University of Texas at Dallas Athletics

>>03.03.05
Cinderella Goes Down Swinging, But Clock Strikes Midnight For Comets In NCAAs
Trinity (TX) 73, UT-Dallas 66

SAN ANTONIO , TX - The magic ran out for the University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team in the opening round of the 2005 NCAA Division III national tournament, but not before the Cinderalla Comets put up quite a fight in a 73-66 loss to Trinity University.

Martin Salinas (right) poured in 19 points to lead the Comets, including five second-half three-pointers as UTD tried valiantly to rally from a 32-20 hole it had dug itself in the first half.

But the deficit did not deter the Comets (15-14) from putting a scare in the 23-6 Tigers and their vocal home crowd by outscoring TU 46-40 after intermission. Still, the rally came up six points short and Trinity will advance to play Pamona-Pitzer in California in Round Two on Saturday.

The Comets, in fact, were within four points (67-63) with :34 left when Travis Carruthers nailed UTD's eighth three-pointer of the half. But forced to foul, UTD sent Trinity shooters to the foul line six times in the final seconds and the Tigers converted on five of those.

Foul and free throws looked to be a culprit throughout the game as UTD was whistled 23 times to Trinity's 17. The Tigers hit 23-of-29 free throws while UTD converted on 10 of just 12 opportunities - all of those coming in the second half.

The Comets truly would have welcomed the opportunity to replay the first 20 minutes of the game. At halftime, UTD was 0-for-7 on three-point shooting, had not taken a single foul shot, and was having no luck at all with its outside shooting. Virtually all of the Comets' 10 first-half field goals came from inside shooting by Kersh Milson and Eric Chatham - inside shots against a visibly taller, deeper and more physical Trinity lineup.

Things didn't start out any better for the Comets in the second half. Trinity stormed out of the gate with three quick baskets to make it 36-20 just a minute into the period. After Jason Malone finally got UTD on the board with a layup at 18:07, Milson connected on UTD's first three-point shot of the game and Salinas soon followed to cut the margin to 36-28 (16:43).

Salinas hit another three a minute later and Chatham followed with a put-back to bring the Comets to within five (40-35) with still 14:16 to play. The Comets and Tigers then traded baskets for several minutes before the momentum swung back to TU. After Chatham again got an inside shot to cut it to five (49-44) with 9:25 to go, Trinity ran off a quick string of seven unanswered points and had the game at 56-44 with 7:58 remaining. The Comets then went on a 14-5 run - which included cluth free throws from Salinas, Carruthers and Adam Bush as well as a pair of Salinas threes - to get within three (61-58) with 2:30 remianing.

Salinas topped all Comets with 19 points while Bush added 12 and Eric Chatham had 10. Trinity was paced by 6-10 center Sean Devins, who towered over the Comet defense for 19 points. Hard-driving point guard Jason Morris poured in 17 points.


>>02.27.05
Cinderella Comets Complete Sweep Of ASC Tournament To Win First Conference Title & Ticket To NCAAs
ASC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: UT-Dallas 73, Mississippi 55

CLINTON, MS - The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team - the last team to qualify for the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament – completed its trifecta of upsets Sunday afternoon, defeating host Mississippi College, 73-55, in the conference championship game.

The victory earns the Comets (15-13) not only the first basketball conference championship in school history, but an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III national championship tournament. The Comets will meet Trinity University (22-6), the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference champion, in an opening round game Thursday at 7 pm in San Antonio. The winner of that game travels to meet Pamona-Pitzer (CA) in a second-round matchup on Saturday.

UTD, which had to win four of their last five regular season games just to qualify as the ASC East Division’s No. 4 seed, pulled off three straight upsets to win the tournament - knocking off three teams that it had lost to handily during the regular season. The Comets defeated the ASC West Division No. 1 seed McMurry University, 73-69, in the Friday quarterfinals; then topped the West’s No. 2 seed Sul Ross State, 75-64, Saturday afternoon.

Prior to the Sunday afternoon championship against the ASC East No. 1 seed Mississippi College (23-3), UTD had lost twice this season to the Choctaws, 64-46 and 74-62; and were facing MC on its home court for the title.

But sophomore Martin Salinas scored 20 points in the first nine minutes of the championship game as UTD raced out to an early lead. MC cut the margin to as close as 19-15 with 13:33 remaining in the half; but over the next 13 minutes, the Comets continued to pour it on while MC went completely cold. UTD ended the half on a 23-3 run to go up 45-18 at intermission.

Mississippi College then scored the first nine points of the second half, but were unable to trim the margin to any closer than 17 points in the game’s final minutes. UTD held the Choctaws to just 37% shooting on the day while nailing 20-of-44 (45.5%) of its shots, including 9-of-17 from beyond the three-point line. Salinas had six - all in the first half.

Kersh Milson added 16 points while Jason Malone had 11 and Travis Carruthers picked up 10. The Choctaws had just two players finish in double figures with 11 points each.

The conference championship, the first basketball title in school history, was a culmination of an effort that saw the Comets win nine of their last 12 games, including six of their last seven. At one point this season, UTD stood at 5-10 overall before going on the current streak.

Salinas, who was the Comets' leading scorer in all three games, was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. He finished the three games with 63 total points. Guard Jason Malone and forward Kersh Milson were also selected for the All-Tournament Team.

Comets In ASC Title Game After Knocking Off Defending Champs
UT-Dallas 75, Sul Ross State 64

CLINTON, MS - The weekend Cinderella story continued for the University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team Saturday afternoon as the Comets – the LAST team to qualify for the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament – knocked off defending ASC champion Sul Ross State, 75-64, in a semi-final game at Mississippi College.

UTD (14-13) will play in the first ASC basketball title game in school history Sunday afternoon when it meets host Mississippi College (19-7 and a 62-45 winner over Hardin-Simmons) for the league title, and an automatic berth in the NCAAA Division III national tournament. The tipoff is scheduled for 2 pm.

One day after knocking off the ASC West's top seed, McMurry, in the quarterfinals (73-69); the ASC East 4th-seeded Comets rolled out to a big first-half lead against SRSU and made it stand up with a continuously solid game. It was the Comets' sixth win in its last seven games and third in a row.

Martin Salinas (pictured) led five UTD starters in double figures with 16 points. Jason Malone and Kersh Milson added 14 points each, while Travis Carruthers and Eric Chatham pitched in 10 apiece. Chatham also finished with 10 rebounds to pick up the double-double as UTD poured in 19 second-chance points and out-rebounded the Loboes, 42-34.

The Comets shot 45.6 percent while connecting on just three 3-point shots; but shut down SRSU - holding the Loboes to just 39.7 percent shooting, including a 9-for-27 first half.

After giving up a pair of SRSU three-pointers right out of the gate to fall behind 6-0, the Comets ran off a string of nine straight points to go up 9-6 with 15:30 remaining in the first period. It was a lead they would never surrender.

The Loboes were able to tie the score up five times in the first half, but could not ever surpass the Comets. After SRSU knotted the score at 24-24 with 4:05 to go before intermission, UTD knocked in 11 straight points to end the half - 11 points that would prove to be the difference in the game.

