BROWNWOOD, TX (01.25.20) - The UT Dallas women's basketball team used a strong defensive effort Saturday afternoon in order to cruise to a 78-54 road win over Howard Payne in American Southwest Conference crossover play.

Led by a balanced scoring attack, the Comets (now 14-4, 8-1 ASC) had three players top double figures in the squad's fifth consecutive victory with senior Victoria Pena leading the charge with a game-high 21 points. Raenett Hughes added 18 points while Kelley Skinner had 16 points.

Pena drained two first-quarter three pointers to set the tone for the Comets early on, but the half-court trap defense from host HPU kept the game within reach early. UTD a spark late in the opening period and would extend the lead to 11 points, 23-12, after the first 10 minutes of play.

UTD dominated the Yellow Jackets, 21-8, in the second period to hold a commanding 44-20 lead at the break. The Comets shot better than 68 percent as a team in the third, going 4-for-7 from three-point range, to put the game away.

Pena was 7-for-16 from the floor while matching a career high with six steals. Pena, Hughes, Skinner and Nkechinyerem Okehi each snagged a game-best seven boards. Comets won the rebounding battle, 53-30, and scored 17 second chance points overall, thanks to 22 offensive rebounds. 

The Comets return to action next Saturday, Feb. 1, when they close their three-game road trip with a 1 p.m meeting with travel partner Ozarks in Clarksville, Ark.