University of Texas at Dallas Athletics

>>03.01.04
Comets frustrated by number
of close losses in 2003-04
UTD comes close to much better record

The 2003-04 University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team may have finished the season with a disappointing 7-17 record; but its the “what might have been” that has the Comets encouraged when looking to the future, according to UTD Coach Rachelle Leonard.

In eight of those losses, UTD came with 10 points or less; and put a scare in some of the American Southwest Conference's elite along the way. UTD was in a game against eventual champion Hardin-Simmons until late in the contest, before falling 90-74. The Comets then led East Division champion Mississippi College until late before falling, 68-60 in overtime.

The Comets' best stretch of the season came midway through the divisional race when UTD picked up four wins in six games, including victories over LeTourneau (84-73), third-place finisher Louisiana College (76-62) and two over East Texas Baptist (62-56 and 56-44).

Newcomer Crystal Pope led the team in scoring and rebounding. Her 16.5-point per game average was 5th in the conference, while her 7.7 rebound average ranked 10th. Sophomore Jennifer Longoria also became a force, averaging 12.9 ppg and 4.36 assists. She also improved on her three-point shooting, hitting 36% of her attempts. Sophomore Kia Jones came up big in big games along with sophomore center Cassi Little. Freshmen Jenna Harris and Rozell Deneen Jones were forces inside with both rebounding and defensive ability.


>>02.19.05
Comets End Season With Loss
Louisiana College 66, UT-Dallas 50

PINEVILLE, LA - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team saw it's frustrating season come to a close with its 18th loss of the year Saturday afternoon, falling to Louisiana College, 66-50.

Jennifer Longoria (right) was the only Comet to finish in double figures as UTD (7-18, 6-16) had to finish the year without the services of injured leading scorer, Crystal Pope. Longoria finished with 11 points and had 8 rebounds. Sophomores Gigi Graugnard and Jenna Harris both had eight points while Harris led the rebounding battle with seven.

Louisiana took control of the game early, building an 11-point, 33-22 halftime lead; then outscored the Comets, 33-28, in the second period. UTD shot just 26.3% for the game and hit just 5-of-22 from beyond the three-point line.

Louisiana College finished its regular season at 15-10, 14-8, and earned a spot in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament.


>>02.17.05
Comets Fall Again To Mississippi College
Mississippi College 62, UT-Dallas 42

CLINTON, MS - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team was outgunned in both halves Thursday night, falling 62-42 to Mississippi College.

Jennifer Longoria topped the UTD scorers with 13 points while Casey Spence added 10 in the losing effort as UTD fell to 7-17, 6-15 on the season. The rest of the lineup only contributed a combined 19 points.

It was the third straight loss and third smallest offensive output of the season for the Comets, who fell to 7-17, 6-15 in ASC with the loss. MC improved to 17-7, 14-7 with the win.

After hanging close early, Cassi Little gave the Comets their only lead of the game (12-10) with a basket at the 11:35 mark of the first half. But the Lady Choctaws answered with a 19-10 run to end the half and were up 31-20 at intermission. In the second half, UTD was outscored, 31-22, to reach the final margin.

For the game, the Comets shot just 32.6% (14-43) and hit 5-of-15 three-point attempts, including three from Longoria. Jenna Harris topped the rebounders with five boards. The Comets played without leading scorer Crystal Pope, who was injured during pre-game warmups.

UTD finished up its season on Saturday at Louisiana College.


>>02.12.05
Comets Drop Another Matchup With Austin College, 78-62

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team came up on the short end of another matchup with ASC East foe Austin College Saturday afternoon, falling 78-62 in the home finale for 2005.

UTD (7-15, 6-13), which had already been eliminated from any post-season consideration with a loss to Ozarks on Thursday, got 22 points from Crystal Pope (right) and double-figure scoring from Cassi Little and Casey Spence - but not much else in the loss.

Austin College (15-6, 13-6) caught up to the Comets ,who led early, and built a 42-36 halftime lead; then opened the second half with a 10-2 run to go up 52-38 with 15:05 left. UTD did hang even the rest of the way, but could not cut into the deficit.

The Comets end their 2005 season on the road next week at Mississippi and Louisiana Colleges.


>>02.10.05
Ozarks Snaps Streak, Ends UTD's Post-Season Dream
Ozarks 70, UT-Dallas 64

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of the Ozarks snapped a 13-game losing streak Thursday night, and ended the University of Texas at Dallas' slim post-season hopes in the process, knocking off the Comets, 70-62, at the UTD Activity Center.

The loss by UTD (7-15, 6-13) coupled with a pair of wins by East Texas Baptist during the week, mathematically eliminated the Comets from any chance of securing one of the four American Southwest Conference East Division playoff spots. The win was just Ozarks' third of the season.