In the second half, UTD stretched its lead back out - first to 15 points (48-33) with 13:50 to go; then to 17 (63-46) with 5:31 remaining in the game. In the final minute of play, the Loboes could get no closer than 10 points (72-62 with :49 left).


>>02.25.05
Comets Knock Off ASC West's Top Seed In Conference Tourney Quarterfinal
UT-Dallas 73, McMurry 69

CLINTON, MS - The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team took another step forward Friday afternoon, upsetting the McMurry University Indians, 73-69, in a quarterfinal game at the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament, being played at Mississippi College.

The Comets (13-13), who had to win four of their last five games just to qualify for the tournament as the ASC East Division's No. 4 seed, knocked off the West Division's top-seeded Indians (17-9) by keeping the pressure on throughout with an offensive aerial attack that featured 10 three-point baskets, including six from sophomore Martin Salinas (right), who led all Comets with 21 points. Jason Malone added 19 points while Kersh Milson finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.

UTD will meet Sul Ross State – an 89-77 winner over East Texas Baptist – in a tournament semifinal game at 2 pm Saturday afternoon. The winner will advance to the championship game with a conference title and automatic berth in the NCAA Division III national tournament on the line. The other semifinal game will feature the winners of Mississippi College/Mary Hardin-Baylor and Hardin-Simmons/Ozarks.

In the Friday game with McMurry, the Comets jumped out to an early lead, but spent the rest of the game trying to hold off a hard-charging Indian comeback. After the score was tied at 5-5 early in the game, UTD went on a 19-6 run to put a 13-point cushion (24-11) between themselves and the Indians at the 10:15 mark. McMurry cut the lead back to six points (32-26), but the Comets were able to increase the advantage to 38-30 at the half.

McMurry opened the second half on a hot streak, outscoring UTD, 14-5 in the first five minutes to regain the lead at 44-43. But UTD went right back in front and then spent the last 13 minutes of the game trying to hold off the Tribe - rarely gaining more than a 3-4-point advantage.

With 3:24 remaining, McMurry cut the Comet lead down to two (61-59), but Travis Carruthers and Eric Chatham delivered big free throws and the Comets were out to a 65-59 lead with 2:39 left. The Indians got two points back, but Kersh Milson knoced down a jumper with :56 left, then tossed in a pair of free throws to stretch the lead back to 69-63 with :37 left. McMurry's Michael Qualls missed a pair of three-point attempts with :17 left before Malone grabbed a crucial rebound and hit a bit free throw to make it a three-possession game with:14 remaining. The Indians got a last-second three-pointer from J.R. Williams (who led McMurry with 25 points), but it was too little, too late.


>>02.01.05
Milson Named ASC East Player of Week
Comet Forward Gets 48 Points, 32 Rebounds In Three Games

RICHARDSON, TX – University of Texas at Dallas forward Kersh Milson has been named the American Southwest Conference East Division Player of the Week after coming within one rebound of putting up three straight double-doubles last week.

Milson scored 48 points and pulled down 32 rebounds as the Comets won two of three games and jumped right back in the chase for an ASC East playoff spot. The junior transfer from Cedar Valley JC had double-figure scoring in all three games, and had double-digit rebounding in all but the last game, when he finished with nine.

Milson opened the week with a 14-point, 12-rebound showing in a loss to UT-Tyler. He followed that with 17 points and 11 rebounds in a win over East Texas Baptist, then finished the week with 19 points and nine rebounds in the victory over LeTourneau.

For the week, the Galena Park, Texas native hit 17-of-33 (.520) from the field, including six three pointers; and was near perfect (10-of-11) from the free throw line. He added seven assists and had five steals.


>>02.19.05
Comets Clinch Playoff Spot With
'Must-Win' Victory Over LC
UT-Dallas 67, Louisiana College 58

PINEVILLE, LA - For the second straight season, The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team faced a "must-win" situation on the road in their regular season finale; and once again came away victorious - defeating Louisiana College, 67-58, to claim the final playoff spot in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament next week.

Kersh Milson led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds for UTD, which held the lead throughout the contest and improved its's conference record to 10-12, good enough for the fourth seed out of the ASC East Division. The Comets are scheduled to meet #1 West Division seed McMurry University in an opening round game at noon Friday on the campus of host Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi.

A win by UTD in the opening game would send them up against the winner of East Texas Baptist (#2 East) and Sul Ross State (#3 West) on Saturday. The other opening round matchups will pit Mississippi College (#1 East) against Mary Hardin-Baylor (#4 West); and Hardin-Simmons University (#2 West) against the University of the Ozarks (#3 East). Ozarks, which also finished at 10-12 in conference, advanced as the #3 seed due to a tiebreaker (Ozarks was 1-1 against second-place UT-Tyler while UTD was 0-2).

In the Louisiana College game, the Comets also got 17 points from Martin Salinas and 13 from Jason Malone.


>>02.17.05
Loss To Mississippi Sets Up Saturday Showdown With LC For Playoff Spot
Mississippi College 74, UT-Dallas 62

CLINTON, MS - A win over American Southwest Conference East Division leader Mississippi College Thursday night still would have left the University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team in a "must-win" situation going into Saturday afternoon's showdown with Louisiana College. So, the Choctaws’ hardfought 74-62 win over the Comets really didn't change anything in the battle for an ASC post-season berth.

Kersh Milson (right) scored 19 points and Martin Salinas (11) and Eric Chatham (10) joined him in double figures as UTD lost for the second time this season to the East Division leaders.

The loss leaves UTD (11-13 overall) in exactly the same situation it was in going into Thursday night's games - tied with the University of the Ozarks and Louisiana College at 9-12 for the final two ASC East post-season positions. The challenge for the Comets, however, is that the ONLY way they can advance is to seperate themselves from the pack by defeating LC for the second time this season on Saturday. Under no other scenario with the ASC tiebreaker policies does UTD hold an edge on either LC or Ozarks.

A win over LC would give the Comets a 2-0 advantage in head-to-head competition, the first tiebreaker in ASC play; AND a better conference record. A loss would drop the Comets behind LC and possibly Ozarks, a team that still holds a tiebreaker advantage on it despite last week's dominating victory by UTD. (See explanation below).

UTD split with Ozarks this season, meaning that the two teams would have to go to their record against the top teams in the East Division as the next tiebreaker. Both UTD and Ozarks are 0-2 against first-place Mississippi College, but Ozarks did pull off a win over second-place UT-Tyler while the Comets were 0-2 against the Patriots - meaning that Ozarks would advance if UTD and Ozarks ended up tied for the final playoff spot after Saturday's regular season finale. Even with a win, that situation could drop the Comets to the No. 4 seed if UTD and Ozarks ended up tied after Saturday's games.

Ozarks plays East Texas Baptist, which locked up third place with a 84-64 win over Austin College Thursday. Ozarks dropped its Thursday game to LeTourneau, 94-83, while UT-Tyler downed Louisiana College, 96-79.

