UTD Women's Basketball News

>>02.23.07
Edwards Triple Winner On All-ASC Squads
RICHARDSON, TX - UTD freshman guard Chelsea Edwards (pictured at right) was a triple winner in post-season American Southwest Conference East Division awards announced Tuesday.

Edwards, a freshman from Friendswood, was named second-team All-ASC East Division as well as a member of the ASC East Division All-Defensive Team and All-Freshman Team. Edwards was UTD's leading scorer in her first season, averaging 12.2 ppg on a team that finished 11-5 and advanced to the ASC Championship Tournament for the first time in program history. She also dished out 90 assists and was credited with 46 steals.

Junior Ericka Baker and senior Jenna Harris were also honored as honorable mention selections to the All-East Division team. Baker was also selected to the All-Defensive team. Baker, a junior from Copperas Cove, was UTD's second-leading scorer at 11.8 ppg, also averaging 5.8 rebounds. Harris, who posted six double-doubles during the season, had her finest season, finishing with an 8.5 ppg, 7.8 rebound per game average. The rebound average was a school record for a single season.

>>03.02.07
Powerhouse McMurry Makes UTD's First Trip To Tourney Short-Lived
BROWNWOOD, TX - The UTD women's basketball team made its first-ever appearance in the American Southwest Conference post-season Championship Tournament Friday, but could not keep pace with nationally-ranked McMurry in a 74-47 quarterfinal loss. The Comet defense slowed McMurry (23-3) somewhat in the first half, allowing them to shoot just 37.1 percent from the field. But UTD struggled offensively iteself and trailed, 33-21 at intermission. In the second half, the No. 9-ranked McMurry team shot better and extended its lead to the final margin.

UTD senior Jenna Harris (pictured above) finished her UTD career with a 10-point, 6-rebound game while Ericka Baker put in 14 points to lead the Comets. UTD's season ended with an 11-15 record. McMurry advances to face ASC East Division champion East Texas Baptist University in the tournament semifinals Saturday afternoon at 2 pm. BOXSCORE

>>05.20.07
Baker Chosen For NCAA Student Leadership Conference
WBB Star Travels to NCAA National Leadership Conference
RICHARDSON, Texas – Ericka Baker of American Southwest Conference member University of Texas at Dallas has been chosen to attend the NCAA National Leadership Conference, to be held May 27-31 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Baker (Copperas Cove, Texas), who completed her junior season as an all-division basketball player for the ASC Championship Tournament participant Comets this past winter, was one of 355 student-athletes selected from a pool of 1,316 by a national committee. The forum gives student-athletes have an opportunity to enhance their leadership and decision-making skills and discuss key issues in intercollegiate athletics that affect them on their campus and in their community. The event also promotes better communication among student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty and communities.

During the leadership conference, student-athletes will discuss a variety of topics such as sportsmanship, substance abuse, social networking sites, hazing, recruiting climate, professional development and integrating student-athletes into campus. They will also discuss division-specific issues, create dialogue surrounding possible solutions to division-specific issues and discuss potential career direction. In addition to the speaker and discussion sessions, the student-athletes will participate in initiative and team building games at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.

>>HOOPS ON TELEVISION
Local Cable Televises UTD Basketball
The Metro Sports Group of Time Warner Cable television has televised six UTD basketball games this season. Fans with Time Warner digital cable service can view tape-delayed broadcasts of UTD games with East Texas Baptist , University of the Ozarks and Mississippi College on the Video On Demand channels. Time Warner is considering also broadcasting some baseball and softball later this spring, as well as other sports next fall.

>>02.17.07
COMETS HEADING TO ASC CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT FOR FIRST TIME IN HISTORY

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team wrapped up the No. 3 seed out of the American Southwest Conference East Division Saturday with a convincing 67-57 win over Louisiana College. UTD will meet McMurry University in the quarterfinal round of the ASC Championship Tournament Friday afternoon, Feb. 23, at 2 pm. The ASC Women's Championship Tournament is being hosted by Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. It is UTD's first post-season berth in the nine-year history of the program.