The Comets simply fell behind Ozarks early in the game, and could not catch up because of a 32.9% shooting night, including a 5-of-23 performance from beyond the three-point line. UTD trailed at halftime, 36-31, and did not make any significant dents in the lead during the second half.

Jennifer Longoria led UTD with 14 points while Crystal Pope and Jana Harris put in 10 points apiece. Casey Spence finished with 14 rebounds. 


>>02.05.05
Comets Jump Out Big On LeTourneau
UT-Dallas 70, LeTourneau 61

LONGVIEW, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team kept their slim post-season dreams alive Saturday afternoon by holding off LeTourneau, 70-61, in an American Southwest Conference East Division game.

Kia Jones was one of three Comets (along with Jennifer Longoria and Crystal Pope) who all finished with 13 points in a balanced scoring attack. The interior trio of Cassi Little, Casey Spence and Jenna Harris were close behind, combining for 25 points and 27 rebounds.

With the win, UTD (7-14 overall) improves to 6-12 in the ASC and continues to nip at the heels of East Texas Baptist (7-10 in conference), which lost its Saturday game at UT-Tyler and still has five ASC games to play. The Comets, who are down to their last four games, must figure out a way to win at least two of their upcoming games - three of which are against teams that defeated them the first time around.

The Comets jumped out to a very quick start Saturday against LeTourneau (2-18, 2-15), running off to a 28-7 lead with 9:07 remaining in the half. But the LadyJackets woke up and went on a 19-12 run to cut the deficit at the half to just 40-26.

After Jones hit a pair of free throws to make it 50-28 with 15:10 to go in the game, LETU continued their comeback. UTD had a 63-46 lead with 5:25 remaining, were relegated to scoring their final seven points at the free-throw line while LETU put up 15 in the final 5 minutes.

UTD hosts the University of the Ozarks and Austin College this next weekend, then meets ASC East leaders Mississippi College and Louisiana College on the road to complete their regular season schedule. Because ETBU holds a slight tie-breaker edge on the Comets, they simply must end the year with a better record than the Lady Tigers to claim the ASC East's final post-season spot.


>>02.03.05
Comets Let Much-Needed Opportunity To Climb Back In Race Slip Away
East Texas Baptist 47, UT-Dallas 44

MARSHALL, TX - In a game the University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team dearly needed in their efforts to overtake East Texas Baptist for the final American Southwest Conference East Division playoff spot, the Comets failed to convert on their opportunities, falling to ETBU 47-44 Thursday night.

The Comets hit just 34 percent of their shots and were a disappointing 2-of-21 from beyond the three-point line as UTD couldn't come up with a basket of any kind in the final 3:28 of the three-point loss. The loss dropped the Comets (6-14, 5-12) a full 2-1/2 games behind the Lady Lions (7-12, 7-9). UTD has just five remaining games on the ASC East schedule and must win at least three more games than ETBU in the final stretch to finish ahead of them. The Lady Lions have six remaining games and need just three more wins to clinch.

Casey Spence had another nice night for the Comets, finishing with a team-high 18 points, but she was held to just two rebounds. Teammate Cassi Little had nine points and 11 boards; but team scoring leaders Jennifer Longoria and Crystal Pope were a combined 2-of-16 in the three-point shooting category and finished the game with a combined six points.

UTD got its first lead of the game (22-21) with 2:46 to go before halftime on a Spence basket, and was up 25-21 at intermission. But ETBU came out hot and scored the first nine points of the second period to build a 30-25 lead. The Comets, who were shooting as poorly as their ETBU counterparts, eventually took the lead three more times - 40-39 (7:37) on a Jenna Harris jumper, 42-41 on a Kia Jones shot and then Spence's final bucket to make it 44-43 with 3:28 left. In the game's final three minutes, UTD missed five shots, all 3-pointers.


>>01.29.05
Comets Win Second Straight For First Time This Season in Rout of LeTourneau
UT-Dallas 68, LeTourneau 29

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team won back-to-back games for the first time this season, and did it in convincing fashion in a 68-29 rout of LeTourneau.

Casey Spence led the Comets with a double-double performance of 12 points and 14 rebounds while 12 different Comets found their way into the scoring column.

UTD kept its slim playoff hopes alive by improving to 6-13, 5-11 - just 1-1/2 games behind fourth-place East Texas Baptist, which lost 64-54 to UT-Tyler on Saturday. The Comets have a chance to catch the Lady Tigers with rematches against both ETBU and LeTourneau next week.

LeTourneau fell to 2-16, 2-13.