In the Thursday game, the Comets held a brief early lead over the East Division leaders, but were last tied at 26-26 when Milson nailed a three-pointer with 5:23 to go in the first half. The Choctaws ended the half on a 13-5 run, however, and led 39-31 at intermission.

In the second half, the Comets battled back and cut the MC (20-3, 18-3) lead to just two points (44-42) on a three-pointer by Travis Carruthers with 15:06 remaining. But the Choctaws again answered with a 16-4 run and were up 60-46 with 10:26 remaining. The Comets were never able to cut into that lead again.

Mississippi College will host the eight-team ASC Championship Tournament next weekend in Clinton, MS.


>>02.12.05
Comets Storm Way Back Into Win Over AC, ASC Playoff Hunt
UT-Dallas 77, Austin College 66

LONGVIEW, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball, down eight points at the half, rallied to take a 77-66 win over Austin College Saturday nafternoon and propel themselves right back into the American Southwest Conference East Division playoff chase.

UTD (11-12, 9-11) outscored the Kangaroos (6-17, 5-15), 49-30, after halftime and cruised to a win that put them in a three-way tie for one of the final two ASC East playoff spots. An Ozarks loss at UT-Tyler and a Louisiana College loss at East Texas Baptist put both those two teams at 9-11 in conference, tied with UTD behind Mississippi College and ETBU. UTD finishes the regular season next weekend on the road at Mississippi and Louisiana.

After struggling offensively in the first half, the Comets trailed Austin College, 36-28; but came out gunning in the second period. UTD shot 57% from the field, including a 5-of-8 performance from beyond the three-point arch; and poured in 20-of-22 second-half free throws to outscore Austin College, 49-30, in the second half.

After the Kangaroos led early, UTD tied the score at 10-10 with 14:56 to go in the first half; but AC inched ahead to take its 36-28 hafltime lead. But Martin Salinas nailed a three-pointer to open the second half and UTD caught up at 42-42 with 15:48 remaining. The Comets then went on a 10-2 run in the next five minutes to go up 52-44 and held the margin the rest of the way. Austin College got within 10 (68-58) with 2:16 left, but UTD shooters nailed 8-of-9 free throws to finish the game off.

Kersh Milson (pictured) led the Comets with a 22-point, 6-rebound day. Jason Malone added 12 points while Adam Bush and Travis Carruthers poured in 10 apiece.


>>02.10.05
Comets Torch Ozarks To Hang Tight In ASC Playoff Race
UT-Dallas 94, University of the Ozarks 76

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball poured on the offense Thursday night, running away from the University of the Ozarks, 94-76, and keeping the heat on the rest of the American Southwest Conference East Division.

With the win, the Comets (10-12, 8-11) narrowed the deficit between themselves and the final ASC East playoff spot to just a single game. UTD trails Ozarks (9-10) by the single game and Louisiana College and East Texas Baptist (both 9-10) by a pair with three games remaining - including a rematch with Louisiana College

Jason Malone and sophomore Martin Salinas led an offensive attack that shot 61.8% (34-55) from the field and hit 14 of 16 three-point atttempts. Malone was 5-of-8 from beyond the circle to finish with 23 points, while Salinas was 6-of-9 on the three-point shots to finish with 22 points. Kersh Milson had 14 points and seven rebounds while Adam Bush pitched in 12 points with seven boards.

After trading leads early, UTD went on a 10-3 run to finish the first half with a 49-33 lead. The Comets then started the second with a 11-3 run and were up 60-36 with 16:58 remaining. Ozarks cut the lead down to 79-70 with 4:49 remaining, but the Comets finished with a 15-9 spurt to finish at the final margin of 94-76.

UTD faces an important rematch with Austin College in the home final Saturday before finishing the regular season at Mississippi College and Louisiana College next weekend .


>>02.05.05
Comets Hold On To Playoff Dream After Narrowly Escaping Upset at LeTourneau
UT-Dallas 85, LeTourneau 83

LONGVIEW, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team is still technically alive in the chase for a 2005 post-season American Southwest Conference championship tournament berth after narrowly escaping Solheim Arena with a one-point, 84-83 win over LeTourneau Saturday afternoon.

The Comets (9-12, 7-11) would have all but eliminated themselves from a chance at one of the four ASC East Division post-season invitations had they let the YellowJackets (3-17, 2-15) complete a rally that brought them out of a deficit that reached 20 points.

After an off night in Thursday's loss at East Texas Baptist, Kersh Milson returned with a 23-point night to lead Comets in double-figure scoring. In addition to Milson, Martin Salinas pitched in 21, while Travis Caruthers added 14, and Jason Malone 13.

The Comets played a solid offensive game, shooting over 50 percent (31-61) from the field, but failed to put a stop on LeTourneau, which hit 33-of-55 shots it launched (60%), including 16 three-point baskets. UTD added 13 of its own, shooting 46.4% from beyond the stripe.

UTD had a solid 46-34 lead at the half, which they stretced to 53-37 just seconds into the second half. At the 11:19 point to go in the game, UTD was up 75-55. But over the last nine minutes of the game, UTD scored just twice from the field while LeTourneau quickly made up ground.

With :17 left, Joseph Richards nailed a three-pointer to pull LETU to within three at 84-81. Eric Chatham, who was fouled, then missed a free-throw and the YellowJackets scored again off an offensive rebound to cut the deficit to its final margin with :05 left. Tyrone Hurt missed a free throw with :04 remaining, but LETU was not able to get off a final shot.

UTD's 7-11 conference mark is still 1-1/2 games back of East Texas Baptist and Ozarks at 8-9. Ozarks held off Louisiana College Saturday while ETBU fell subject to UT-Tyler. The Comets have just four conference games remaining to make up the difference and apparently still need to win at least two of those games.


>>02.03.05
Comets Shoot Hole In Post-Season Chances With Slow Start at ETBU
East Texas Baptist 72, UT-Dallas 52

MARSHALL, TX - Just a week ago, the University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team used a lopsided first-half advantage to cruise to a big home win over East Texas Baptist. Thursday night, the fortunes were reversed, and the Comets dropped a 72-52 decision to ETBU that seriously damaged their post-season aspirations.

This time, it was the UTD Comets (8-12, 6-11) who trailed at intermission by a 25-point deficit (16-41). With the large lead, the Tigers (8-10, 8-8) were able to hold off UTD after halftime, never allowing UTD any closer than 20 points, inspite of a 36-31 second-half scoring advantage.

The loss put UTD (6-11 in ASC) 2-1/2 games back of ETBU (8-8) in the standings, but are just 1-1/2 games back of the University of the Ozarks (7-9). The Comets have just five conference games remaining, while the other contenders still have six to play. UTD could claim the final playoff spot by winning at least one more game than Ozarks down the stretch, but would also probably need to defeat the Eagles next Thurday in order to hold a tiebreaker advantage.

The ETBU Tigers earned their revenge on UTD for last week's loss by jumping out to the big halftime lead and holding the Comets to a poor 28.3 shooting night (17-of-60). Only Martin Salinas (11 pts.) and Jason Malone (10 pts.) cracked into double figures.


