RICHARDSON, TX (01.10.19) - The No. 22-ranked UT Dallas women's basketball team started strong and finished strong as the Comets held off No. 12-ranked and defending conference champion East Texas Baptist, 73-61, Thursday night in the squad's American Southwest Conference East Division opener.

With the win, the Comets improved to 10-4 overall after facing their fourth nationally ranked opponent this season. UTD will continue ASC East play Saturday afternoon when the Comets host LeTourneau at 1 p.m.

UTD opened the game with a 21-10 first quarter before the visiting Tigers would slowly chip away at the lead in the second period. The Comets maintained a five-point cushion at the break, 33-28, and entered the final frame with a slim four-point lead over ETBU, 54-50.

The Comets then clamped down defensively again in the fourth, limiting ETBU to just 5-of-13 shooting in the final 10 minutes. The Tigers cooled off from three-point range as well late, missing all five attempts after going 7-for-18 from beyond the arc in the first 30 minutes.

After the Tigers clawed within a point, 58-57, with just over six minutes to play after a Kim Childress free throw, UTD rolled off seven straight points thanks to three-pointers from both Victoria Pena and Kelley Skinner. UTD regained a double-digit lead at the 1:55 mark on a Skinner fast-break lay up to propel the Comets to their second win over a top 20 program this season. The Comets held ETBU to just four points after the Childress free throw.

The Comets finished the night shooting 52 percent (26-of-50) from the field, connecting on 7-of-16 three-pointers (43.8%), and shot 77.8 percent (14-of-18) from the foul line. Raenett Hughes led all scorers with 20 points while adding seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Pena added 17 points and seven rebounds while Skinner had 11 points and seven rebounds.