The Comets ran off and left the LadyJackets midway through the first half Saturday afternoon. After a sluggish start, UTD tied the score at 5-5 at the 17:23 mark, then used a 7-0 run to make it 12-5 (12:22), another 10-0 run to make it 22-8 (8:17), and then a 9-0 run to open the second half and extend their margin to 26 points (44-14 with 15:20) in the first five minutes of the second half.

UTD held LeTourneau to 14.1% shooting in the game (11-of-78) and dominated the boards, winning the rebound battle, 74-50 - a UTD school record for most rebounds in a game. The LadyJackets shot a dismal 4-of-40 (9.1%) from beyond the three-point arch.

In addition to Spence, Jennifer Longoria finished with 12 points and six rebounds. Cassi Little added 8 points and 6 rebounds before Coach Rachelle Leonard emptied her bench, providing at least 7 minutes playing time for every active member on the roster.


>>01.27.05
Consistent Comets Fight Back To Claim Important Win Over Lady Tigers
UT-Dallas 79, East Texas Baptist 78

RICHARDSON, TX – Ashley Hartman hit five clutch free throws in the final minute as the University of Texas at Dallas Comets held off a late charge from East Texas Baptist to claim a 79-78 victory. The win snapped a four-game losing streak and kept at least a glimmer of post-season hope alive for the Comets (5-13, 4-11).

After UTD had built as much as an 11-point lead on the Lady Tigers (6-11, 6-8) in the second half, ETBU had trimmed the Comet lead down to a single point (73-72) with 1:26 remaining in the game. The Comets did not come up with another basket from the field, but Hartmen hit three straight free throws to make it 76-72 with :17 seconds left. Then, teammate Jennifer Longoria made it a two-possession lead (79-75) with a free throw with just 2 seconds left. Until that point, UTD had missed seven of 17 free throws.

ETBU hit a three pointer at the buzzer to cut the final margin to just one.

The Comets built an eight-point lead (15-7) early in the game, then increased their advantage to 27-17 with 8:59 to go in the half. But the Tigers clawed their way back in the game with a 12-1 run to go up 29-28 at 4:06 and had a 40-35 halftime lead.

UTD battled back to get within one (47-48) on a Crystal Pope free throw with 14:34 to go, then Pope nailed a three-point shot on her next trip down the floor to give UTD a lead it would not give up. UTD used a 12-2 run to make it 58-50 with 11:21 to go; and then the Lady Tigers began scratching their way back. UTD still had an 11-point advantage (70-59) on another Pope basket with 5:05 remaining, but ETBU ran off 11 unanswered points to tie the score at 70-70 with 2:38 remaining.

Pope again topped all UTD scorers with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Ashley Hartman and Cassi Little added 15 points each. In the second half, UTD shot a phenominal 51.7% to finish at 45.2% for the game and hit 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch. ETBU got 30 points off a 10-of-19 three-point shooting night.

UTD plays another home game Saturday when the Comets host LeTourneau at 1 pm.


>>01.24.05
Patriot Women Don't Let Comets
Hang Around Long in Runaway Win
UT-Tyler 76, UT-Dallas 58

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas Comets never gave themselves much of a chance Monday night, falling behind early and then never making up much ground in a 76-58 loss to UT-Tyler.

After trailing early, UTD (4-13, 3-11) cut the Patriot lead to just a point (15-14 with 10:34 to go in the first half. But four minutes later, the Patriots (8-8, 8-6) had put together a 13-1 run and were up by 13 (28-15) with 6:19 remaining before the half. The Comets simply were never able to cut much into that margin the rest of the game.

Down 16 at the half (38-22), UT-Tyler stretched its lead to a 19-point advantage at 41-22 before UTD could get a second-half basket. The closest the Comets could get the rest of the way was 10 points twice - 39-49 (11:22) and 41-51 (10:03), but UT-Tyler finished the half on a 25-17 run to ice the victory.

Jennifer Longoria added 16 points to her totals to pace the Comets. She has scored 55 points in the last three games. Crystal Pope picked up 13 as the only other double-figure scorer.

The Comets were particularly overmatched on the boards, where UT-Tyler had a 54-34 rebounding advantage.


>>01.22.05
UTD Lead, Late Rally Both Come Up Short Against Louisiana College, 61-56

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas Comets let a lead evaporate in the game's final five minutes Saturday and then came up short on an attempted rally, allowing Louisiana College to escape with a 61-56 victory.

The loss failed to cash in on a 19-point performance from Jennifer Longoria (right), along with a nice 11-point effort from Casey Spence off the bench. It also dropped UTD to 4-12, 3-10 while LC improved to 10-7, 9-5; and stayed in the race for the ASC East top spot in the standings.

