JACKSON, MS (02.13.20) - The regionally ranked UT Dallas men's basketball team collected its fifth consecutive victory Thursday night as the Comets held off Belhaven for an 85-81 road win in American Southwest Conference East Division play.

The Comets (now 17-5, 11-2 ASC) nearly led wire-to-wire Thursday night to maintain the top spot in the ASC East Division, but needed to hit free throws down the stretch to complete the season-sweep of the Blazers. UTD will look for a sixth straight win Saturday afternoon when the Comets visit Louisiana College. Tip-off is 3 p.m. in Pineville, La.

Senior Jalen Weber poured in a game-high 26 points to lead four Comets in double digits while adding five assists and four rebounds in a solid all-around performance. Hans Burwitz added 19 points along with a career-best 17 rebounds while Kelden Pruitt added 13 points and Michael Forster had 12 points. 

The Comets led BU most of the opening half before Blazer Ryan Dupree drained a three-pointer with 3:33 left before the break to give the home team a slim 25-23 advantage. UTD quickly knotted the game with a lay up by Burwitz and would soon after regain the lead and extend that lead to five points, 33-28, at halftime.

UTD widened its margin to as many as 13 points late in the game, taking a 69-56 cushion with 6:07 left to play on a Forster lay up. However, the Blazers would claw within five points. 76-71, with just more than two minutes remaining. The Comets hit 5-of-8 free throws in the final two minutes and got a breakaway dunk by Forster to seal the victory.

The Comets closed the win shooting 56.9 percent (29-of-51) from the field, draining 7-of-16 three-pointers (43.8%), and hit 20-of-32 free throws (62.5). UTD out-rebounded the Blazers, 42-26.