BELTON, TX (01.04.20) - Thanks to a dominant second half, the UT Dallas women's basketball team turned a two-point halftime deficit into a double-digit victory as the Comets upended No. 8-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor, 69-55, Saturday afternoon in a clash of last season's American Southwest Conference division champions.

Trailing 38-36 at halftime, the Comets (now 9-3, 3-0 ASC) outscored the host UMHB, 18-7, in the third period to turn the tide and take control of the contest. UTD out-rebounded the Cru, 15-5, in the frame while limiting the UMHB to ust 2-of-9 accuracy in the quarter. 

The Comets picked up jumper by Kelley Skinner to open the fourth quarter and lift the squad to a double-digit lead of the contest as UTD would take a 46-35 lead with 9:44 left to play. UTD would hold that double-digit lead for the remainder of the game, extending the margin to as many as 19 points late. The Comets out-gunned UMHB, 25-20, over the final 10 minutes, scoring 16 points in the paint.

Junior guard Raenett Hughes scored a game-high 28 points on 13-of-24 shooting, while adding seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Fellow starters Skinner and Victoria Pena each added 13 points. Pena also snagged a game-high 10 rebounds for her third 'double-double' of the season.

UTD went 11-for-18 (61.1%) from the floor in the final quarter to close out the contest shooting 42 percent (29-for-69). The Comets hit just 4-of-17 (23.5%) three-pointers, but were 7-of-9 (77.8%) from the foul line. UTD limited the Cru to just 35.4 percent accuracy (17-of-48) and limited to one of the top scoring offenses in the ASC to a season-low 55 points.

The host Cru (now 9-3, 2-1 ASC) jumped out to a 16-10 lead after the first period and maintained the lead over UTD for the majority of the second period.  The Comets secured the lead for good with 4:46 remaining in third period when Natalie Miler gave UTD a 34-32 advantage with a jumper in the paint.

The Comets will continue its four-game ASC road trip Thursday night with a 5:30 p.m. game at East Texas Baptist in Marshall.