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UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH (03.13.09) - For The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team, the 2008-09 campaign has already been a dream season.

The Comets (25-4) have won 25 games, most in team history. UTD won only its second American Southwest Conference championship in the 11-year history of the program. And, the Comets not only got a first-round bye in the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, but won their first NCAA playoff game ever last Saturday (a 70-54 win over Trinity) to advance to the "Sweet 16."

Now, the Comets will meet 13th-ranked Capital University (OH) in the Round of 16 game Friday night at John Carroll University's Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center, located near Cleveland. UTD and Capital (26-4) will tip off at 6 pm (ET) Friday with a second game between John Carroll (25-4) and Guilford College of North Carolina (23-5) to follow. The two winners will meet for a spot in the NCAA Division III Final Four at 7 pm (ET) Saturday.

The Comets come to the weekend tournament as the "new kids on the block" and will face an experienced and talented Capital team, which has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the D3HOOPS.COM national poll this season. The Crusaders are making their 11th NCAA appearance and second trip ever to the Sectional Round.

Capital advanced to the Sectionals with a pair of narrow wins, defeating Thomas More in overtime in Round 1, then besting Wooster 72-70 in the second round with a buzzer-beater last weekend. The Crusaders finished behind John Carroll in the Ohio Athletic Conference race this year, and have suffered two of their four losses this season to JCU at the DeCarlo Center (83-75 during the regular season, and 90-87 in the OAC post-season tournament).

Capital features a powerful starting five, paced by three senior 6-6 inside players, including Pre-Season All-American Nate Stahl. Stahl is averaging 14.2 points per game and 4.1 rebounds. Post player Quintin Mitchell is averaging 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. From the outside, guard Ryan Wood is averaging 14.2 points per game as the Crusaders have hit 195 three-pointers this season.

UTD will counter with a group of six players who average between 8.4-12.3 points per game, led by guard Temaine Wright and wings Ernie Lowery and Brandon Greene. The Comets have depended heavily on stopping the opposition this season. UTD has held opposing teams to just 40.0 percent shooting from the field, and have held opponents to less than 60 points 13 times this season, winning every one of those games.