Box Score SHERMAN, TX (11.15.09) – UT Dallas coach
Polly Thomason has faced some nerve-wracking season openers. None have been as stressful as Saturday's match-up against Austin College, the program she used to play for.
free throws to notch a narrow 51-48 win over the Lady Kangaroos. The victory upped Thomason's all-time record to 7-2 against her alma mater, where she helped commandeer three straight ASC championships (1997-99) during her days on hardwood.
“It's fun because I know Deb (Hunter) so well,” said Thomason of AC's 10th-year coach. “She's been a mentor for me. And it's fun to battle because she's a great coach and has been doing this for so long.”
Rachel Addison led UTD with 16 points,
Tarneisha Scott chipped in 11 off the bench, and the Comets overcame 3-point shooting woes—they were just 1-of-18 (5 percent) from downtown—to claim a last-second victory over the much-improved Lady 'Roos.
UTD built a 17-point lead midway through the second half, but AC rattled off a 17-2 run and eventually took a 44-42 lead with under five minutes remaining. The teams traded leads eight times before Scott converted on a lay-up in traffic with 1:21 left.
The Lady 'Roos had a chance—three, in fact—to take the lead with less than 20 seconds on the clock, but AC's Amber Stafford misfired on a wide-open 3 and Erica McDaniel missed a pair of lay-ins.
Hale, who finished with six points, hauled in McDaniel's second miss and was fouled. She then nailed both free throws with 3.6 seconds left to give UTD a definitive 51-48 lead. AC's Katy Williams lofted a half-court prayer that fell short as time expired.
But the Comets, who shot just 38 percent from the field, were outrebounded 41-31 and let a 17-point lead disappear after holding a 10-point halftime advantage.
“It was first game jitters, trying to get in a rhythm,” said Thomason. “We'll be all right. We've got to shoot the ball outside. We're playing two teams who play zone next weekend, so we need to get better.”
The Comets combined to shoot just 12-of-22 (54 percent) from the charity stripe, further complicating their offensive troubles. Luckily, Scott was able to sink three of four free throws down the stretch, while Hale downed the two game-clinching buckets.
UTD will now have a five-day layoff before hosting the Fred Jacoby I-20 Tournament next weekend.
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