RICHARDSON, TX (11.17.19) - The No. 11-ranked UT Dallas men's basketball team earned a 78-62 win over in-region rival Trinity Sunday afternoon in the Comets' 2019-20 home opener.

The Comets (2-1) forced 12 first-half turnovers by visiting Trinity in the opening half and would nearly lead the Tigers wire-to-wire in the victory. Trinity held a slim one-point lead before the first media timeout of the opening half, but the Comets would take the lead for good with 15:32 left before halftime on a lay up by Kelden Pruitt. 

UTD held the Tigers (now 0-3) to just 25 percent (6-of-24) from the floor over the opening 20 minutes of the contest and secured a 36-20 lead at the break. Pruitt and Michael Forster each had 10 minutes in the half as the Comets used five first-half three-pointers to pull away.

The Comets widened their lead to as many as 28 points in the second, 68-40, after a pair of Will Isaac with 7:34 left to play. The two teams matched each other, 42-42, in the second half thanks to UTD clearing its bench late in the contest.

Pruitt and Jalen Weber each finished with a game-high 16 points while Forster closed the game with 10 points, all in the opening half. Hunter Stevens came off the bench for eight points while Hans Burwitz added seven points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Weber dished out a game-best seven assists.

The Comets shot 40.6 percent (26-of-64) for the game, hitting eight three-pointers, and went 18-of-20 (90%) from the foul line. UTD out-rebounded the Tigers, 47-30.

UTD will take nearly two weeks off before returning to action Nov. 30 at the Christopher-Newport Classic in Newport News, Va. The Comets will face the host Captains at 3 p.m. (Central) that Saturday to open the event before facing Wilmington at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1.