The young Comet team (11-14 overall) will face an uphill climb in their first visit as the ASC West Division is sending three nationally-ranked squads, including No. 9-ranked McMurry, to the tournament. Host Howard Payne is 24-1 and ranked No. 3 while Hardin-Simmons, the No. 3 West seed, is 20-4 with a No. 13 national ranking. UTD lost its games earlier this season to all but one of the tournament participants - the one being No. 4 East Division seed Ozarks, which the Comets defeated twice - and would have to avenge a 53-75 loss to McMurry back on Jan. 6 in order to advance. The tournament's quarterfinal round will feature games between (4W) University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (16-9) and (1E) East Texas Baptist University (21-4) at 12 pm, (3E) UTD and (2W) McMurry at 2 pm, followed by (4E) Ozarks (9-16) and (1W) Howard Payne (24-1) at 6 pm, followed by (3E) Hardin-Simmons (20-4) and (2E) Mississippi College at 8 pm. The games are being played in the Brownwood Coliseum.

Semifinal games are set for 2 and 4 pm Saturday (UTD would play at 2 pm, if it advances) with the championship game set for 2 pm Sunday. Ticket prices will be $6 for adults and $3 for students. TOURNAMENT BRACKET (pdf)

>>02.17.07
COMETS WIN SEASON FINALE, 67-57, OVER LOUISIANA COLLEGE
The Comets gave up the first four points of their regular season finale Saturday, but then went on a 13-0 run and didn't really have to look back. UTD held a 36-22 halftime lead, which it expaneded to as many as 21 points (52-31) with 14:39 remaining. The Comets got three players in double figures, including senior Jenna Harris, who posted her sixth double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Ericka Baker led the pack with 18 points while Jenise Langston pitched in 16. Louisiana College, which was playing for a playoff berth, kept things close by hitting nine 3-point shots. UTD was clutch at the free-throw line, hitting 20-of-24. BOXSCORE

>>02.15.07
COMETS IN PLAYOFFS DESPITE LOSS

RICHARDSON, TX - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team is going to the post-season despite a 62-45 loss to Mississippi College Thursday night. UTD (10-14, 7-12) was guaranteed a No. 3 seed out of the ASC East Division at next weekend's American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament after both Louisiana College and the University of the Ozarks lost their Thursday night games, as well. This will be the first time a UTD women's basketball team has advanced to the post-season in the program's nine-year history. The Comets, who will play Louisiana College on Saturday, could still end up in a three-way tie with LC and Ozarks for fourth place in the ASC East, but holds tie-breaker advantages over both teams in the various ASC tie-breaker scenarios. UTD defeated Ozarks twice this season, and has already beaten LC once this year. UT-Tyler, which has wrapped up second place, is not eligible for the post-season as a provision member of the NCAA, so does not figure in the seedings.

Saturday's game with LC is actually more important to the Lady Wildcats, who are still battling Ozarks for that final playoff spot. Now, the issue for the Comets is to get moving again in the right direction. In spite of hanging with Mississippi College (16-8, 11-8) for much of Thursday's game, the loss marked UTD's third loss in the last four games. Jenise Langston (above) led UTD against the Lady Choctaws with 14 points, including four 3-pointers, as the two teams battled back and forth for much of the game. After trailing 29-26 at the half, the Comets let MC gradually edge out to a bigger lead. The Comets got to within eight points (45-53) with 3:02 remaining on a Chelsea Edwards free throw, but did not score again the rest of the game.

BOXSCORE

>>02.10.07
UTD BACK IN RACE WITH TWO GAMES LEFT

MARSHALL/LONGVIEW, TX - The UTD women's basketball team finally got through the part of their schedule facing the division leaders, snapping a two-game skid Saturday with a 60-46 win over last-place LeTourneau. UTD had started the weekend with a 69-42 loss to division-leader East Texas Baptist.

The win improved UTD's American Southwest Conference record to 7-11, good enough still to be in the hunt for one of the division's four post-season berths. UTD (10-13 overall) can likely clinch its first-ever playoff berth by winning at least one of its two remaining regular season games next weekend at home against Mississippi and Louisiana College.

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST 69, UTD 42

The Comets opened the weekend again falling to the division-leading Lady T'igers of ETBU. UTD fell victim again to a slow start and could never catch up. Jenna Harris (pictured) was the only UTD player to finish in double figures with 10 points, and collected only four rebounds as ETBU dominated the boards, 51-34. UTD scored just 16 first-half points while hitting just 25 percent from the floor in the first period and trailed 31-16 at the half. UTD actually took an early 7-4 lead on early baskets by Ericka Baker, Leslie Leatherwood and Chelsea Edwards, but were out-gunned, 27-10, the rest of the half. Things got worse in the second half when ETBU's offense heated up to a 51.6 percent shooting pace and tacked 12 more points on to its final advantage. BOXSCORE
UTD 60, LeTOURNEAU 46

