this game early, rallying with a 14-8 run to turn a 26-18 deficit at the 6:23 mark of the first half into a two-point game by intermission. In the first 20 minutes, UTD had allowed the Choctaws to shoot 64 percent from the field and had hit just 3-of-8 free throw attempts.
But UTD clamped down defensively after the break, allowing MC just 36 percent success in the second half. The Comets were also a much better 10-for-12 at the line in the final 20 minutes.
UTD took control during a seven-minute stretch shortly after the second half began. The Comets went on a 20-4 run to reverse a 38-36 deficit into a 46-42 lead at the 10:43 mark. The Choctaws cut the lead down to four (65-61) at the 2:15 mark and were within five (68-63) with :50 left, but Wright hit four clutch free throws and pulled down a key defensive rebound in the final minute to ice the victory.
In addition to Wright's 23-point afternoon, the Comets got 19 from
Brandon Greene, who nailed four 3-pointers in the process.
Jimmy Witten pitched in 14 and led the team with five rebounds.
The two teams will meet again this Saturday as the second half of the reverse East Division schedule begins. The Comets host Louisiana College Thursday night, then MC again Saturday afternoon.
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