Box Score ALPINE, TX (02.22.18) - Sophomore guard Dimitrius Underwood scored a career-high 35 points as he sparked the UT Dallas men's basketball team to an 81-65 win over Concordia Texas in the quarterfinal round of the 2018 American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament, hosted by Sul Ross State.

The Comets will meet host SRSU, an 86-77 winner over UT Tyler, in the 7:30 pm semifinal Friday at the Gallego Center. The other semifinal will feature familiar foes LeTourneau and East Texas Baptist at 5:00 pm. The Comets won a 63-60 thriller over the Lobos in Richardson back in December.

Trailing 35-31 at the break, Underwood scored 24 of his game-high 35 points in the final 20 minutes as the Comets would erase what would become an 11-point deficit in the second half. The Tornados extended their four-point halftime lead to 48-37 with 15:26 remaining in the contest. But UTD responded, using an 11-0 run to tie the game, 48-48, four minutes later; and then reeled off a 12-0 run late to stretch the lead and secure the Comets' trip to the ASC semifinals Saturday. UTD outscored CTX, 50-30, in the second half.

The Comets opened up the game, building a 22-13 lead 11:32 into the game; but CTX finished off the half on a 22-9 sprint to build a 35-31 advantage at intermission. After the Tornados went up, 48-37, UTD scored the next 13 points - including 10 from Underwood - to take a 51-48 lead at the 10:15 mark. CTX tied the game again at 51-51 seconds later, but the Comets answered with a 16-2 run to streatch the lead to 67-53 with 5:19 left. A threee-pointer from Ben Page nailed a three-pointer to cut the lead to 69-60 with 3:24 left, but 12 of the last 17 points in the game to secure the win.

UTD won a 101-100 thriller over the Tornados earlier this season.

KEY PLAYERS:
In addition to his 35 points, Underwood picked up his 10th "double-double" of the season with 10 rebounds. Senior guard Caleb Banks was the only other Comet in double figures with 15.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
UTD shot a blistering 54.5 percent from the field (30-of-55), including 58.6 percent in the second period. CTX answered with 46.2 percent shooting (24-52), but was 10-of-23 from beyond the three-point line. UTD took advantage of 30 free throw opportunities to score 19 points, while CTX was just 7-of-11 at the line. The Comets forced 21 Tornado turnovers.