The Comets got their second win of the season over last-place LeTourneau (4-20, 1-18) thanks again to Harris, who picked up her fourth double-double (12 points, 17 rebounds) of the season, along with double-digit scoring from Chelsea Edwards (21 pts) and Ericka Baker (13 pts). UTD jumped on LETU quickly, building a 15-6 lead with 10:36 to go in the first half, but let the LadyJackets back in the game with a 15-5 run. LETU briefly took a 21-20 lead with 2:08 to go before UTD moved back ahead with a 25-23 halftime lead. In the second period, UTD opened the period on a 10-4 run that gave them the margin they would need for the win. At 14:47, the Comets were up 35-27 and held that 9-10 point advantage the rest of the game. UTD completely dominated the boards, out-rebounding LETU, 58-29, and got 17 second-chance points in the game. BOXSCORE

>>02.06.07
BAKER WINS PLAYER OF WEEK AWARD

RICHARDSON, TX - UTD women's basketball player Ericka Baker has been named the co-recipient of the American Southwest Conference East Division Player of the Week award. Baker, a junior from Cooperas Cove, scored 23 points and grabbed a season-high nine rebounds in a 66-62 come-from-behind win over Ozarks. It was the Comets' third straight win and fifth in their last seven games. Baker, who has scored in double figures in five straight games and eclipsed the 20-point barrier in each of the Comets’ three consecutive victories, added four steals and a blocked shot against Ozarks. She was 66.7 percent shooting from the field and hit 7 of 9 free-throw attempts.

>>02.05.07
PATRIOTS LEAVE UTD BEHIND

TYLER, TX - The UTD women's basketball team, still battling for one of the East Division's four playoff spots in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament, saw their drive sidetracked a bit Monday night with a 93-55 loss at UT-Tyler. The loss dropped the Comets' record to 9-12 and 6-10 in ASC East Division play. Third-seeded UTD is, however, still in the post-season hunt with a tiebreaker edge on current No. 4 seed University of the Ozarks and a one-game edge on fifth-place Louisiana College. The Comets have four regular season games remaining to try to finish in one of the top four spots in the East Division. UT-Tyler, which is in second place with a 14-7, 11-5 mark, is not eligible for the post-season as a provisional member of the NCAA Division III.

The Comets were left at the gate Monday night, as UT-Tyler broke loose from a 4-4 tie two minutes in and went on a 19-6 run to go up 23-10 at 12:13 in the first half. UTD got some good minutes from freshman Rachel Addison to pull back to within 10 at 24-14 (10:50), but the Patriots again caught fire and led 54-33 at the half. Things got worse for UTD after halftime as the Patriots put together a 39-22 second half, shooting 64 percent from the field while holding the Comets to a 26.3 percent shooting half. Addison led UTD in scoring for the first time this season with 13 points. Chelsea Edwards was the only other Comet player in double figures with 12 points. UTD finishes out its road schedule later this week with a Thursday trip to division-leading East Texas Baptist and a Saturday game at LeTourneau. UTD's regular season ends up Feb. 15 and 17 at home against Mississippi and Louisiana College.

BOXSCORE

>>02.01.07
COMETS IN POSITION FOR POST-SEASON BID

RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD women's basketball team put itself in position to challenge for one of the American Southwest Conference East Division post-season playoff spots Thursday night by defeating the University of the Ozarks for the second time in a week. The 66-62 victory - which wasn't solidified until the Comets forced two turnovers and hit four critical free throws in the game's final seconds - improved the Comets' record to 9-11 overall and into a tie with Ozarks at 6-9 for the fourth East Division playoff spot. UTD, however, has the tiebreaker advantage should those two teams remain tied after the Thursday win and last week's 72-66 victory. It was UTD's third straight win and fifth in the last seven games.

The Comets almost let this one get away from them, though. After building a 33-29 halftime advantage in a half where the Lady Eagles (8-12, 6-9) shot just 28 percent, the Comets built up as much as an eight-point lead (48-40 at 10:41) midway through the second period. But UTD hit a cold spell at about the 10:00 mark and saw Ozarks go on an 11-2 run to take a 51-50 lead with 7:31 left. UTD was down 58-56 with 2:47 remaining but the Comets tied the game up at 58-58 on a pair of Ericka Baker free throws. As the game's final seconds wound down, UTD tied the game at 62-62 on another Baker basket, then got four straight free throws from Chelsea Edwards and Jenna Harris to ice the win.