After leading early, UTD gave up a 10-4 Lady Wildcat run in the first half that put LC up 23-17 with 3:06 to go before intermission. But the Comets ended the half on a 5-2 run and trailed by just three, (25-22). The Lady Wildcats then opened the second period with an 8-2 run to go up 33-26 (15:59) before the Comets capped off a 14-7 charge by tying the score at 40-40 with 8:00 remaining on a Longoria 3-point shot.

Spence gave the Comets their first second half lead (42-40) with a pair of free throws, and Longoria put UTD up 47-45 with 5:34 to go. But LC tied the score back at 47-47 quickly and then went on a 9-0 run where the Lady Wildcats did not miss a shot over the next two minutes to go up 54-47.

Longoria then pulled the Comets back to within one (54-53) with :49 seconds remaining with a pair of three-pointers (she was 6-of-12 from beyond the line for the game). But LC hit five of six free throws down the stretch to claim the win.


>>01.20.05
Late Cold Spell Dooms
Comets' Bid For Upset
Mississippi College 61, UT-Dallas 53

RICHARDSON, TX – For 37 minutes Thursday night, the University of Texas women's basketball team had the American Southwest Conference East Division leading Mississippi College Lady Choctaws sweating bullets. But MC put together a 7-0 run with a minute left in the game to break open a tie and put a 61-53 victory on ice.

Jennifer Longoria, who led the Comets (4-11, 3-9) with 20 points, tied the score at 51-51 with 3:04 remaining. But the Lady Choctaws (11-5, 8-5) broke free against the UTD press in the next two minutes for a pair of twos and a three-pointer to go up 58-51 with just over a minute remaining and the upset bid was over. Longoria's bucket was UTD's last from the field until the game's final seconds.

Neither team looked like it wanted to take control in the game's first 20 minutes. At halftime, the score was tied at a meager 19-19. UTD tied the score at 8-8 with 14:48 to go on a Kia Jones' jumper, then Jen Harris gave the Comets a short-lived lead at 17-15 with 7:35 to go before halftime. That would be UTD's last field goal of the half. The Lady Choctaws didn't do much better. They retook the lead at 19-17 with 4:41 to go, then didn't score for the rest of the half. At intermission, the two teams were a combined 17-of-59 from the field.

But both teams came out smoking in the second half, and MC had a 44-37 lead with 11:31 remaining. The Comets then staged a rally, tying the score at 48-48 on a Crystal Pope three-pointer (3:50) before Longoria gave the game its' last tie (51-51) with 3:04 to go. In the final three minutes, MC outscored UTD 10-2, to claim the win. The Lady Choctaws hit 65.4% from the floor in the second half and outscored UTD, 24-9, off 20 UTD turnovers.


>>01.15.05
Sluggish Start Leaves Comets Too
Far Behind To Catch Lady 'Roos
Austin College 58, UT-Dallas 44

SHERMAN, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team missed a chance to put back-to-back wins together Saturday afternoon, getting off to too slow of a start against ASC East favorite Austin College in a 58-44 loss.

The Comets (4-10, 3-8) hit just four first-half field goals to shoot just 18.2% and score just 15 points in the first 20 minutes of the game. AC (9-4, 7-4), which didn't shoot a whole lot better, nevertheless took advantage and led 28-15 at the half.

UTD, which was paced by Jennifer Longoria's 13 points and seven rebounds, never led in the game. Ashley Soto did get the Comets to within a pair at 10-12 with 11:52 to go in the first half, but the Lady 'Roos took advantage of a seven-minute long UTD scoring drought and built a commanding halftime advantage. In the later portions of the second half, UTD never could get closer than 10 points l (43-33 on a Cassi Little layup at 6:38)

While Crystal Pope and Cassi Little each finished the game with nine points, no one joined Longoria in double figures. Pope did pull down 10 boards.

UTD will now play its next five games at home, beginning Thursday evening.


>>01.13.05
Comet Women Take Advantage of
Fast Start In Holding Off Ozarks
UT-Dallas 80, Univ. of the Ozarks 73

CLARKSVILLE, AR – The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team jumped out to a big early lead, and held on to claim an important American Southwest Conference victory over the University of the Ozarks, 80-73.

The Comets, who improved to 4-9 and 3-7 in conference, ran out to a 23-7 lead in the game's first eight minutes, allowing them to hold off a 28-12 run that got Ozarks (2-11, 2-8) with three at the half, 38-35. But that was as close as UTD would let things get.

The Comets opened the second period with a 16-2 run to go up 54-37 on a pair of Kia Jones free throws. They stretched the lead to as much as 21 points (73-52 on a Cassi Little layup with 6:50 remaining) before emptying the bench. The Lady Eagles made things interesting in the final moments, outscoring the UTD reserves 21-7 to finish at the final seven-point margin.