>>01.29.05
Comets Right Back in Playoff Hunt After Running Away From LeTourneau, 75-50
UTD Builds Big Lead With Late First-Half Run

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team is right back where they wanted to be with six American Southwest Conference East Division games left in the season - in the hunt for a playoff spot after running away from LeTourneau Saturday afternoon, 75-50.

UTD (8-11, 6-10) built a lead that reached almost 30 points thanks to three big scoring droughts from the YellowJackets (3-15, 2-13). The win, coupled with losses by the University of the Ozarks (81-72 to Louisiana College) and East Texas Baptist (81-63 to UT-Tyler) put the Comets just 1-1/2 games behind those two teams and two games back of LC in a battle for one of four ASC East post-season playoff spots. The group is chasing Mississippi College, which has pretty much wrapped up the divisional lead with a 14-2 conference mark with just six conference games left.

Kirsh Milson (pictured) topped the Comets effort with 19 points and nine rebounds while Jason Malone added 17 points. With the huge lead, UTD coach Terry Butterfield was able to empty the bench and get playing time for all 14 players on his roster. Only four players did not break into the scoring column.

The game didn't start all that well for UTD, which fell behind 7-0 with a sluggish beginning. The Comets didn't get their first basket until Milson hit a jumper at 16:44, but Milson and Malone combined for eight quick points in the next minute to put UTD up, 8-7, and the Comets then finished up a 14-0 run to take a 14-7 advantage at 13:01. LETU was able to cut the lead to just two points twice (the last, 16-14 at 9:09), but finished the half on a 26-7 run to lead, 42-21 at the half.

The Comets then kept the YellowJackets at bay with second-half shooting that improved to better than 60%, increasing the lead to as much as 29 points before the reserves from both teams filled the lineups on the floor. The Comets shot 57% from the field for the game and hit eight three-point shots in the win.

The Comets have a chance to improve their playoff positioning in the ASC East standings this next week when they have rematches with ETBU and LeTourneau.


>>01.27.05
Hot Start Gives UTD Enough Cushion To Pick Up Important ASC Win Over ETBU
UT-Dallas 96, East Texas Baptist 77

RICHARDSON, TX – Martin Salinas poured in seven three-point baskets and helped the University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team build a massive first-half lead on their way to an important 96-77, American Southwest Conference East Division win over East Texas Baptist Thursday night.

Salinas hit three of his seven long-range bombs in the first half as the Comets built a lead that was simply too big for ETBU to overcome. At intermission, UTD was up 40-16, and had defensively held the Tigers to a 21.9% shooting performance from the floor. The Comets needed every bit of that lead, too, as ETBU came out red hot after intermission, hitting 15-of-27 (.556) as they tried to trim the Comet lead. But UTD kept up the pressure, raining seven second-half three-pointers and scoring 56 more points.

The victory was important for UTD (7-11, 5-10) as it moved them to within 1-1/2 games of ETBU (7-9, 7-7) in the ASC East Division standings and back within reach of a post-season playoff spot.

After knotting the score at 4-4 four minutes into the game, UTD rattled off an 18-8 run to go up 22-12 at the 7:52 mark and then went 19-2 over the rest of the period to take the 24-point (40-16) advantage to the dressing room. ETBU hit just one shot in the last 7:52 of the first half.

Brothers Cedric and Chris Isom led the Tigers with just eight combined points at halftime, but went on a second half tear as ETBU tried to climb back in the game. The Isom tandem combined for 50 of ETBU's 61 second-half points, hitting 19-of-38 shots from the floor, including nine three-pointers.

Fortunately for the Comets, though, they seemed able to handle the rush and usually came up with an answer on the other end of the court. Salinas accounted for nine points in the first five minutes of the second period and Kersh Milson added a couple of more as the Comets built their lead to 60-28 at the 15:34 mark. ETBU continued to keep up the offensive pressure, but could not get closer than 16 points the rest of the way. As the Tigers pressed and fouled over the final two minutes, Travis Carruthers became the hero, avoiding the turnovers and hitting eight straight free throws.

Salinas topped the Comets with 21 points, but UTD had four other players finish in double figures. Milson had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds and Eric Chatham came close with 13 points and 9 boards. Jason Malone nailed three 3-pointers on his way to 16 points and Adam Bush pitched in 12, 8 coming in the first period.


>>01.24.05
Comets Let Patriots Get Away With
Late Surge, Fall To UT-Tyler 75-61

RICHARDSON, TX – Just as the University of Texas at Dallas Comets had cut their deficit to two points Monday night, the University of Texas at Tyler ran off 13 unanswered points on their way to a decisive 75-61 win over the Comets.

After falling behind by as many as nine points early in the second half, UTD cut Tyler's margin down to just 49-47 with 9:08 to go on a pair of Kersh Milson (right) free throws. But before the Comets could figure out a way to continue their rally, the Patriots rattled off 13 unanswered points in the next three minutes to go up 61-47 and never looked back.

The Comets (6-11, 4-10) also staged a rally in the first half against Tyler (6-10, 6-7), which had lost seven of its last eight games. After falling behind 29-19 with 5:13 to go before intermission, UTD popped nine unanswered points to pull within one and trailed just 29-28 after a Martin Salinas three-pointer. Salinas missed a shot that would have given the Comets a halftime lead, and UT-Tyler's Brandon Weasby grabbed the rebound and hit a layup at the buzzer to give the Patriots a 33-30 advantage.

UTD was really hurt by cold shooting from the floor, particularly late in the game. The Comets hit just 37.0 % from the field for the game and were only 8-of-22 from behind the three-point line. Tyler had four players finish in double figures - led by Weasby's 23 - but only got nine points from the rest of the squad. Salinas and Milson paced the Comets with 15 and 14 points, respectively.

The loss drops UTD further out of contention for an ASC playoff spot as they are now two full games behind the teams in front of them. That puts added pressure on the Comets to come up with wins over the next two weeks when they play home-and-home series against East Texas Baptist (a team they are chasing) and LeTourneau, which is in the ASC East cellar.


>>01.22.05
Hot-Shooting Comets Make First Half Lead Stand By Holding Off LC, 79-70

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas Comets set a school record with 14 three-pointers, including eight in the first half, to build a big enough advantage to hold off a hard-charging Louisiana College team, 79-70, in an important American Southwest Conference game.

The Comets (6-10, 4-9) raced out to a 51-34 halftime lead, thanks to 23 first-half points by Martin Salinas (right). Salinas, who had seven three-point baskets in the first period, ended the day with eight - scoring 26 points to pace UTD. For the game, the Comets shot an impressive 56.3 percent from the field, including a 63.0% performance in the first period. They were 14-of-23 from beyond the arch.

The big first half, however, almost wasn't enough as the Wildcats (7-9, 6-8) came out firing as well. LC also had 14 three-point buckets, including six in the second half as they shaved the 17-point deficit down to as close as two points, but could never overtake the Comets. For the game, the two teams combined for 28 three-point baskets on 58 attempts. LC's Casey Meador, who had 23 points, scored 21 from beyond the stripe.

