RICHARDSON, TX (03.02.18) - The No. 24-ranked UT Dallas women's basketball team got 46 points from its three freshmen starters as the Comets downed No. 21-ranked Trinity, 79-70, Friday night in the opening round of the 2018 NCAA Division III National Championship.

PHOTO GALLERY (D3photography.com)

The Comets (24-4) will battle for their second-ever trip to the NCAA D-III "Sweet 16" Saturday night when they face American Southwest Conference rival East Texas Baptist in the second round. ETBU picked up their first ever NCAA postseason victory in Friday's early game, holding off No. 19-ranked Whitman, 65-59. Game time is 7 p.m. at the UTD Activity Center.

Kelley Skinner led the Comets with 17 points while Alex Boushey had 16 points and Raenett Hughes added 13 points to complete the UTD freshmen trio. Senior Madison Steele  joined the group in double figures, adding 14 points.

Despite shooting just 28.6 percent from the field as a team in the opening half, the Comets held a slim 30-26 lead over Trinity, thanks to 13 Tiger turnovers. UTD was just 10-for-35 from the floor and hit just 1-of-11 three-pointers in the first two quarters.

The Comets widened their margin to seven points, 43-36, with 5:46 left in the third quarter with an old-fashioned three-point play by Victoria Pena. UTD would hold off the Tigers throughout the frame and would take a 53-47 advantage into the final period. 

The visiting Tigers (24-4) chipped away at UTD's lead early in the fourth and drew within a single point, 63-62, on a lay up by Jordan Rudd, but could not take the lead. The Comets used a 7-0 run late in the frame to open the lead back to eight points, capped by a lay up by Steele. UTD added two free throws from Skinner with 44 seconds left and 1-of-2 free shots from Boushey 10 seconds later to ice the game as Trinity 0-for-5 from the floor in the final 45 seconds.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Thanks to an impressive third quarter, shooting 73.3 percent (11-of-15) as a team, the Comets ended the night 29-of-65 (44.6%) from the field as a team. UTD was 5-for-18 (27.8%) from three-point range and hit 16-of-22 (72.7%) free throws. UTD out-rebounded the Tigers, 45-36, and forced 20 turnovers.

Trinity ended the game shooting 40.6 percent (26-of-64) as a team, hitting just 2-of-16 (12.5%) from three-point range.

KEY PERFORMERS
Skinner was 5-for-11 from the field, hitting three treys, while added seven rebounds, four assists and three assists. Boushey was 6-for-8, adding six rebounds and three assists. Hughes snagged a game-high eight rebounds.