MARSHALL, TX (01.1.18) - The UT Dallas women's basketball team collected its sixth consecutive win Thursday night as the Comets rallied past East Texas Baptist for a 59-55 victory in the American Southwest Conference East Division opener for both squads.

The Comets improved to 11-2 overall and are now tied with ETBU for the top spot in the ASC East, both teams now with just one league loss. The Tigers are now 12-2 overall, having their five-game winning streak snapped with Thursday's defeat.

The host Tigers got off to a hot start, grabbing a 19-12 lead after the opening quarter, but UTD got defensive in the second period by holding ETBU to just nine points over stanza, grabbing a 30-28 lead at the break.

UTD held the lead throughout the third quarter, securing a 42-39 advantage heading into the final period. However, the Tigers opened the fourth with a 9-0 run and lead the Comets, 48-42, with 6:22 remaining. The Comets clawed back and would regain lead, 51-50, with 1:03 on the clock with a Ja'Lee Carver jumper, but ETBU answered with a lay up by Kim Childress 18 seconds later. On UTD's next trip down the floor, Victoria Pena gave the Comets the lead for good with a three-pointer with 29 seconds left.

The two teams would then combine for eight fouls in the final 20 seconds of the contest. The Comets were 5-for-8 from the free-throw line down the stretch to hold on for the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The game featured two of the top scoring defenses in the ASC. The Comets have now held 10 opponents under 60 points, including the past three outings, and are now averaging a league-best 53.4 points allowed.

The Comets shot just 31.3 percent from the field as a team, the lowest in any of their 11 wins this season, hitting 20-of-64 shots. UTD was 8-for-27 (29.6%) from three-point range and hit 11-of-16 (68.8%) free throws.

KEY PERFORMERS
Pena finished the night with a game-high 19 points, hitting 7-of-19 shots from the field, including five three-pointers. She added four assists and two rebounds.

Carver had seven points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds while McKenzie Petty came off the bench for seven points.

NEXT GAME
The Comets will look for a seventh straight win Saturday afternoon when they visit LeTourneau in ASC East play. Game time is 2 p.m. in Longview.