ST. LOUIS, MO (11.21.14) - The UT Dallas men's basketball team built a 21-point lead midway through the second half but had to settle for an 86-81 win over MacMurray to open the Cavallo Classic, hosted by Webster University.

The No. 22-ranked Comets (now 2-0) grabbed a 10-point lead at the break and extended their lead to 67-46 with 11:39 left to play before the Highlanders made a furious comeback attempt to climb within five points, 84-79, with just 35 seconds remaining. UTD's Nolan Harvey drained a pair of free throws with 13 seconds on the clock to give the Comets back a three-possession lead before MacMurray got a final jumper from Clayton Whitlock.

Leading 41-31 at intermission after shooting 42.4 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes, the Comets continued to build their lead early in the second half. Rafael Farley's three-pointer with 13:18 left to play lifted UTD to a 60-42 advantage before Comets tasted a 20-point lead for the first time of the night with 12:19 remaining, 64-44, on a Dapo Ogunfeitmi jumper. After a Highlander bucket on their next possession, Ogunfeitmi drained his only three of the night on UTD's next trip down the floor to give the Comets to their largest lead of the game.

MacMurray (0-2) climbed within 10 points with 3:07 left to play as a jumper by Dylan Guthrie cut the Comet lead to 81-71. Just over a minute later, the Highlanders trimmed the lead to single digits, 83-75, on steal and a quick jumper by Kollin Keltner. Then, after a UTD missed jumper and subsequent foul, the Highlanders got a free throw to draw within seven points, 83-76, with 95 seconds left. Comet Reagan Keogh responded with a free throw of his own on UTD next possession, setting up Guthrie's three-pointer that drew MacMurray within five points for the first time since the 11:35 mark of the opening half.

Farley, a senior transfer, led the Comets with 18 points off the bench, finishing the night 3-of-6 from three-point range, and added a game-high 10 rebounds for his first "double-double" in a UTD uniform. Matthew Medell added 16 points, Harvey had 13 points and Ogunfeitmi had 11 points. UTD shot 45.8 percent (27-of-59) from the field, hitting 10-of-23 three-pointers (43.5%), and shot 73.3 percent (22-of-30) from the foul line.

For MacMurray, Whitlock finished with a game-high 21 points, leading five Highlanders in double figures. MacMurray shot 44.8 percent (30-of-67) from the floor, connecting on just 8-of-25 three-pointers (32.%), and was 13-of-19 (68.4%) from the free-throw line.

The Comets close out the Cavallo Classic Saturday at 1 p.m. against host Webster.