PINEVILLE, LA (01.21.21) - After nearly a three-week hiatus from the court, the UT Dallas men's basketball team finally opened American Southwest Conference play Thursday night, falling at Louisiana College, 90-75, for the squad's first loss of the season.

Dimitrius Underwood scored a team-high 17 points to lead four Comets in double digits, but UTD could not overcome just 23.5 percent shooting from the floor as a team in the contest. Fellow starters Kelden Pruitt added 16 points Michael Forster had 15 points while Cole Williams came off the bench for 10 points.

Trailing most of the opening half, the Comets (now 2-1, 0-1 ASC) clawed back to grab 27-25 advantage with 7:18 left before the break on a Williams lay up. UTD's final lead of the night came with 2:59 remaining in the half when a Forster lay up gave the Comets a 37-36 lead. However, the host Wildcats (4-1, 4-1 ASC) closed the opening period on a 11-2 run to secure a 47-39 cushion at intermission. 

LC widened its margin to double digits early in the second half before the Comets would make a late surge. Down 59-49 with 14:11 left to play, UTD used a 10-3 run to draw within a single possession after a Kameron Pruitt steal and break-away lay up trimmed the lead to just three points, 62-59, with 12:32 remaining. But the Wildcats were able to pull back away for the victory as UTD managed just five field goals over the final 10 minutes of the game.

The Comets could not find an answer for Louisiana College's ultra-quick guard Kae'Ron Baker, who torched UTD for 36 points - including seven 3-pointers. LC hit 13 three's in the game on 20 attempts.

The Comets will wrap their week Saturday afternoon with an ASC East game at Belhaven. Tip-off is 2 p.m. in Jackson, Miss.