The Wildcats jumped on top of UTD with a fast start - hitting six three-pointers in the game's first seven minutes and were up 22-17 with 11:49 to go before intermission. But that's when the Comets got hot and LC cooled down to a complete stop. Over the next eight minutes (11:49-3:57), UTD rolled up 21 points while the Wildcats didn't score a single basket. Meador connected on a three-pointer to break a 38-22 UTD lead, but could not get LC any closer than 17 points at halftime (51-34).

In the second half, the Wildcats started chiselling away at UTD's lead. After Jason Malone hit a layup to give UTD a 55-36 lead at 18:24, LC outscored the Comets, 29-12, over the next 13 minutes and cut the Comet lead to 67-65 with 5:49 remaining. But Bart Holloway hit a big three pointer, and Kersh Milson came up big with a couple of inside baskets to stretch the margin to 75-67 with 1:28 remaining. That was all it took as Meador hit just one more three-pointer in the final minute while the Comets converted at the free-throw line to stretch the lead to the final margin.

Jason Malone added 14 points for the Comets, but left the game with an injury in the game's final minutes. Milson had a big day with 11 points and 13 rebounds.


>>01.20.05
Lack of Offense Leaves Comets Without Chance of Catching Choctaws
Mississippi College 64, UT-Dallas 46

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team were held to a season-low 46 points Thursday night, and it was certainly not enough to keep up with the American Southwest Conference East Division-leading Mississippi College Choctaws in a 64-46 loss.

The defeat dropped UTD (5-10 overall) even further behind in the ASC East race at 3-9 in conference games. Mississippi (13-2) retained its top spot at 11-2.

Adam Bush (pictured) was one of three Comets to finish in double figures with 13 points, but without the efforts of the trio of Bush, Jason Malone (14 pts) and Kersh Milson (10 pts), the rest of the Comets scored just nine points. A 28.8% shooting night (17-59) – which included a 2-for-21 (.095) three-point performance - didn't help matters either.

The Comets never led in the game, although tough first-half defense kept the Choctaws within reach. UTD cut the MC lead to 12-10 with 12:30 remaining on a three-pointer from Malone. But a 10-2 run over the next seven minutes of action gave the Choctaws enough cushion to hold off the Comets the rest of the night. At the half, MC held a 35-20 lead after finishing the half with a 25-8 run.

In the second period, UTD was able to shave the lead down to 14 points and kept that margin for much of the half. However, in the game's final minutes, the Comets were forced to foul MC to try to regain possession and the Choctaws turn the free-throw opportunities into points. MC's Tyler Winford finished with 20 points and seven rebounds.

The Comets are still not out of the race for one of the final ASC East playoff spots (since the conference is taking the top four teams from each division this year), but must rebound quickly with four more home games over the next nine days.


>>01.15.05
Road Woes Continue For Comet Men
Austin College 65, UT-Dallas 56

SHERMAN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team fell further behind in the American Southwest Conference East Division race Saturday afternoon as they dropped their sixth road game of the season, falling 65-56 to Austin College.

The loss was the Comets' sixth in seven road outings this season, and third straight - dropping the team (5-9 overall) to 3-8 in conference. Austin College caught UTD at 3-8 in the East Division race and is now 4-10 for the year.

Kersh Milson (pictured) kept the Comets close with his season-high 18 points and five rebounds, but Jason Malone (13 points, five rebounds) was the only other UTD player to finish in double figures as the Comets shot just 37.0% for the game, and was just 7-of-25 from the three-point arch.

UTD's shooting woes were at their worst in the opening half, when the team hit just 7-of-23 from the field (30.4%). Tyrone Hurt gave UTD a short-lived 20-19 lead with 3:20 to go in the opening period, but AC scored the period's last 10 points and was up, 29-20 at intermission.
The Comets fought their way back and actually took a one-point lead (44-3) with 7:54 remaining on a Milson jumper, but AC answered immediately to go back on top and then out scored the Comets 15-5 to go up 60-49 with less than a minute remaining.

In spite of the fact that the top four teams from each division will get a chance to advance to the ASC Championship Tournament this season, the Comets continue to drop themselves down the standings with the loss; and must bounce back with a stretch of five consecutive home games on the docket, beginning next Thursday night.


>>01.13.05
UTD Misses Opportunity To Close Gap in ASC With Road Loss at Ozarks
Univ. of the Ozarks 87, UT-Dallas 80

CLARKSVILLE, AR – The last time the University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team was at the University of the Ozarks, it picked up an important win that clinched a 2004 American Southwest Conference playoff berth. The Comets again needed a win Thursday to stay close in the ASC East playoff race, but faltered in an 87-80 shootout that may not have even been that close.

Martin Salinas, one of four Comets to score in double figures, hit a pair of three pointers in the game's final 32 seconds to make the final respectable. But UTD (5-8, 3-7) dug itself a hole early that kept those baskets from meaning much.

Eric Chatham (right) was one of four Comets scoring in double figures as both teams shot 45% or better for the night. Chatham had 13 points and nine rebounds to join Jason Malone (14 points), Travis Carruthers (13) and Salinas (12) on the top of the boxscore.

The Ozarks Eagles (7-6, 5-5) led early, but Carruthers gave UTD its first lead (24-23 at 10:13) on a three-point shot. The Comets were able to stretch their advantage to as many as seven points (30-23 at the 7:39 mark), but did not score from the field in the final 3:37 of the first half and trailed 39-35.

Chatham was able to tie the score at 39-39 two minutes into the second half, but Ozark rattled off a 16-2 run to go up 55-41 with 15:00 remaining. They stretched the lead to as much as 16 points (76-60) with 4:07 left and led 85-74 before Salinas hit the final two three-pointers.


>>01.10.05
Poor Shooting, Patriots Leave
Comets Behind In ASC East Opener
UT-Tyler 79, UT-Dallas 62

TYLER, TX – The Univeristy of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team could not find the bottom of the basket on the road Monday, falling 79-62 to UT-Tyler in the American Southwest Conference East Division opener for both teams.

A 36.8% (21-57) shooting performance - including a 10-33 (.303) performance in the second half - prevented the Comets (5-7, 3-6) from hanging on to an early lead or catching up in the second half as the Patriots slipped out to lead.

Sophomore Martin Salinas was the only double-figure scorer for the Comets. He ended the night with 14 points, but was just 3-of-8 from his patented spot beyond the three-point line. For the game, the Comets hit just 6 of 25 three-point attempts in trying to play catchup.

UTD actually jumped out to an early lead in the game, and was up by eight points (19-11) with 9:17 to go before halftime. But a 15-7 UT-Tyler run tied the score at 26-26 with 2:51 to go, and the Patriots inced ahead 33-28 by intermission as UTD did not hit a field goal the final 4:04 of the half.

The Patriots opened the second half with an 18-7 run that put them up 51-36 with 12:56 remaining, and the Comets were outscored 46-34 in the second period.


>>01.08.05
UTD Dominates YellowJackets To Pick Up Much-Needed ASC Win
UT-Dallas 91, Howard Payne 78

RICHARDSON, TX – The UTD men's basketball team got double-figure scoring out of four players and raced away to a 91-78 American Southwest Conference victory over Howard Payne Saturday afternoon.

