Box Score RICHARDSON, TX (01.03.13) - Just two days after snapping its first three-game losing in six seasons, the UT Dallas men's basketball team had to fight to the final minutes for a second straight win as the Comets downed Sul Ross State, 61-51, Thursday night in American Southwest Conference crossover play.
The Comets (now 8-4, 4-3 ASC) shot just 33 percent from the field but hit 27-of-33 free throws (81.8%) on the night to hold off the pesky Lobo squad that entered Thursday's game losers of four of its last five games.
Kyle Schleigh nearly recorded another "double-double", finishing with 26 points and nine rebounds, both game highs, while
Chris McOmber added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Comets.
UTD got off to a strong start, opening the game with a 10-2 run getting six early points from Schleigh in the opening four minutes of the game. Even though the Comets never trailed in the contest, Sul Ross State never let the lead grow too large. UTD controlled the first half, maintaining a double-digit cushion for most of the half before settling for an 11-point lead, 31-20, at the break.
The visiting Lobos (now 3-9, 2-4 ASC) drew within single digits just six minutes into the second half and climbed within seven points, 40-33, on a layup by Carlos Montiel with 13:30 to play. UTD later used a three-pointer by McOmber and a pair of free throws by Schleigh to regain a 12-point advantage, 47-35, with just over nine minutes left before SRSU made its final push.
With 5:14 remaining, the Lobos again made it a five-point game as Trey Richardson's three-pointer cut the Comet lead to 50-43. The two teams traded blows over the next few minutes before UTD would regain a double-digit lead, 57-47, on a Schleigh three-point play with 2:01 left. The Lobos forced a pair of late turnovers in the final 90 seconds of the contest but could not convert offensively as UTD got three free-throws from
Ryan Smith in final minute to secure the win.
The Comets finished the game with a season-low 15 field goals, shooting 33.3 percent (15-of-45) from the field. UTD was 4-for-17 (23.5%) from three-point range. Schleigh was 7-for-13 from the floor, hitting a pair of threes, and was nearly perfect at the free-throw line, going 10-for-11. Schleigh, the ASC leader in steals per game, also added four takeaways. McOmber finished 3-for-7, also with a pair of three-pointers, and was 5-for-6 form the foul line.
For SRSU, Richardson came off the bench for 10 players as the Lobo to reach double figures. Sul Ross State shot 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from the field, connecting on just 6-of-25 (24%) from beyond the arc, and hit shot 50 percent (7-of-14) from charity stripe. The Lobos out-rebounded UTD, 39-34.
Next up for UTD is the final ASC crossover game of the season as the Comets host Howard Payne in the fourth game of the current seven-game home stand. Game time with the Yellow Jackets is 3 p.m. Saturday at the UTD Activity Center.