Crystal Pope led the team again with a 20-point, 9-rebound performance. Jennifer Longoria added 14 points and Jones had 11. UTD put together one of its best nights offensively, hitting 46.4 percent (13-28) from the floor in the first half. For the night, the Comets were 7-of-11 from behind the three-point line and hit 23 of 30 free throws. The two teams combined for 50 fouls and shot 64 free throws


>>01.08.05
Comets Let Close Game Come Unraveled Against ASC West Leading HPU
Howard Payne 79, UT-Dallas 48.

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas women's baksetball team gave up a 49-24 second half Saturday afternoon to turn a close game with 11-1 Howard Payne into a 79-48 rout.

The Comets (3-8, 2-6) had played the American Southwest Conference West Division-leading LadyJackets fairly close throughout the first half and were down by just five points (30-25) at the 18:32 mark. But HPU caught fire and left the Comets behind, racing away to the one-sided win.

Ashley Soto (right) had her first double-figure game off the bench, scoring 12 points and pulling down seven rebounds to trail only team-leader Crystal Pope, who finished with 19 points and 6 boards. Kia Jones had 8 rebounds for the Comets.

In the first half, UTD overcame an 0-8 start to when Kailey Sladek scored the team's first points at the 15:25 mark. Five minutes later, Crystal Pope hit her first basket of the night to pull UTD to within six at 10:34. Although the Comets trailed 30-17 with 2:01 to go in the first half, UTD got the next seven points and trailed by just six (24-30) at the half.

The Comets face an important ASC game Monday night on the road at UT-Tyler.


>>01.06.05
Comets Use Early Lead To Hold Off SRSU
UT-Dallas 67, Sul Ross State 49

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team won its second American Southwest Conference of the season Thursday, holding off Sul Ross State, 67-49.

Junior post Cassi Little had her best game of the season as she was one of three Comets to finish in double figures; and two to finish with a double-double. Little scored 14 points and had 12 rebounds as the Comets improved to 3-7, 2-5. SRSU fell to 2-8, 1-6 for the season.

To get the victory, UTD had to hold off a mad rush from Sul Ross, which pressed throughout the second half. UTD turned the ball over 26 times and show just 32 percent against the pressure; but the Comets took advantage of a fast start that put them up, 33-18 at halftime.

UTD held SRSU to just 22% shooting in the first half (27.1% for the game) and buried six three-pointers (including three from Ashley Hartman) before intermission to build its 15-point lead. They then got three quick baskets to open the second half and led 37-20 with 19:00 remaining.

Crytal Pope, who finished with a team-high 19 points and had 11 boards, sank a three-pointer with 17:34 remaining to give the Comets their biggest lead of the game (40-22). The Lady Lobos, however, went on a 9-1 run over the next three minutes and cut the lead to 41-31 with 14:16 still left. But the Comets got just enough scoring to keep their distance, and then outscored SRSU 13-4 in the game's final 5:47.

UTD out-rebounded the Lady Loboes 55-47, forced 24 turnovers and blocked four shots. Ashley Soto was the other double-figure scorer with 10 points and seven rebounds


>>01.04.05
Pope Named ASC Player of Week

RICHARDSON, TX – UTD forward Crystal Pope has been named the American Southwest Conference women's basketball Player of the Week for the first week of January 2005.

Pope, a senior from Cerrillos, NM, scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the Comets' 68-56 loss to Hendrix College Monday, including 13 points in the second half to keep UTD close. She also had three steals in the game.


>>01.03.05
Comets Hang Tough, But Fall To
Tough Hendrix College Team
Hendrix College 68, UT-Dallas 56

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team knew they'd have their hands full Monday night against a Hendrix College team that was coming off a narrow holiday tournament loss (68-62) to Bowdoin College, the nation's top-ranked team.

But the Comets held their own for three-quarters of the contest, before falling by just 12 points, 68-56, in a non-conference game.

Crystal Pope poured in 20 points, including 13 in the second half, as UTD fought galliantly to erase a deficit that saw them fall way behind early. Although they were outscored by six points in each half, the Comets did all they could to keep the game close.

In the early going, it was the Comets (2-7) who took command, racing out to a 13-7 lead in the game's first six minutes. But a scoring drought and a suddenly hot-shooting Hendrix team went on a 25-5 run over the next 11 minutes and put the Warriors (8-4) out front 32-18 with 3:33 remaining in the half. That's when the Comets turned on the pressure, putting together a nice 11-3 run to finish the half down just 32-29.

After intermission, though, Hendrix went on another run, outscoring the Comets 16-8 to open the period and go up 51-37. The rest of the way, however, UTD played Hendrix even and finished with a 19-17 advantage to reach the final score.

Neither team shot particularly well (a combined 42-139 from the field), but that could be attributed to physical defense inside where 36 fouls were committed. Hendrix out-rebounded the Comets, 60-49, and blocked a remarkable 11 shots - including eight by center Erin McKenzie. Both teams were victimized by the pressure in the second half, committing 26 turnovers.