Guard Frank Faber (who finished with 11 points and 8 rebounds) was joined by Jason Malone (16 pts), Eric Chatham (11 pts., 6 rebounds) and Kersh Milson (10 points, 3 rebounds) as the Comets built as much as a 29-point lead during the game. The win was UTD's third in conference and improved its mark to 5-6, 3-5 as the team begins play against its ASC East Division rivals on Monday at UT-Tyler.

Howard Payne (3-9, 3-6) actually started the game on a run and led 6-2, but a 3-pointer by Faber gave the Comets their first lead (9-8) at the 17:32 mark. Chatham then capped a 30-10 run over the next 11 minutes that put UTD in front 36-18. At the half, the Comets were up by 24 at 49-25 as they held the YellowJackets to just 27.3% shooting while hitting over 57% (16-28) of its shots.

UTD kept the pressure on throughout the second half, building its best lead (81-52 at 5:05) on a Malone layup. But when Coach Terry Butterfield emptied the bench and instructed his players not to foul in the game's final minutes, the YellowJackets went on a 26-10 run to end the game by putting the final score at a respectible 13-point margin before the final buzzer.

Johnathen Maxwell led HPU with 21 points, most coming in the game's final minutes. Kendrick Johnson finished with 18 points. UTD won the battle inside, scoring over 75% of its points in the paint and outrebounding the Jackets, 42-40. The Comets ended the night hitting 52.5% from the field (32-61) and 36.8% (7-19) shooting three-pointers.


>>01.05.05
UTD Can't Keep Up With Defending Conference Champs, Fall 82-71 To SRSU

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team came close, but could not quite convert on upsetting the defending American Southwest Conference champion Sul Ross State squad Thursday night at home. The Lobos, who are off to another big start, worked themselves a lead and held off the Comets, 82-71, in the UTD Activity Center.

Tyrone Hurt played a big role for the Comets (4-6, 2-5) with 12 points and 8 rebounds as UTD didn't back down to the larger, deeper SRSU team. Martin Salinas came off the bench to bury four 3-point shots and led the team with 14 points while reserve Adam Bush also put in 17 while battling underneath with the physical Lobo inside players.

UTD looked like it might be on the way to an upset as they jumped on the Lobos right out of the chute. The Comets raced out to an 11-4 advantage as SRSU scored just 4 points in the first 7:05 of the game. But the Lobos bounced back with an 11-4 run of their own and tied the score at 15-15 just four minutes later. At the half, the Lobos had a three-point advantage at 34-31 - their biggest lead at that point of the game.

The Comets fought back in the opening minutes of the second half and took two short-lived leads on Jason Malone free throws (the last making it 39-37 with 17:31 remaining). But SRSU went on a tear, outscoring UTD 17-6 over the next five minutes and led 54-45 with 12:38 to go. UTD had one last chance when Salinas' three-pointer cut the Lobo lead to 71-66 with 4:16 remaining, but SRSU could not miss in the game's final minutes and they pulled away to the 11-point win.


>>12.19.04
UTD Money From Field, Line In
Picking Up Second ASC Win of Season
UT-Dallas 83, Schreiner University 64

RICHARDSON, TX – One day after a poor shooting performance in a loss to Texas Lutheran, the UT-Dallas men's basketball team hit almost 50 percent from the floor and nailed 14-of-14 free throws in the game's final minutes Sunday to ice a solid 83-64 victory over Schreiner University.

The Comets hit 25-of-52 field goal attempts (48.1%), and were 27-of-35 at the line in building and holding a lead throughout the game. Schreiner (1-7, 1-5) never got closer than nine points in the second half of the game.

Eric Chatham (right) was typical of the balanced attack the Comets got from their roster as he poured in 13 points, pulled down nine rebounds and had his second straight team-high night in assists with six. Jason Malone led the team with 17 points, including a 6-of-8 night at the line. Kersh Milson (12 points and 10 rebounds) connected on 10 straight free throws after missing his first two of the game. Adam Bush added 13 points while Frank Faber had nine points and 7 rebounds.

The Comets almost started out where they left off Saturday, waiting almost four minutes to score their first basket. After training 11-3 at the 15:22 mark, UTD finished a 15-7 run with a Faber three-pointer and tied the score at 18-18 with 10:06 to go in the half. The Comets were up five at the half, 36-31.

In the second half, UTD slowly began to pull away as they outscored the Mountaineers 25-17 in the first 12 minutes to go up 61-48 with 7:54 remaining. As Schreiner began fouling to try to regain possession, UTD was money at the line by hitting its final 14 free throw attempts in a row.

UTD is now off until Thurday, Jan. 6, when it hosts the defending conference champion Sul Ross State team in a 7:30 pm game at the UTD Activity Center.


>>12.18.04
Cold Shooting Day Leaves Comets Behind On Way To Fourth ASC Loss
Texas Lutheran 60, UT-Dallas 52

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas Comets waited seven minutes too long Saturday to start playing the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs even. By then, the Comets trailed 16-5 (12:42) and never caught up on their way to a 60-52 loss.

The loss was the fourth close American Southwest Conference defeat for the Comets, who fell to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in ASC play. TLU improved to 6-3, 5-1.

Martin Salinas and Jason Malone both scored 12 points for UTD, but typified the Comets' shooting woes in the game by going a combined 8-of-22 from the field. As a team, UTD shot just 34.6% (18-of-52) for the game and it kept them from staging a rally to get back in the game.

Down 33-24 at the half, poor shooting and strong defense combined to keep both teams off the board for much of the first six minutes of the second period. Until the 14:02 point, each team had scored just two points apiece. A Kersh Milson three-pointer got the Comets within five (31-36) with 13:43 remaining, and he hit a jumper to make it a five-point game (49-44) with 6:08 remaining, but the Bulldogs were able to outscore UTD 11-8 in the final minutes - mostly at the foul line, where they hit 16-of-22.

Milson and Eric Chatham combined for 13 rebounds, while Chatham was effective passing the ball with five assists. TLU star Tommy Stolhandske ended the day with 19 points after scoring 11 in the first half.


>>12.16.04
Last-Second Shot By UMHB Drops Comets To 1-3 In ASC
Mary Hardin-Baylor 70, UT-Dallas 68

BELTON, TX – A Brandon Gatlin jumper with :02 remaining on the clock wasted a clutch comeback by the University of Texas at Dallas Comets Thursday night, giving the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor a dramatic 70-68 win over the Comets.

The last-second defeat dropped UTD to 1-3 in American Southwest Conference play; and put the Comets back below .500 with a 3-4 overall record.

The Gatlin shot broke a 68-68 tie that Jason Malone forced with :22 remaining on a three-point shot - his fourth of the game. Prior to that, Kersh Milson had given the Comets their last lead of the game (65-62 at 4:17) on a three-pointer that Gatlin also erased with a three-pointer of his own. Malone (19 points) and Milson (18 points) accounted for 37 of the Comets' 68 points. Gatlin was the only Crusader in double figures with 29 points, but eight others scored.

