RICHARDSON, TX (12.28.18) - The No. 19-ranked UT Dallas women's basketball team used a dominant second half as the Comets pulled away from Covenant College, 76-48, Friday afternoon to close out the first day of the 2018 Courtyard Classic at the UTD Activity Center.

The Comets (8-3) had a sluggish second quarter and led Covenant by just seven points, 33-25, at the break. However, UTD shot used a 9-0 run late in the third period and then forced 10 fourth-quarter turnovers by the visiting Scots to secure the squad's sixth double-digit victory of the young season.

Raenett Hughes led all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting while adding eight rebounds, five steals and three assists. Victoria Pena added 14 points and a game-high 10 boards for her first 'double-double' of the season. Kelley Skinner rounded out the Comets in double figures, adding 11 points, hitting 3-of-6 shots from three-point range.

The Comets finished the game shooting 36.9 percent (24-of-65) from the field, connecting on 6-of-26 three-pointers (23.1%), and shot 75.9 percent (22-of-29) from the free-throw line. UTD out-rebounded the Scots, 51-37, and closed the game by forcing 30 turnovers. The Comets' 19 steals against Covenant was a season high.

UTD was one of three American Southwest Conference teams to find success on the opening day of the Courtyard Classic. McMurry kicked off the event with a 78-64 win over Manchester University while Concordia Texas followed with a 60-51 victory over Berry College.

Day two of the event starts at 1 p.m. Saturday with CTX squaring off with Manchester. McMurry and Covenant will follow up at 3 p.m. with the Comets hosting Berry at 5 p.m. in the weekend finale.