Pope was the only Comet to end up in double-figure scoring, but Kia Jones had nine points to go with six rebounds. Chevy Whitener hustled for eight rebounds off the bench. Hendrix had three players finish in double figures.

UTD returns to ASC action this weekend with a Thursday game against Sul Ross State, and a Saturday meeting with Howard Payne. Both games are at home.


>>12.19.04
Comets Put Together Best Game of Season In Routing Schreiner, 80-58
Loss Is Lady Mountaineers' 68th Straight

RICHARDSON, TX – The UT-Dallas women's basketball team made sure they didn't make history Sunday afternoon by putting together their best overall game of the season in claiming an 80-58 American Southwest Conference victory over Schreiner University.

The win was the first conference victory for the Comets (2-6, 1-5) while Schreiner's (0-9, 0-7) women's basketball losing streak reached its 68th consecutive game, dating back three seasons.

Kia Jones (right) lit a fire under the Comet offense, which had been struggling badly in dropping five straight games. Jones hit a season-high 22 points, was 9-of-15 from the floor and pulled down six rebounds.

The Comets also got a spark from reserve guard Ashley Hartman, who got a start and responded with 15 points. Jennifer Longoria added 11 as the guard-based defense forced 31 Schreiner turnovers and held the Lady Mountaineers to just 21-of-63 shooting (33.3%) from the field. In addition, the Comets were a near perfect 14-of-17 from the free-throw line. Cassi Little and Crystal Pope combined for 11 rebounds.


>>12.18.04
Comets Fall To 0-5 In ASC Play
With Close Loss To Texas Lutheran
Texas Lutheran 66, UT-Dallas 51

RICHARDSON, TX – The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team fell behind early and could not catch up in a 66-51 loss to Texas Lutheran University Saturday afternoon.

The loss kept the Comets winless in American Southwest Conference play, and dropped their overall record to 1-6 on the season. It was also UTD's first home loss of the season. TLU improved to 4-4, 4-3 in conference.

Jennifer Longoria hit some key shots, leading the team with 19 points; but the Comets could rally from behind after TLU took control midway through the first half. The game was tied at 12-12 nine minutes into the contest, but the Lady Bulldogs went on a 10-0 run over the next few minutes to make it 22-12 and did not look back.

After trailing by 14 at the half (39-25), UTD could not catch up, though they cut the lead down to 10 a couple of times in the second period. But UTD was victimized by a 29.6 percent shooting day (16-of-54) and 24 turnovers. The Comets got 27 chances at the foul line, but hit just 16 of the free throws. UTD hit just 1-of-8 three-point attempts after halftime.

Other than Longoria, no other UTD player finished in double-figure scoring. Ashley Soto and Cassi Little led the team with a combined 19 rebounds.


>>12.11.04
Concordia Continues Surprising Run Through ASC With Win Over Comets
Concordia-Austin 92, UT-Dallas 64

AUSTIN, TX – The UT-Dallas women's basketball team became the latest American Southwest Conference team to fall victim to the hot-starting Concordia-Austin women (5-1, 5-1) , falling 92-64 Saturday.

The Comets fell to 1-4, 0-4 in conference after letting a close game get away after a good start. Only Crystal Pope ended the afternoon in double figures, scoring 13 to lead UTD.

Shooting a remarkable 52% in the first half, UTD actually jumped out to an early lead and held serve for the first five minutes of the game. After Concordia tied the score at 8-8, the Comets were able to keep the game close and tie the score four more times and actually held an 18-16 lead with 7:55 to go before halftime. The score was tied one more time (27-27 at 3:11), but the Tornados went on an 11-5 run to lead 38-32 at halftime.

Concordia made things worse for the Comets right out of the chute in the second half, putting together an 18-9 run to go up 56-41 in the first eight minutes. With 8:46 remaining, UTD was able to cut the lead to 12 points (61-49) on a Jennifer Longoria 3-pointer, but Concordia stretched its advantage by outscoring the Comets, 28-15, in the remainder of the game.

UTD was outrebounded, 44-31, and lost 24 turnovers. Cassi Little added nine points for the Comets while Concordia had two players account for 51 of the team's points.


>>11.29.04
Comets Let McMurry Run Away After Early Lead
McMurry 91, UT-Dallas 49

ABILENE, TX – Three minutes into the UTD Comets' Monday game with McMurry, the Comets actually had a 10-4 lead and looked to be matching the Lady Indians on both ends of the floor. But McMurry (3-1, 2-0) went on a 21-4 run over the next 15 minutes and never looked back in taking a 91-49 win over UTD.