After falling behind early in the game, the Comets took a 17-13 lead with a 9-0 run midway through the first half, but trailed 34-30 at intermission. It took UTD halfway through the second period to catch back up, tying the score at 50-50 on another Malone 3-pointer.

Although the teams were close in fouls (UTD 19, UMHB 13), the Crusaders (5-2, 3-2) enjoyed a 24-7 advantage at the foul line (hitting 16-of-24, while the Comets were 7-of-7). UTD won the rebound battle, 33-28, with Eric Chatham grabbing eight while scoring 10 points.

The game was much closer than the prior meeting between the two teams earlier this season when UMHB won, 72-54.


>>12.11.04
Comets Pick Up Much-Needed Road Win Against Conference Foe Concordia
UT-Dallas 92, Concordia-Austin 81

AUSTIN, TX – Jason Malone led a group of four UT-Dallas players in double figures as the Comets won their first American Southwest Conference game of the season and evened their season record, knocking off Concordia-Austin, 92-81.

Malone poured in 22 points and pulled down six rebounds as UTD (3-3, 1-2) put together an impressive performance on both ends of the court, shooting .569 from the field (33-58) and outboarding the Tornados, 44-35. Concordia fell to 2-4 for the season and 2-4 in ASC play.

For the second straight game, sophomore Martin Salinas came off the bench and knocked down three big 3-point shots as part of a 15-point performance. In total, the UTD bench contributed 49 points as Adam Bush had 12 points to go with his seven rebounds, and Don Staten came off the bench to add 11 points, including a 10-of-11 performance at the free throw line.

The Comets trailed just once in the game (6-4 at the 17:10 mark) before Malone hit a 3-pointer to put UTD ahead to stay. By the half, the Comets had a 46-35 lead and held the margin at 10 or more points until the final minute of the game. The Tornados trimmed the lead to seven points (85-78) with 1:23 to go, but Bush had a layup and the Comets added five late free throws to ice the win.


>>12.08.04
UTD Holds Off University of Dallas For Second Time This Season
Comets Take 61-43 Win In Final Non-Conference Game

RICHARDSON, TX – Sophomore Martin Salinas, in his first game back with the team, sparked a second-half rally with 11 points off the bench as The University of Texas at Dallas Comets put up a 61-43 win over the University of Dallas in their final non-conference game of the season Wednesday night.

Salinas, seeing his first action of the season, came off the bench early in the second half and hit two three 3-point shots to turn a tight ballgame into rout with his 11 points. The Comets hit six of their nine 3-pointers after halftime.

Until Salinas entered the game, the Crusaders (1-7) had been hanging around and keeping the Comets (2-3) from feeling very comfortable in their second matchup with UD this season. After leading 24-16 at halftime, the Crusaders scored on two quick layups to open the second half and cut the lead to 24-20. Jason Malone then score five of his 12 points over the next two minutes to stretch the advantage to 29-20. When Salinas entered the game, UTD held a slim 34-28 lead, which became 52-38 before Salinas left the floor.

The Comets built the lead up to 59-39 before both teams emptied their benches in the game's final minutes. It was UTD's second win this season over the Crusaders, who they met earlier this season at the Austin College Bob Mason Classic.

Neither team shot particularly well in the first half, but UTD managed to work its way to a 24-10 lead until the Crusaders got a pair of late 3-point shots to make it 24-16 at the half. But after halftime, the Comets were able to hit 50 percent of their shots from the floor, including 6-of-16 three-point attempts.

In addition to Salinas, Malone and Jay Swafford (who had four three-pointers), finished with 12 points while Eric Chatham also added 11 along with eight rebounds and seven assists.

UTD, which dropped its first two American Southwest Conference games, is back in conference play this Saturday when it travels to meet Concordia in Austin.


>>11.29.04
Comets Again Give Up Late Rally, Drop Second ASC Game
McMurry 79, UT-Dallas 66

ABILENE, TX – For the second time in three nights, the UTD Comets let a gamelong lead slip away and fall behind in the final minutes, dropping a 79-66 American Southwest Conference decision to McMurry University Monday night.

The Comets (1-3, 0-2) got 22 second-half points from Jason Malone (right), but gave up 52 to the Indians (3-1, 2-0) after intermission as McMurry rallied from a 30-27 deficit to claim the win.

UTD, which had held the Indians to just 29.6% shooting in the first half, allowed McMurry to hit 13-of-23 (56.5%) in the second period and sent the Indians to the free-throw line 29 times, giving up 24 points. For the night, McMurry got 32 points at the foul line as the Comets committed 27 fouls.

After building on the halftime advantage to go up 47-44 with 10 minutes remaining, the Comets fell victim to a quick 11-0 McMurry run, giving the Indians a 55-47 lead that they never relinquished. A Jay Swafford three-pointer and a Tyrone Hurt free throw with 4:47 remaining pulled the Comets back to within three, 57-60, but McMurry scored nine of the next 12 points to claim its second conference win.

Kersh Milson had 12 points as the only other Comet to finish in double figures.


>>11.27.04
Late Cold Spell Chills Comets' Chances In ASC Opener
Hardin-Simmons 65, UT-Dallas 59

ABILENE, TX – An eight-minute stretch without a basket from the field doomed the UT-Dallas Comets in their American Southwest Conference opener Saturday as Hardin-Simmons rallied to take a 65-59 victory over the Comets.

Having trailed just one time through the first 30 minutes of the game, the UTD offense suddenly went cold. After Kersh Milson hit an inside basket with 10:55 remaining to give UTD a 47-44 lead, the Comets (1-2, 0-1) did not score another field goal until Don Staten hit a three-pointer with 3:05 remaining. By then, the HSU Cowboys (3-1, 1-0) had rallied to take a 60-56 lead and held on for the victory.

UTD got within three points (62-59) with :19 seconds remaining, but the Comets were forced to foul in the final moments and HSU freshman James Peters connected on the free throws.

After a sluggish start, UT took an 8-6 lead at the 10:00 mark and went on a 12-3 run to go up 20-9 with 5:53 in the first period. But the Cowboys answered with a 13-2 run of their own and UTD held a slim 28-27 advantage at the break. The Comets again came out strong to start the second half, getting a pair of Staten three-pointers to go up 41-33. Again, HSU answered with an 11-0 run and kept the game within three points for several minutes before going on top for good at 7:55 (50-49) with an inside bucket.

Staten finished with 13 points and Tyrone Hurt had 10 for UTD. But the Comets were hurt by poor shooting, hitting just .339 for the game. UTD did connect on 8-of-25 three-pointers. After winning the rebound battle in the first half, the Comets were overtaken inside in the second, and lost the rebound numbers, 39-35.

UTD is back in Abilene on Monday for another ASC game against McMurry at 7:30 pm.


>>11.20.04
Comets Earn Split On Opening Weekend
Univ. Mary Hardin-Baylor 72, UT-Dallas 58
UT-Dallas 72, Univ. of Dallas 54

SHERMAN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team opened the 2004-05 season with a split this weekend at Austin College's Bob Mason Classic. After dropping a non-conference meeting with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 72-58, Friday night, the Comets bounced back on Saturday afternoon to top the University of Dallas, 72-54.

