LONGVIEW, TX (02.24.17) - After battling the region's top-ranked team throughout the first three-quarters of a semifinal matchup in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament Friday, the Comets saw the Cowboys pull away late for a 76-61 win.

PHOTO GALLERY

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

UTD was within a single point (45-46) of the top-seeded Cowboys with 12:15 remaining, but saw HSU unleash a 20-11 run over a four-minute span to put the lead into double digits and end UTD's rollercoaster regular season at 12-15. Hardin-Simmons (15-3) will defend its ASC Championship Saturday at 6:00 pm against the winner of Concordia Texas and tournament host LeTourneau.

The Comets. who surged into the tournament winning eight of their last 10 games after a 3-13 start to the season, battled the Cowboys throughout as the two teams combined for seven tie scores and just two lead changes.

UTD actually took control early and led throughout the first half of the game. A Dapo Ogunfeitimi  jumper at 16:11 put UTD ahead 9-4; then freshman Dimitrius Underwood stretched the lead back to five (13--8) two minutes later. The Comets, however, could not move any further ahead and a buzzer-beating layup at the end of the first half sent the teams to the dressing rooms tied at 32-32.

The Cowboys, the top seed out of the ASC West Division and the top-rated team in the region, took control in the second half. A 14-5 run in the first six minutes stretched HSU's lead out to 46-37 at 14:41. UTD countered, though, with a quick 8-0 run to pull within one (46-45) on a Ben Smith tipin aith 12:15 to go. HSU had the answer, going on a 10-2 run over the next 3:30 to pull out to a 56-47 lead with 8:49 left. Senior Kyle Coulter cut the Cowboy lead down to seven (68-61) with 3:18 remaining, but UTD would not score again.

Junior point guard Caleb Banks led the Comets with 19 points and four assists, hitting four of the Comets three-pointers. Freshman Dimitrius Underwood came close to another "double-double" at 14 points and nine rebounds, but fouled out of the game with a minute remaining. 

UTD shot just 33.5 percent from the field while senior-laden HSU countered at 48.4 percent. The defending champs out-rebounded UTD, 43-38.