Box Score LONGVIEW, TX (01.24.13) - A defensive struggle between two of the top teams in the American Southwest Conference East Division ended with a LeTourneau University win over UT Dallas Thursday night on as the Yellowjackets took a 45-44 win over the Comets with a free throw with no time left.
With the score tied 44-44 near the end of regulation, LETU's Dietrich Williams tried a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer, but was fouled by the Comets'
Nolan Harvey. Williams had to hit only one free throw to win the game and connected on his first attempt. UTD had a chance to break the tie moments earlier after forcing a steal, but
Dmitriy Chernikov missed an eight-foot jumper that gave the Yellowjackets the final chance.
The loss knocked UTD (13-6, 8-5 ASC), which came into the game leading the division, into a crowd in a suddenly-balanced ASC East. Wins by Mississippi College and Texas-Tyler put four teams within a single game of each other at the top of the standings.
The Comets, who led the game 30-20 at the break, hit the wall offensively in the second half, scoring just 14 points and coming up empty on three-point shooting. The Comets were held to just 35.7 percent (15-of-42) shooting in the game, and were just 5-of-22 from beyond the arch. The Comets matched LETU on defense, holding the Jackets to just 34.0 percent (15-of-44) shooting, but were beaten on the boards (33-27) by the taller LETU team.
Kyle Schleigh led the Comets with his ninth "double-double" of the season, scoring 21 points and and pulling down 10 rebounds. He was 6-for-10 from the field and 9-for-13 from the foul line.
Chris McOmber with eight points was the the only other UTD player with more than five points.
The two teams opened the game by trading early leads before the Comets would pull out to a seven-point advantage, 13-6, after a Schleigh jumper with 11:41 left before the break. However, LeTourneau reponded with an 8-0 run to regain the lead, 14-13, on a LaDaria Brown three-pointer three minutes later. UTD answered with a run of its own over the next minute and a half, scoring eight unanswered points to regain a 21-14 cushion with just over seven minutes in the half. The Comets extended their lead to 30-20 at intermission after shooting 42 percent (11-of-26) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
UTD saw its 10-point halftime advantage dwindle away slowly to open the second half as the Comets seemingly couldn't find the basket. UTD went 5:23 into the second period before scoring from the field on a Chernikov layup. By then, the Jackets had trimmed six points off the lead and then finished off a 15-5 run to tie the score at 35-35 with 10:00 remaining.
A layup and two free throws moved LETU out to a four-point edge (40-36) with 8:00 left, but a Schleigh jumper and free throw eventually tied the score again at 40-40 (5:40). McOmber got a tip-in with 2:00 remaining to tie the score for the final time at 44-44, but UTD came up empty the rest of the way.
The Comets hit just 4-of-16 shots (25%) in the final half, going 0-for-8 from three-point range. UTD committed 14 turnovers in the final 20 minutes.
UTD, now in second place in the ASC East, will have a seven-day layoff before returning to action. The Comets visit rival Texas-Tyler Thursday, Jan. 31. Game time is 7:30 p.m. in Tyler.