FRIDAY (UMHB 72, UTD 58) - In the opener, UTD fell behind early in the contest and could not catch up, as the Comets were able to shoot just 37.1 percent from the field. Meanwhile, UMHB's dynamic duo of Patrick Oliver and Michael Blaylock poured in 24 points apiece as the Crusaders raced to a 39-28 halftime lead and kept up the pressure.

Jason Malone, who led UTD in scoring last year, started off the season the same way, scoring 19 points in the loss; but was the only Comet to finish in double figures.

UMHB, which was picked to finish third in the tough American Southwest Conference East Division, was out-rebounded 39-25 by the Comets, but shot a remarkable 51.4 percent from the field to make up the difference. UTD was also hurt by poor outside shooting. The Comets connected on just three of 20 three-point attempts - all in the first half.

SATURDAY (UTD 72, UDALLAS 54) - After shooting poorly Friday, the Comets came out with a blistering attack from the field in the first half against the University of Dallas. UTD shot 64 percent from the floor before halftime to takea 40-23 lead; and shot 45% for the game.

Eleven different Comets got in the score book, paced by newcomer Kirsh Melson's 12 points and Adam Bush's 10.

UTD is back in action after Thanksgiving with a pair of conference games against ASC West members Hardin-Simmons and McMurry in Abilene. This season, all regular games against ASC opponents, regardless of division, count on the conference standings.


>>2004-05 UTD SEASON OUTLOOK:
Comets Would Like To Take Last Year's Success One Step Further

RICHARDSON, TX – Last season, the University of Texas at Dallas men’s basketball team did something other coaches in the league had been hoping they would put off for a few more years – have a successful season and become a contender for the American Southwest Conference title.

Through the Comets’ first three seasons as a member of the ASC, UTD had won only 10 conference games (10-32) and finished above .500 overall just once (13-12 in 2001-02). But the other league coaches realized they wouldn’t be able to keep the Comets down for long.

UTD (15-11, 10-4) took the first step toward that respectability last year in Coach Terry Butterfield’s (pictured) fourth season at the helm. The Comets made a dramatic, late-season rally to tie for the ASC East Division title (having to win three straight road games to clinch), and advanced to the post-season ASC Championship Tournament for the first time in school history.

Now, Butterfield and his 2004-05 squad feel it is time to take that progress a step further.
The other ASC coaches would be surprised if UTD does anything but that. In the preseason poll, the Comets were picked to finish second only to Mississippi College (the team they shared the title with last season.) Better yet, this season, the field has been increased to include the top four teams in each division in the ASC post-season championship tournament. So, expectations are high.

“This team is a very together group,” Butterfield says. “After the adversity we experienced last year (losing an early conference lead, then a key player down the stretch), these guys bonded together at the end and accomplished alot. I think that was a defining moment for us because this group has some of the best team chemistry of any team I’ve had.”

The 2004-05 Comets definitely know each other well enough to have some kind of chemistry. Eleven players are back that were on the squad last year, and only senior guard Brian Burton is gone from the starting lineup. “We started to create an identity for ourselves last year,” Butterfield continues. “My hope is that we can continue to improve on that.”

Chief among the returners is senior shooting guard Jason Malone. Malone, who was the ASC East Newcomer of the Year last season, ended up as UTD’s leading scorer, averaging 15.3 points per game. “He leads the team just by his play because he does so many things well,” the coach explains.

Also back is fourth-year player, post Eric Chatham (9.0 ppg, 5.0 rb), “the emotional center of this team. He’s always tough and competitive.” Forward/post Adam Bush (7.3 ppg, 2.9 rb) bounced back from a knee injury last year and was a key player in several late-season games. “He’s a talented kid who could be a critical factor in our success,” according to Butterfield. Talented sophomores James Venters (7.3 ppg, 4.4 rb) and Tyrone Hurt are among a group of inside players Butterfield believes will be a strength for this team.

“We’re not real big, but we’ve got a very athletic group inside,” he explains. “In fact, I think the overall athleticism on this team will be a strength. We should be able to get up and down the floor, run a little bit and defend the ball well. I think we have the depth this year at a number of positions to play a high-energy game.”

That depth not only includes the 11 returning members from last year, but some promising additions. Transfers Kersh Milson (6-5, F, Cedar Valley College), Mike McKee (6-2, G, Seward College) and Don Staten (5-9, PG, Richland College) are among the, “really athletic kids we’ve added who could give us a boost.”

The one area of concern for Butterfield is replacing Burton at the critical point guard spot. “This is an area that needs to take shape quickly for us to be successful,” says Butterfield, who is looking at returner Travis Carruthers, freshman Jeremy Lewis and transfer Don Staten in that spot. “If someone doesn’t step forward or goes down, we may have to get creative.”

Butterfield says there is no question his 2004-05 squad is capable of taking the next step. “This team has experience, depth and some of the best leadership we’ve had since I’ve been here,” he says. “We’ve got aspirations to get back to the tournament and do well there. If everyone contributes, I think we can do that.” One factor working in the Comets’ favor (along with every other member of the American Southwest Conference) is that, for the first time, the ASC will take the top four teams from each division to an eight-team championship tournament this year. “That means it’s easier to get in, but harder to win,” the UTD coach says. “It creates more opportunity, but now you’ll have to go to the tournament and win three tough games in three days to win a championship. That opens the door for someone.”

The other change for 2004-05 is that ASC teams all 15 games league members play against ASC opponents during the season and will count on the conference standings, regardless of division. Because of this, UTD gets its first taste of conference action early.

After opening at the two-day Bob Mason Classic tournament at Austin College Nov. 19-20, the Comets will open ASC play on the road Nov. 27 and 29 in Abilene against ASC West members Hardin-Simmons and McMurry Universities.

UTD’s home opener is set for Wednesday, Dec. 8, against the University of Dallas in a 7:30 pm game in the Activity Center.


>>2004-05 ASC PRE-SEASON POLL
Men's Basketball Team Picked To Finish Second In ASC East Poll
UTD Gets Six First-Place Votes

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas men's basketball team, coming off their winningest season and a co-championship in the American Southwest Conference East Division, has been picked to finished second in the ASC East Pre-Season Poll.

ASC East coaches, sports information directors and media representatives from the eight East Division schools voted in the poll. Mississippi College (19-8, 10-4 last season), which tied UTD (15-11, 10-4 in 2003-04) for the East championship last year, was picked first in the poll by just 14 points (145-131) and received 11 first-place votes. UTD received six first-place votes followed by East Texas Baptist with two.

ETBU junior guard Cedric Isom, who led the East Division in scoring last year, was chosen as the Pre-Season Player of the Year.

Other East Division schools, ranked in the order of the votes, were (4) University of the Ozarks; (5) Louisiana College; (6) University of Texas at Tyler; (7) Austin College; and (8) LeTourneau.

In the ASC West Division, Texas Lutheran and Sul Ross State ended in a dead heat for the top pick ahead of (in order) Mary Hardin-Baylor, McMurry, Howard Payne, Hardin-Simmons, Concordia-Austin and Schreiner.

The women's Pre-Season Poll will be released on Wednesday.