Baker led UTD with 23 points, scoring 14 in the second half. Edwards, Harris and Jenise Langston each had 10. Baker led all Comets with nine rebounds. BOXSCORE

>>01.27.07
COMETS RALLY TO WIN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES

RICHARDSON, TX - It took a little while for the UTD women's basketball team to come to life, but a surge on both ends of the floor midway through the second half sparked a 66-62 come-from-behind win Saturday over the University of Dallas. UTD won its second straight and fourth victory in the last six games by putting together an 18-4 run that turned a 13-point deficit (36-49 with 12:01 left) into its first lead of the second half (54-53 with 4:01 left).

After falling behind again briefly, UTD's Ericka Bake scored four straight points to give the Comets a 60-57 lead at the 1:50 mark, and UTD made it stand up with three more layups, including the final shot from Baker, which gave UTD the final four-point advantage with :05 remaining. UTD dug itself a monstrous hole to fight out of in the first half, hitting just 30.3 percent (10-of-33) of its shots from the floor while allowing the Crusaders (9-10) to roam free underneath on their way to a 35-26 halftime lead. But Baker and Leslie Leatherwood (three big 3-pointers on the way to an 11-point game) came to life in the second half, and Baker put in 15 of her 20 points after intermission. UTD shot 55.6 percent (15-of-27) in the second period while holding UD to a 33.3 percent (9-of-27) half. Jenna Harris had her third double-double of the season and second in the last three games, scoring 16 points and pulling down 15 rebounds. Chelsea Edwards had nine points and dished out eight assists. BOXSCORE

>>01.25.07
UTD GETS THIRD WIN IN LAST FIVE GAMES

CLARKSVILLE, AR - The University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball team picked up its third victory in its last five games and only its second road win of the year Thursday night, holding off the University of the Ozarks in an American Southwest Conference road game, 72-66. Junior Ericka Baker led the Comets with 24 points for the second time this season, and freshman Chelsea Edwards and senior Jenna Harris hit clutch free throws down the stretch as UTD improved to 7-11 overall and 5-9 in the ASC East Division race.

The Comets were tangled in a close game early with the Lady Eagles (8-10, 6-7) and were tied at 20-20 (9:24) before going on a 16-8 run to open up a 36-28 advantage with :45 remaining before intermission. UTD continued to build on its lead in the second half, moving out to its biggest lead of the game at 54-43 with 9:21 left. Ozarks battled back, cutting the Comet advantage to 69-66 with just :13 left before Edwards and Harris hit a three of four late free throws to ice the win. UTD had one of its better shooting nights, hitting 28-of-61 shots for 45.9 percent while holding Ozarks to 38.7 percent. Both teams could have possibly turned the game around to more of their advantage at the free throw line, where neither squad hit better than 50 percent of 59 shots. UTD came up with 11 steals against the Lady Eagles. The win was important for the Comets, who need wins to move into the upper half of the East Division standings, potentially qualifying for their first post-season ASC Championship Tournament berth in program history. BOXSCORE

>>01.22.07
COMETS CAN'T HANDLE DIVISION LEADERS

RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD women's basketball team won its second game in a week with a 78-60 domination of LeTourneau, but the Comets (6-11, 4-9) also found out how far they have to go to be competitive with the top teams in the American Southwest Conference East Division during last weekend's homestand. UTD opened the weekend being completely overrun by division-leading East Texas Baptist in a 61-37 whipping Thursday, then let second-place UT-Tyler get away with a fast start in the second half on their way to a 78-68 win.

UT-TYLER 78, UTD 68

The Comets went toe-to-toe with their arch-rivals, the UT-Tyler Patriots, for much of the game Monday night, but let the game get away from them with a slow start in the second half. After building a 36-30 halftime lead behind 10 first-half points from senior Jenna Harris (pictured near right), UTD let the Patriots (11-7, 8-5) open the second half on a 13-1 run and put enough distance between themselves and the Comets to cruise to the win. Harris finished with a double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds) while Jenise Langston (pictured far right) pitched in 17 to lead UTD. BOXSCORE

UTD 78, LeTOURNEAU 60

The Comets scored the first seven points of the game and never had to look back against the last-place LeTourneau LadyJackets on their way to a 78-60 win. UTD built up a solid 41-28 halftime lead and were up 23 points (70-47) with 5:56 left. Freshman Katie Metzler was impressive off the bench, leading the Comets with 18 points while three others - Edwards, Baker and Jenise Langston - finished in double figures. BOXSCORE

