RICHARDSON, TX (02.28.20) - Despite a strong start, the No. 16-ranked UT Dallas women's basketball team was handed an 81-78 overtime defeat by Hardin-Simmons Friday night in the semifinals of the 2020 American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament, held at the UTD Activity Center.

The Comets (now 22-5) had their 13-game winning streak and hopes for a second straight conference crown come to an end as they were forced to overtime for the first time this season. Currently ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Division III South Region, the Comets will learn at 1:30 p.m. Monday via the NCAA D-III National Championship selection show if they will qualify for a fourth consecutive and sixth overall national tournament.

UTD stormed out early, nearly doubling up the Cowgirls, 30-18, in the opening period. Junior Raenett Hughes scored 12 points for the Comets in the first 10 minutes on 5-of-7 shooting, but late foul trouble would keep the ASC's leading scorer on the bench for much of the second half. As a team, UTD was 12-for-15 from the field in the first as the Comets posted their fifth 30-point quarter of the season.

However, the Cowgirls (now 21-6) rallied back through a defense second frame to trim the UTD lead 10 points at the half, 38-28. The two teams traded blows in the third stanza, but the Comets would still maintain a solid lead, 53-45, heading into the fourth period.

HSU then used back-to-back three-pointers by Taylor Gaffney followed by two free throws by Keilee Burke to knot the game, 53-53, with just under eight minutes left to play in regulation. The Comets would hold off the Cowgirls until the 2:22 mark of the fourth when Gaffney hit a free throw to give HSU a 63-62 advantage, its first lead since the opening two minutes of the ballgame.

After falling behind by three, the Comets rallied with a 5-0 run, including a three-pointer by Victoria Pena with 39 seconds remaining, to eventually snag a two-point lead, 67-65. Burke would the hit two free throws with 12 seconds on the clock to knot the game and send the teams to overtime.

The Comets scored the first five points of the extra period and seemed to be on their way to another trip to the ASC title game before HSU again used back-to-back three-pointers, this time by Hallie Edmonds and Brittany Schabel to take back the lead, 74-72, with 2:51 remaining in OT.  Pena scored the next five points for the Comets, giving the home team back a slim one-point cushion, 78-77, with 1:26 left, but the lead was short-lived. 

Kaitlyn Ellis responded with a lay up on the Cowgirls' next possession, but UTD's Nkechinyerem Okehi would tie the game, 78 all, with 44 seconds on the clock with one of two free shots. Burke gave HSU back the lead on the next trip down the floor with a lay up with 24 seconds left and Pena's attempt at a go-ahead three-pointer seconds later missed target, allowing HSU to seal the victory at the free-throw line.

Pena would lead all scorers with 29 points on 9-of-23 shooting, hitting five three-pointers, and made 6-of-6 free throws. Hughes was 7-for-14 from the field for 21 points as the only other Comet in double digits. Hughes' seven field goals gave her 217 on the season, setting a new ASC single-season record. Okehi led the Comets with 10 rebounds.

The Comets shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the field, making 8-of-22 three-pointers (36.4%), and were just 18-of-34 (52.9%) from the free-throw line.