ABILENE, TX (12.20.18) - The No. 19-ranked UT Dallas women's basketball team used a dominant second half to earn a 78-51 win over McMurry Thursday afternoon in American Southwest Conference crossover play.

Leading by just two points at halftime, the Comets (7-3, 4-2 ASC) outgunned host McMurry, 25-11, in the third quarter after snagged a two-point halftime cushion and then added a 23-12 final frame as UTD halted its first two-game losing skid in three seasons. The Comets will take a shot break for the holidays before returning to action Dec. 28-29 when they host the 2018 Courtyard Classic at the UTD Activity Center.

Victoria Pena and Raenett Hughes each finished with a game-high 22 points as the duo accounted for more than half of the Comets' offense in the victory. Pena was 7-for-15 from the field, hitting four three-pointers, while Hughes hit 10-of-14 shots and added a game-best 10 rebounds for her third 'double-double' of the season. Amber Terry added 10 points as the only other UTD player in double digits as she was 5-of-9 from the field with eight boards along with a game-high four assists.

Up 30-28 at the break, the Comets used a 19-4 run to end the third period, including a stretch of 11 straight points, to take control of a contest that was back-and-forth throughout the opening half. UTD secured a 55-39 lead, its largest of the afternoon to that point, heading into the final period and never looked back. The Comets shot 61.5 percent (8-for-13) in the third while holding McMurry to just two field goals in the period. UTD was then 9-for-16 (56.3%) in the final period to complete the 27-point victory.

For the afternoon, the Comets shot 49.2 percent (30-of-61) as a team, connecting on 5-of-16 three-pointers (31.3%), and were 13-of-16 (81.3%) from the free-throw line. UTD out-rebounded the War Hawks, 41-25, and forced 21 turnovers.