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST 61, UTD 37

UTD fell behind early and were never closer than three points (7-10 at 13:59) as the division-leading ETBU Lady Tigers ran away with a 61-37 victory. The Comet offense was smothered by the ETBU press, which held UTD to just 20 percent shooting. Only Edwards finished the game in double-figure scoring, and she had just 10 points while also pulling down 10 rebounds. BOXSCORE

>>01.13.07
UTD FINALLY SNAPS STREAK AT LC

CLINTON, MS/PINEVILLE, LA - The UTD women's basketball team came close Thursday night in a 61-58 loss to Mississippi College, then finally broke out of a five-game losing streak Saturday afternoon with a 52-46 win over Louisiana College. Both games featured multiple lead changes before the Comets finally picked up the win and improved to 5-9 overall and 3-6 in American Southwest Conference action.

The Comets got a combined 27-point effort out of freshman Chelsea Edwards and 26 combined points in the two game from junior Ericka Baker.

MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 61, UTD 58

Mississippi College (10-4, 5-4) got a 28-point showing out of senior Lacey Kennedy and held off a last-minute rally from the Comets to pick up the 61-58 win in a game that featured 13 ties and eight lead changes. UTD had a 58-57 lead on an Edwards' layup with 1:31 remaining, but missed its last three shots from the floor as MC inched away for the win. The Comets built up a 33-30 halftime lead as they turned the tables on the Lady Choctaws, forcing 21 turnovers and netting 20 points off the MC miscues. Edwards finished with 19 points while Baker had 14. Jenna Harris topped the Comet rebounders with seven. BOXSCORE

UTD 52, LOUISIANA COLLEGE 46

The Comets again found themselves in a battle (nine ties, seven lead changes) with Louisiana College Saturday, but were able to pull away in the second half and hold off any Lady Wildcat rallies. The Comets got 18 points on 26 trips to the free throw line while giving LC only 13 free shots. After trailing much of the first half, UTD trailed LC, 29-26, at the half. But the Comets clamped down defensively after halftime, holding the Lady Wildcats scoreless for the first four minutes of the period. Although LC eventually battled back and tied the game, the Comets held firm when Baker and Edwards each hit a pair of clutch free throws in the game's final minute. Baker led UTD with 12 points while Edwards had eight along with Rachel Addison and Leslie Leatherwood, who also had seven rebounds. Harris had eight boards. BOXSCORE

>>01.06.07
COMETS CAN'T KEEP UP WITH WEST POWERS

ABILENE, TX - The UTD women's basketball team let turnovers and offensive cold spells keep them from being competitive in two weekend road games against American Southwest Conferece West Division powers Hardin-Simmons and McMurry. After playing a close first half against HSU, UTD went cold from the floor and let the Cowgirls run away to a 71-49 win Thursday. Then Saturday, the Comets let West-leading McMurry get on track and fell, 75-53. The two losses were UTD's fourth straight and dropped the Comets to 4-8 overall and 2-6 in conference with the team's East Division schedule beginning next week. Both HSU and McMurry are ranked nationally in Division III women's basketball.

HSU 71, UTD 49

The Comets stayed close to the nationally-ranked HSU Cowgirls for a half Thursday, but a 10-minute cold spell after halftime doomed the Comets in a 71-49 loss. The Comets did not back down early against the heavily-favored Cowgirls, taking a 6-4 lead early on a Jenna Harris followup shot and moving out to a seven-point (17-10) advantage at the 13:04 mark. HSU then regained the lead at 10:31 and the two teams traded baskets and leads until half, when the score was knotted at 28-28. UTD took the first lead of the second half on a Chelsea Edwards (pictured above) steal and layup, but HSU responded with a 26-6 run that gave them a 54-34 lead at 8:05. When Ericka Baker hit a jumper at 7:24, it was UTD's first field goal basket in almost 10 minutes. The Comets contributed to their demise by committing 23 turnovers, and shot just .304 in the second half (7 of 23). Edwards had 13 points to lead UTD while Ericka Baker contributed 12. BOXSCORE

McMURRY 75, UTD 53

UTD again seemed overmatched against the 12th-ranked McMurry women, who are ranked No. 12 nationally and improved to 11-1 and a perfect 8-0 against the ASC East. McMurry forced 25 UTD turnovers and came up with 13 steals on their way to a 75-53 win. Once again, the Comets hurt their own cause by hitting only 19 of 49 shots (.388) from the floor. Leslie Leatherwood (pictured) led UTD with 11 points. After falling behind 9-0 right out of the gate, UTD found itslef down 19-4 at the 12:00 mark after hitting just one field goal in the first eight minutes. UTD did use an 8-0 run sparked by Edwards to cut the lead to seven (19-12) three minutes later. But after Leslie Leatherwood hit a three to pull to within 15-23 (6:56), McMurry ended the half on a 12-4 run to lead 38-23 at intermission.

