LONGVIEW, Texas - The UT Dallas men's basketball team erased a 28-point deficit with 7:29 remaining in regulation to defeat LeTourneau 102-98 in overtime in an American Southwest Conference contest at Solheim Arena Thursday night.
With the victory, the Comets (16-8, 12-3 ASC) remain in a tie for first place with Hardin-Simmons. UTD needs to win its final conference game on Saturday and have HSU lose to claim the regular season title and the right to host the ASC Championship Tournament Semifinals and Finals next weekend. If the Cowboys win, they will host in Abilene, even in a tie for first place with the Comets.
The YellowJackets (15-9, 9-6 ASC) made run late in the first half to take a 45-31 advantage into the break. They shot an astonishing 70.4 percent (19-for-27) in the opening period, while going 7-for-11 from three-point range.
LeTourneau pushed its lead to 79-51 after a three-pointer by Walker Blaine at the 7:29 mark in the second. The Comets were just 3-for-21 from outside until that point.
The tide turned for UTD as outscored the home team 39-11 over the final minutes of regulation. The Comets shot 53 percent (9-for-17) from downtown down the stretch, including three from junior guard
Nick Donnelly in the final 1:04 of regulation.Â
Down seven with 21 seconds remaining in the second half, Donnelly made a jump shot, then the Comets followed by fouling Blaine, who missed both three-pointers. Donnelly drained one of his three-pointers with six seconds left and the Comets fouled Jackson Mays who went 1-for-2 with four ticks on the clock to make the game 90-87. UTD guard
Luke Kiser drove and kicked back to
Matthew Soto, who drained a three at the buzzer from just past the volleyball 10-foot line on the court.
Donnelly hit another three with 3:42 remaining in the extra period to give the Comets the lead for good. The visitors held off the YellowJackets and left Thursday with the four-point victory.
The Comets shot 48.1 percent (38-for-79) from the field, 13-for-40 from outside and 13-of-24 at the line. They also recorded 45 rebounds, 18 assists, 15 turnovers and 13 steals.
LeTourneau shot 55.7 percent (34-for-61) overall, 13-for-28 from three-point range and 17-of-25 at the line with 32 rebounds, 20 assists, 19 turnovers, one block and 11 steals.
UT Dallas Notes
- The Comets broke an eight-year old school record with 40 three-point attempts in the game.
- They recorded or tied season-highs with 21 offensive rebounds, 13 three-pointers made and 13 steals.
- Donnelly finished 20 points, hitting four threes, and six rebounds. It was his seventh 20-plus point performance of the season.
- Kiser scored a career-high 19 points to go with six rebounds, seven assists and three steals. He also moved into fourth place on the UTD career assist list with 327.
- Sophomore center
Austin Page netted 15 points and tied a career-high with nine rebounds.
- Senior guard
Donovan Souter scored 13 points to go with four steals.
- Junior
Thibaut Tagnon tied a season-best with 10 points.
- Soto hit a trio of threes for nine points and had three steals.
- Freshman forward
Jordan Balderaz recorded eight points and 11 rebounds, his fifth double-digit board performance.
- Junior
Rob Wade added six points and a career-high four assists.
LeTourneau Notes
- Christian Adams played all 45 minutes and led the YellowJackets with 18 points and nine assists.
- Caedmon Liebengood had 17 points and six boards.
- Mayes posted 17 points, eight rebounds and six steals off the bench.
- Teigan Edwars scored 14 points, as did Branson Lynn.
- Blaine finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Up Next
UTD will take on East Texas Baptist in Marshall Saturday at 3 p.m. in the regular season finale.
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