TYLER, TX (02.10.18) - The UT Dallas men's basketball team avenged one of its two divisional losses Saturday afternoon as the Comets downed rival Texas-Tyler, 96-87, in a key American Southwest Conference East Division road game.

With the win, the Comets (17-6, 13-3 ASC) remained in a tie for second place in the ASC East with East Texas Baptist (13-3), both teams one game behind divisional leader LeTourneau (14-2). UTD will meet up both squads next week as the Comets wrap up the regular season with a pair of home games. In addition, ETBU and LETU will meet in Marshall on Monday, allowing the Comets a potential path to the division crown with a pair wins next week.

Sophomore Dimitrius Underwood added to his case for ASC East Player of the Year in the Comets' win over UTT as he finished with 29 points, matching a career high, and 10 rebounds for his ninth 'double-double' of the season, all of which coming against conference opponents. Underwood has scored in double figures in the past 18 straight contests and is now averaging a team-best 18.1 points per outing, currently ranking sixth in the ASC.

UTD dominated the host Patriots in the opening half, shooting 64.7 percent (22-of-34) as a team en route to a 56-37 lead at the break. But, UTT made adjustments during the intermission and nearly erased the Comet lead as the Patriots drew within two points, 65-63, with 12:36 remaining in the contest.

However, the Comets would not relinquish the lead as Curtis Allen scored seven points in less than two minutes, giving UTD a 78-72 advantage with 8:10 left on the clock.  The Patriots clawed back within two points on two more occasions, but UTD again held off the Patriots and finished the afternoon with the final six points of the contest, holding UTT scoreless in the final minute.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
The Comets finished the game shooting 56.3 percent (36-of-64) from the field, topping 50 percent for the fourth straight outing and 11th time this season. UTD was 10-of-21 (47.6%) from three-point range and hit 15-of-20 free throws (75%).

UTD has now eclipsed 90 points in three straight games and nine times this season, averaging 82.3 points per outing this season.

The Comets scored 25 points off of 15 UTT turnovers and scored the Patriots in the paint, 42-32.

KEY PERFORMERS
Underwood finished the win going 10-for-18 from the field, hitting two three-pointers, and was 7-for-8 from the line. He added three assists, three steals and a blocked shot.

Caleb Banks and Reagan Keogh each added 13 points while Kelden Pruitt rounded out the Comets in double figures with 11 points. Banks dished six assists.

NEXT GAME
Riding an eight-game winning streak, the Comets will open the final week of the regular season Thursday night when they host divisional leader LeTourneau. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center.