The McMurry women then opened the second period on an 18-6 run to put the game out of reach at 56-29 with 14:01 left. After McMurry subbed in its reserves, UTD was still only able to finish the game out on a 24-19 advantage. BOXSCORE

>>12.29.06
AUSTIN COLLEGE AVENGES EARLIER LOSS

SHERMAN, TX - The UTD women's basketball team came close, but could not overcome a 24-5 disparity at the free throw line Friday evening as Austin College avenged an earlier loss by handing the Comets a 64-57 defeat. UTD (4-6), which had previously defeated the Lady 'Roos 71-58 earlier this season, had just nine free throw opportunities (hitting five) in the game while sending AC to the line 32 times, thanks to 25 Comet fouls. The Lady Roos scored 24 points from the line.

Junior Jenise Langston, who was the only Comet to foul out, paced a UTD offense with 13 points in a game that went back and forth throughout the contest. UTD battled back from an early deficit to take a 30-29 lead. UTD then went on a 9-0 run early in the second half to go up by six (41-35) with 13:00 left, but the Lady 'Roos battled back to go up by 43-41 just three minutes later. With :37 seconds left in the game, UTD cut the margin again to three points (60-57), but AC put the win away at the free throw line in the final seconds. The loss was UTD's second straight after the Comets had evened their season record before Christmas with a pair of home victories. In addition to Langston's 13 points, UTD got a combined 29 points from Chelsea Edwards, Jenna Harris and Ericka Baker. BOXSCORE

>>12.18.06
UTD SPLITS WITH SUL ROSS, HPU

RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD women's basketball team won back-to-back games for the first time this season, whipping Sul Ross State, 65-57, on Saturday after a Wednesday non-conference win over Texas Wesleyan. But the Comets (4-5, 2-4) could not make it three in a row as undefeated Howard Payne ran all over UTD in a 67-38 ASC loss. The week was a good one, nonetheless, for senior Jenna Harris (pictured). Harris finished a four-game stretch that saw her put up 45 points, and pull down 53 rebounds (averaging nearly 11 per game).

UTD 65, SUL ROSS STATE 57

Harris led the Comets against Sul Ross with her second double-double in the last three games. Harris, who had never averaged more than 4.0 points per game in her collegiate career, led UTD with 18 points (her second time in double figures this season) and pulled down 13 rebounds. For the week, she had 40 points and 42 rebounds. UTD jumped out to an early 19-4 lead on the Lady Lobos (3-5, 1-4), but SRSU went on a 27-14 run to close out the first half down by just a pair at 33-31. The Lady Lobos then opened the second half by taking their only lead of the game at 36-35 before the Comets went on a 9-2 run to open up a 45-37 advantage with 13:41 remaining. SRSU again fought back, closing to within three (51-48 with 8:04 left), but the Comets closed out the game with a 14-9 run to win it, 65-57. BOXSCORE

HOWARD PAYNE 67, UTD 38

The Comets had their worst offensive showing of the season, scoring only 16 second-half points in a 67-38 loss to Howard Payne (8-0, 6-0), the 12th-ranked team in the nation. UTD was actually in the game for much of the first half, tying the score at 20-20 with 7:46 to go before intermission on a Jenise Langston three-pointer. But HPU finished the half on a 19-3 run and led, 39-22. Fortunately for the Comets, the LadyJackets scored just 28 points after intermission. But UTD hit just 6-of-28 from the field (.214) in the second period to become HPU's eighth victim of the season. UTD did not have a single player finish in double figures in that game. BOXSCORE

>>12.13.06
UTD HOLDS OFF TWU FOR HOME WIN

RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD women's basketball team stopped a two-game skid on their home floor Wednesday night by holding off Texas Wesleyan for a 50-48 non-conference victory. The win was the third home win of the season for the Comets, who improved to 3-4. Texas Wesleyan fell to 2-7. Senior Leslie Leatherwood, who finished with 11 points, scored five of them late in the game as the Comets came back to claim their first second-half lead on a Leatherwood three-pointer with 3:16 remaining. The Comets had trailed 44-37 with 5:33 left, but Leatherwood also helped spark a 9-2 run by hitting a pair of free throws to start the comeback. Chelsea Edwards, who led UTD with 16 points, got a steal and a layup, then senior Jenna Harris (who pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds) hit a jumper before Leatherwood's three put UTD on top, 46-45, with 3:16 left.

