KERRVILLE, TX (11.17.17) - The UT Dallas men's basketball team improved to 2-0 on the young season after a 61-59 road win over Schreiner Friday night in non-conference action.
Leading by nine points with 4:30 left in the game, UTD had to hold off the host Mountaineers' late rally to collect the victory.
Schreiner drew within a point, 58-57, after an 8-0 run over the next two minutes, capped by a three-pointer by Josh Bashford. UTD's Caleb Banks would give the Comets back a three-point cushion with a pair of free throws with 1:46 on the clock.
After missed three-pointers by both teams, Bashford used two free throws of his own with 31 seconds left to draw the Mountaineers back within a point, 60-59, and then gave Schreiner a chance to win after forcing a Comet turnover seven seconds later.
Banks would save the game with a steal of his own with 10 seconds left and hit the first of two free shots after a Schreiner foul. Keenan Gumbs' game-winning three-pointer was off the mark with six seconds left, but the rebound was corralled by teammate Andrew Sparks. However, the Comet defense did not allow Schreiner to get another shot off in the final seconds.
Schreiner (0-2) led the Comets, 28-26, at halftime and maintained a lead through the first half of the second period before Curtis Allen and Ben Smith drained back-to-back three-pointers to spark a 9-0 run midway through the period. UTD would lead by as many as nine points on three occasions before the Mountaineer's late surge.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The Comets struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 4-of-20 shots, but would shoot 40 percent (10-of-25) from the field in the second half to keep Schreiner at bay. UTD ended the game shooting just 34.6 percent (18-of-52) from the field and held a slim 61-59 rebounding advantage.
KEY PERFORMERS
Banks and Smith each finished with a team-high 10 points while Jon Hatcher, Dimitrius Underwood and Reagan Keogh added nine points apiece in a balanced scoring attack. Banks added six assists and four rebounds.
NEXT GAME
After back-to-back road games to open the new season, the Comets will return home on Saturday, Nov. 25, when they host Southwestern in a third-straight game against a team from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Game time is 3 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center.