The Comets got 12 points out of Jennifer Longoria (right), but they all came in the first few minutes of the game as McMurry built up a 47-23 halftime advantage. UTD used some stronger defense after halftime, but could not crack the margin. The Lady Indians then started forcing turnovers and hitting everything they threw up to run away and leave UTD (1-3, 0-2) behind.

McMurry shot 48.6 percent from the floor and connected on 9-of-19 three pointers while UTD hit just 31.5 percent and turned the ball over 25 times.

Casey Spence came on late to finish in double figures with 10 points and had seven rebounds and a couple of blocked shots.


>>11.27.04
HSU Defensive Pressure Too Much For UTD In ASC Opener
Hardin-Simmons 84, UT-Dallas 36

ABILENE, TX – The nationally-ranked Hardin-Simmons Cowgirls used relentless pressure and a deep bench to force the UT-Dallas Comets into one of their poorest offensive showings of the young season, pouring it on in an 84-36 win in the American Southwest Conference opener for both teams.

The Comets (1-2, 0-1) were held to just .220 (11-of-50) shooting from the field and forced into 37 turnovers in a game that was close for just the first eight minutes. After cutting into the No. 4 Cowgirls' lead to pull within 13-10 at the 12:00 mark, HSU (2-0, 1-0) ran off a 10-2 run, then a 17-2 spurt to take a 40-17 halftime lead.

Things didn't get any better in the second period. HSU put together a 15-7 run to start the period and built their lead to 55-24. Until that point, the Comets had been respectable on defense, holding HSU below 30 percent shooting. But HSU's outside shooters got hot, hitting the bulk of eight three-pointers and turned the game into a rout.

The 36 points equalled the point total UTD managed last weekend against Division I UT-El Paso (75-36 loss) as no single player ended with more than six points. The Comets did pull down 43 rebounds, but managed only 12 on the offensive end. 


>>11.22.04
Comets Hold Off Rust College To Win Home Opener, 78-67

RICHARDSON, TX – Senior Crystal Pope poured in 29 points and the UTD women pulled down 60 rebounds to hold off Rust College, 78-67, in their home opener of 2004-05.

Pope hit four three-pointers and was 7-of-10 from the free-throw line while playing all but one minute of the game. Newcomer Casey Spence finished with double figures in scoring in rebounding with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

It didn't come without a struggle, however. The Comets (1-1) jumped out to an early lead and were up by 10 at the half (33-23). UTD then opened the second period with a 19-5 run to go up by 24 (52-28) with 13:48 remaining. But the Lady Bearcats (0-2) started clawing their way back in the game, as UTD went cold. Utilizing a 24-10 run, Rust cut the lead down to 10 (62-52) with 6:38 remaining; and then pulled to within three (69-66) with 2:08 left on the clock. But Pope hit a big three-pointer to provide some cushion and the Comets scored six more points in the final minute of the game to take the win.

The Comets shot a respectable 38.1% from behind the three-point arch (8-for-21) with Jennifer Longoria also connecting on four to finish with 12 points. Jenna Harris contributed 13 rebounds underneath.

UTD opens American Southwest Conference play on the road this weekend with a Saturday game against defending conference champion Hardin-Simmons, followed by a Monday night game at McMurry in Abilene.


>>11.20.04
Comets Can't Keep Up With Division I Competition In Season-Opening Loss
UT-El Paso 75, UT-Dallas 36

EL PASO, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team knew they might be in for a humbling experience when they opened their 2004-05 season on the road at NCAA Division I UT-El Paso. Unfortunately, they were correct as the Lady Miners ran off and left the Comets behind in a 75-36 defeat.

Crystal Pope scored 17 points for UTD in the loss, but no other member of the squad was able to get on the board for more than five points. The Comets were held to a 19.6 field goal shooting percentage for the game, and forced into making 27 turnovers against the bigger and more talented UTEP squad.

UTD scored just 10 points from the field in each half, and did not score a field goal the final 8:19 of the game.

The Comets are hoping the experience against Division I competition will prepare them for the opening of their Division III American Southwest Conference schedule, which gets underway next Saturday against defending champion Hardin-Simmons on the road in Abilene. This season, all games against ASC foes, regardless of division, count on the Comets' East Division record.

UTD opens its home schedule Monday night at the UTD Activity Center with a non-conference game against Rust College of Mississippi. Tipoff is set for 5:30 pm.


>>11.15.04
2004-05 UTD Women's Basketball Outlook
Comets Figure They Can Earn Respect

RICHARDSON, TX – The dark humor circulating around the prospects for the 2004-05 University of Texas at Dallas women’s basketball team is built around the old “good news/bad news” theme. The “good news” is that the Comets have all five returning starters back for the upcoming season. The “bad news,” according to the skeptics, is...“the Comets have all five returning starters back...” from a team that didn’t have much success in 2003-04.