More importantly, the Comet defense denied TWU any chance to get back in the game, holding the Lady Rams to a 17-for-56 shooting night (30.1 percent) from the field. TWU also missed 12 of 24 free-throw opportunities. UTD didn't fare much better, going 9-for-20 at the foul line, and hitting just 38% from the field. But the Comets gave up just three points to TWU in the game's final 3:16 and took the win with a pair of free throws in the game's final minutes. BOXSCORE

>>12.09.06
COMETS DROP SECOND STRAIGHT ON ROAD

AUSTIN, TX - The UTD women's basketball team wasted a career day from senior center Jenna Harris Saturday afternoon, letting Concordia-Austin edge its way to a 60-55 American Southwest Conference victory. Harris, a senior from San Antonio, scored 14 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, but the Comets let an early lead get away from them and could not catch up with the Tornadoes (2-4, 2-2).

The loss was the second straight for the Comets, who fell to 2-4 and 1-3 in the ASC.

UTD jumped out to a fast start and built up a 16-8 lead with 11:38 to go in the first half. But CUA went on a 17-3 run over the next seven minutes and were up 25-19 with 4:20 remaining, then took a 28-24 advantage to the dressing room. After halftime, UTD fought back to tie the game at 34-34 with 14:36 left on a Ericka Baker layup off a Katie Metzler steal. Minutes later, Leslie Leatherwood buried a three-pointer to give UTD a breif 39-38 advantage (12:30). But CUA came back and built up a five-point advantage (46-40 with 9:18 left) and held UTD off the rest of the game. The Comets shot just 39 percent from the field and gave up 25 points off 28 turnovers. BOXSCORE

>>12.05.06
SPUTTERING OFFENSE LEADS TO LOSS

BELTON, TX - The UTD women's basketball team struggled without the services of leading scorer Lauren Hale Tuesday night, scrambling for offense in a 67-53 loss to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Freshman Chelsea Edwards took up some of the offensive slack with a season-high, 19-point showing, but the Comets (2-3, 1-1) missed the presence of Hale, who injured a knee in last week's win against Texas Lutheran and is likely lost for the season.

Even without their top scorer, Edwards and junior Ericka Baker kept the Comets close in the first half, as UTD fought their way to within three points (34-31) at halftime. But in the second period, UMHB (4-2, 4-0) came to life and stretched their lead to as many as 22 points before the Comets closed late.

UTD hit just 7 of 37 shots (18.9%) from the field in the second half, but stayed close by forcing UMHB into 24 turnovers and coming up with 16 steals. BOXSCORE

>>11.26.06
COMETS SPLIT OPENING ASC WEEKEND

RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD women's basketball team improved to 2-2; but most importantly, 1-1 in American Southwest Conference play over the weekend by bouncing back for a big, 95-64 win over Texas Lutheran University after falling Saturday to Schreiner, 83-78. UTD is now off until Dec. 5 for school final exams, then travels to meet Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton.

SCHREINER 83, UTD 78

A seven-minute scoring drought from the field doomed the Comets in their effort to open ASC play with a win on Saturday. UTD had a 10-point lead (39-29) after a Katie Metzler jumper with 4:36 to go in the first period, but did not hit another shot from the field until Ericka Baker connected 3:06 into the second period to bring the Comets from behind for a 42-42 tie. Except for that stretch, the two teams played a fairly even game. Baker finished the game with a team-high 24 points and Chelsea Edwards added 19 before fouling out. Ironically, the Comets shot an even 50 percent from the field and forced 19 Schreiner turnovers, but the Mountaineers (2-1, 2-0) connected on 18 of 24 free throw opportunities and that was the difference. BOXSCORE

UTD 95, TLU 64

The freshman trio of Lauren Meriwether, Katie Metzler and Lauren Hale combined for 50 points as UTD ran away from the winless TLU Lady Bulldogs Sunday for a 95-64 win. Hale actually led all scorers with 18 points, but had to leave the game with an injury midway through the second half. That's when Meriwether and Metzler took over, each scoring 16 points. Jenise Langston added a 12-point effort while Metzler topped all UTD rebounders with 8. She was 10-for-11 at the free-throw line. The game was never in doubt as the Comets raced out to a 56-32 halftime lead while taking nearly twice as many shots (36-19) as the Lady Bulldogs (0-4, 0-2). The two teams were even with 18 turnovers each, but UTD dominated the boards, 46-25. BOXSCORE

