RICHARDSON, TX (01.05.17) - Junior point guard Caleb Banks set a school record for assists in a game as the UT Dallas men's basketball team cruised to an 81-61 home win over McMurry Thursday night in American Southwest Conference play.

The Comets (3-9, 2-3 ASC) have now won two of the last three games after a 1-8 start to the season and will look for their first two-game winning streak of the season Saturday when they host Hardin-Simmons in another ASC contest. Game time is 3 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center.

Banks broke one of the oldest records in the book Thursday as he dished out 14 assists for the Comets, breaking the old mark of 13, set by Travis Carruthers during the 2005-06 season. Banks finished with 14 points as well, tying a team high, without committing a turnover. He added three rebounds and one steal as the Comets led McMurry wire-to-wire.

UTD rolled out of the gate strong, taking a 12-5 lead with 13:29 left to play in the opening half on a jumper by Banks. The Comets secured their first double-digit lead of the night at the 10:03 mark of the half on a pair of Jon Hatcher free throws, giving UTD a 19-9 lead. The Comets never led by fewer than eight points the rest of the game.

Leading 43-29 at the break, the Comets took little time gathering a 20-point lead as Ben Smith lifted UTD to a 51-31 advantage with 17:22 left to play. UTD would lead by as many as 29 points in the second half before settling for the 20-point win. Banks' record-breaking assist came with 8:55 remaining in the game on a lay up by Dimitrius Underwood, giving the Comets a 67-45 lead. 

Banks and Hatcher each finished with 14 points while Ben Smith and Kyle Coulter both added 13 points. Underwood had six points and a game-high nine rebounds. UTD shot 46.4 percent (26-of-56) from the field and were 7-of-22 (31.8%) from three-point range.  The Comets shot 81.5% (22-of-27) from the free-throw line as a team.