Such disrespect is not entirely unexpected for a team that finished just 7-17 last year. But the 2004-05 team members aren’t concerned. The five returning starters and five other squad members who are back know that the rest of the American Southwest Conference isn’t expecting much from them this season. (UTD was picked to finish 6th out of eight ASC East teams in the preseason poll.)

But these players also remember just how close last year’s team came to pulling off some big wins in games that eventually slipped away. And, they know just how much the 2004-05 team has been improved with a number of quality recruits and newcomers for the upcoming season.

“We’re not concerned about what other people think,” explains Coach Rachelle Leonard, whose team lost eight games last season by 10 or fewer points, including four by 4 points or less. “We know how we compared last year to the other teams in the conference; and we know how it feels to lose games we thought we should have won. Now, we’re looking start winning those.”

The Comets are counting on two things to help push them over the top. First, there’s the experience factor within that aforementioned group of returning players (including an entire starting lineup); and secondly, the key addition of several quality players who might just step in and move some of those returning team members to a supporting role.

UTD senior forward Crystal Pope, who led the team in scoring (14.2 ppg) and rebounding (7.6) last season, was selected by ASC coaches as the East Division Pre-Season Player of the Year. “And, with the depth we have this year, I don’t think we’ll always have to count on her to be our main weapon,” Leonard says.

Guard Jennifer Longoria (10.9 ppg, 76 assists) has been working hard on her skills in the off-season and, “is playing with a lot of confidence,” Leonard says. Third-year post player Cassi Little (8.6 ppg/5.3 rb), who has worked hard on conditioning, “is playing better than she ever has.” And, junior guard Kia Jones (9.9 ppg), “has that aggressiveness that she has always had. She wants to attack the basket.”

But this group will be sharing the court with a group of newcomers who are looking to get plenty of time on the floor. Chief among them is transfer Casey Spence, a 6-2 post from San Angelo Central HS who played last season at McLennan College in Waco. “Casey has good skills and gives us a lot of options inside. I think, with Casey, Cassi and our other inside players, we will get a lot more possessions; and a chance to score from down low.” Ashley Soto, a 5-10 freshman forward/post from Angleton is another inside player who has an excellent shooting touch.

Outside, Leonard is expecting improvement in her guard play, as well. Longoria will get some help bringing the ball down court from returner Ashley Hartman as well as Chevy Whitener, a transfer from Fontbonne University in Missouri. Another promising addition is Micah Brassfield, a guard from Ropesville HS near Lubbock who worked out last year with several members of the Texas Tech basketball team while taking classes on the Lubbock campus. “Micah is very quick and a multidimensional player. She is probably one of our best defenders,” Leonard says.

One other fact that Leonard knows she will have to deal with early in the 2004-05 season is team confidence. Regardless of how improved the Comets might be, they’ll be tested early against a tough opening schedule.

UTD begins the season on the road against Division I UT-El Paso, then opens conference play just a week later against the ASC defending champs, Hardin-Simmons University, and ASC West power McMurry. “I’m depending on these kids to take positives out of these early games regardless of what the score is,” Leonard says. “We’ll know right off how we compare to the better teams; but we will have to realize that there’s a lot of basketball to be played and we want those positives to carry over.”

A berth in the ASC Championship Tournament is certainly within reach of UTD and all eight ASC East Division teams this year. The conference has expanded the post-season tournament to include the top four finishers from each division in an eight-team tournament. In addition, all games against ASC foes will count in the final standings. “This has certainly opened the door for everyone to have a shot this year. It will be up to us to take a step forward and take advantage,” Leonard says.

The home opener for the Comets is Monday, November 22, against NAIA member Rust College at 5:30 pm in the UTD Activity Center.


>>10.20.04
Comets' Pope Earns Pre-Season Award
UTD Basketball Player Selected Women's Player of the Year

RICHARDSON, Texas - University of Texas at Dallas senior forward Crystal Pope has been selected as the American Southwest Conference East Division Pre-Season Player of the Year in polling of conference coaches, sports information directors and media representatives.

Pope, who led the Comets in scoring (14.2 points per game) and rebounding (7.2 per game) last season, transferred to UTD last season from Cochise Junior College in Arizona and is back for her senior season in 2004-05 after winning ASC East Second Team honors last year.

The voters, however, did not show as much respect for the UTD team as a whole, picking UTD to finish in a tie for sixth in the 8-team division. Austin College, which finished second in East last year, is the team most voters selected to win the ASC East followed by defending champ Mississippi College, Louisiana College, UT-Tyler, and East Texas Baptist. The Comets were picked to tie for sixth with the University of the Ozarks followed by LeTourneau.