ABILENE, TX (02.02.15) - The UT Dallas women's basketball team scored just three points in the final seven minutes of the game Monday night, allowing the host Hardin-Simmons University Cowgirls to rally from a 10-point deficit and claim a 64-57 American Southwest Conference win over the Comets.

The loss was just the second for UTD (16-4 overall, 12-3 ASC) in its last nine ASC games, but it put the Comets in a position where their No. 2 spot in the conference standings will be in jeopardy when they host third-place Louisiana College (10-4 ASC) Thursday night. UTD lost its conference opener to the Lady Wildcats back in December and could drop into third place with another loss.

Monday night, it was the offense that deserted the Comets down the stretch. UTD had a 54-44 lead after a Micaela Gonzalez layup at 7:02, but went completely cold from the floor as the Cowgirls (10-10, 8-7) rolled off a 20-3 run to erase the deficit and finish out the victory. Nicolette Erkman's layup at 5:43 was UTD's last basket from the field.

HSU took the lead for good at 4:17 (57-56) on a Danie Mabry three-pointer with 4:17 remaining and UTD could not recover. An Amber Brown free-throw with :31 left cut the Cowgirl lead down to a manageable four-point game (61-57), but she missed the second free throw and HSU was able to run out the clock and stretch out the lead at the line.

UTD fell victim to 26 foul calls by the officials (compared to just 15 for HSU). The Cowgirls scored 22 points at the free throw line on 28 attempts while UTD was just 10-of-14. Ashley Shaw, who had been a force inside for the Comets with eight points, fouled out of the game with eight minutes remaining.

The game was close throughout with four ties in the first half, and UTD fighting to force a 30-30 stalemate at the break. HSU built as much as a five-point lead (26-21) with 4:05 to go before halftime, but a Gonzalez layup at 1:19 knotted the game again.

UTD took control early in the second half, running off a quick 8-3 run. Brown's layup at 16:26 gave the Comets a 38-33 advantage, and Brown (along with Madi Hess) delivered an eight-point lead three more times before Gonzalez made it 54-44 at the 7:02 mark.

Brown topped all scorers in the game with 18 points and five rebounds. Hess and Erkman both finished with 10 points and four boards each. Sara Vargas led four Cowgirls in double figures with 17 points.

UTD hit just 35.5 percent from the field (22-62) while giving up a 47.4 percent shooting night for the Cowgirls (18-38). The Comets also made just 3-of-14 three-point attempts while HSU was 6-of-15.