RICHARDSON, TX (01.25.18) - The UT Dallas men's basketball team shot better than 60 percent for the second time this season as the Comets cruised past Belhaven Thursday night, 103-54, in American Southwest Conference East Division play.

The Comets hit 38-of-61 shots (62.3%) from the field as a team with nine three-pointers. UTD topped the century mark for the second straight contest and third time this season after forcing a season-high 27 turnovers by the Blazers. The Comets turned BU's 27 giveaways into 36 points, also a UTD season high.

After a slow start by both teams, the Comets started to pull away near the midway point of the opening half, eventually grabbing an eight-point lead, 22-14, with 7:44 remaining before the break. UTD would use a 16-3 run later in the half to pull ahead by 16 points, after a Curtis Allen lay up with 2:25 left before intermission. The Comets led Belhaven, 45-28, at the half after shooting 60 percent (18-of-30) from the field a team.

UTD then shot 64.5 percent (20-of-31) from the floor over the final 20 minutes to run away with the victory. The Blazers opened the second half with a three-pointer from the corner by Terik Richardson, but UTD responded with 17-0 run over the next six minutes, capped by a three-pointer by Xavier Ferrell at 13:58, giving the Comets a 62-31 advantage. The Comets snagged their first 40-point lead of the night, 91-51, with 3:22 left on a pair of Michael Forster free throws. Freshman point guard E.J. Snow kept the Comets' early momentum going late in the contest as he scored 14 points in the final 8:55 of the game, leading UTD's third string.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The Comets' 103 points is the second most in a game this season behind UTD's 117-105 victory at Rhodes last month. For the first time in program history, the Comets have scored 100 or more points in three contests. UTD had two such performances during the 1999-2000, 2003-04 and 2006-07 campaigns. It the second in school history the Comets have topped the century mark in back-to-back games. UTD now has 14 100-plus point outings the program's 20 years of existence.

UTD topped 60 percent as a team for just the second this season. The Comets' shot 64.1 percent as a squad at Rhodes. UTD's 47.4 percent (9-for-19) accuracy from three-point range is the second-best for the team this season.

KEY PERFORMERS
Senior Caleb Banks led the Comets with 17 points, hitting 6-of-8 shots from the field with a season-high four three-pointers. Banks added five rebounds and four assists, both team highs, along with two steals.

Dimitrius Underwood added 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting while Snow finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 accuracy.  All 13 Comets who appeared in the contest recorded at least one point and 12 of 13 players collected at least one rebound.

NEXT GAME
The Comets (12-6, 8-3 ASC) return to action Saturday afternoon to host Louisiana College and close out the first half of the ASC schedule. Game time is 4 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center.