ABILENE, Texas - Senior guard Jordan Maxwell hit a jumper as time expired to propel the UT Dallas women's basketball team to a 73-71 victory over #8/9 Hardin-Simmons in the American Southwest Conference Championship Semifinals at the Mabee Complex Friday night.

The fourth-seeded Comets (18-9) will face the second seed East Texas Baptist in Saturday's Finals at 6 p.m. The winner will receive the league's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Tournament. This will be UTD's sixth trip to ASC Finals, having won the title in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 and a runner-up finish last season.

The regular season champion Cowgirls (23-3) led most of the first half and took a 40-37 advantage into the break. HSU extended its lead to 49-39 just four minutes into the third period, but the Comets would chip away and eventually take a 65-63 lead with 4:26 remaining in the contest.

From there, the teams exchanged leads seven times and were tied for the fifth time in the quarter at 71-71 with 1:02 left. After a miss on the UTD's next possession, HSU rebounded and called a timeout. With 4.6 seconds on the clock, Paris Kiser and Comet sophomore Trystan Clark tied up for a jump ball, giving UTD a chance to win. After a timeout, Maxwell drove, had the ball tipped, recovered and shot before the final seconds came off the clock to win the game.

The Comets had their best shooting night of the season, hitting 49.2 percent (30-for-61) of their shots. They were also 5-for-9 from three-point range and 8-of-16 at the free throw line with 32 rebounds, 10 assists, four blocks, eight steals and 13 turnovers.

The Cowgirls shot 40.7 percent (22-for-54) overall, 4-for-16 from outside and 23-of-29 at the free throw line with 35 boards, 12 assists, three blocks, seven steals and 17 turnovers.

UT Dallas Notes 
- Clark led the Comets with career-highs of 14 points and five assists. She also recorded five rebounds and two steals.
- Maxwell finished with 13 points, four assists, four rebounds, a block and a steal.
- Junior guard Blythe Williams was 6-for-7 shooting for 12 points.
- Kaylee Boykin scored nine points and Diane Hurst netted eight.
- Senior guard Maddie Edler hit a pair of three-pointers in the third quarter during the Comets' rally. 

Hardin-Simmons Notes
- Kiser led HSU with 17 points and four assists.
- Parris Parmer had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
- Natasha Blizzard also recorded a double-double of 10 points and 11 boards.
- Hallie Edmondson scored 12 points and Samantha Tatum scored 11.

Up Next
UT Dallas will face East Texas Baptist in the Finals on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Abilene.

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