>>11.21.06
UTD RALLIES TO CLAIM FIRST WIN OF YEAR

RICHARDSON, TX - Ericka Baker led a foursome of UTD women's basketball players in double figures as the Comets rallied to pick up their first victory of the season Tuesday in a 71-58 win over Austin College. The Comets started slowly and trailed by 11 (26-15) with just 4:56 to go in the first half; but pulled to within three just before intermission and trailed at halftime, 33-27. Austin College, which had won its first two games of the season, then opened the second half on a little run to make it 39-29 just three minutes in. That's when the Comets (1-1) came to life. Spearheaded by Baker (who finished with 18 points and seven rebounds) and freshman Chelsea Edwards (who finished with 14 points and seven assists), UTD begin to chip into the Austin College lead. With six minutes, UTD had knotted the score at 43-43 with 11:09 to go. After going back and forth, UTD trailed just one more time (48-47 with 8:15 to go), then kept on the pressure throughout the rest of the game to pull away for the 13-point win. In addition to Baker and Edwards, UTD got 15 points from freshman Lauren Hale and senior Jenna Harris, who had probably her career high with 12 points. Even seldom-used guard Chevy Whitener got into the mix, playing air-tight defense and helping the Comets force 29 AC turnovers. Whitener even hit a couple of key baskets during the tight part of the game to finish with four points. UTD hit 21-of-26 free throws, including a 10-for-12 performance from Baker. BOXSCORE

>>11.18.06

COMETS DON'T BACK DOWN IN OPENER
RICHARDSON, TX - The 2006-07 University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball season got off to a much better start than even the Comets were expecting Saturday when the freshman-dominated UTD team held its own in a 78-62 loss to nationally-ranked powerhouse Oklahoma City University.

Freshman Lauren Hale led a hot-shooting effort by UTD that saw the Comets hit over 55 percent from the field (25-45). Hale, one of five newcomers playing their first game in a UTD uniform, had 18 points and was 4-for-6 from beyond the three-point arch. Freshmen teammates Lauren Meriwether and Chelsea Edwards combined for 21 points.

On paper, UTD didn't stand much of a chance against the taller (four players over 6-0), more physical and more experienced Stars, who started the season ranked No. 3 in the national NAIA Division I poll and were off to a 3-0 start. But the Comets were not intimidated, storming back from an early 8-1 deficit to go up 16-15 on a Hale three midway through the first half. UTD actually led 19-15 before OCU went on a 12-0 run to make it 27-19; but the Comets bounced back with a 13-5 run to finish out the half down by just three, 35-32. Unfortunately for UTD, the Stars blew off some of their first-half frustration (shooting just 37 percent) as the second period began and were up 49-32 before UTD got its first point of the half six minutes in. With 5:41 to go, UTD was down 25 points (70-45), but got its offense back in gear and finished the game on a 17-8 streak to pull to within 16. BOXSCORE

>>PRE-SEASON PREVIEW

UTD NEEDS PATIENCE FOR NEWCOMERS TO THRIVE

RICHARDSON, TX - University of Texas at Dallas women's basketball coach Polly Thomason will admit she got lucky in her first season at UTD. Not only did she inherit a veteran roster filled with several four-year starters, she had a senior all-conference transfer (MVP Danielle Barnett) come to campus to play her senior season. All that good fortune resulted in a 12-13 overall finish (tying the best record in program history), an 11-11 mark against the American Southwest Conference (by far the best showing for a UTD team in conference play) and a team that was in the chase for a post-season playoff berth until the final weekend of the regular season.

But all that is gone now as the Comets graduated or lost seven seniors and two underclassmen who moved on for educational purposes. Now Thomason is faced with the task of literally rebuilding her team from the ground up, and having to rely heavily on her first recruiting class to do just that. It will be a challenge. "As a whole, I think we have a very talented group of players coming in,” says Thomason. "They are all from good programs and they have plenty of experience playing winning basketball. The big question is how long it takes for them to adjust to the college game. It's going to require some patience, but I think we have a group that can lay the foundation for what we want to accomplish here."

Thomason is hoping she can rely on the few returning players she has to serve as cornerstones for that rebuilding process. Junior Ericka Baker, “is a very athletic player and was probably our best defender last season. Jenna Harris has shown she is ready to step up big in the middle."

Still, neither of these players nor returning senior guards Leslie Leatherwood or Gigi Graugnard averaged more than 5.3 points per game last season. "The returners are all capable of contributing on both ends of the court," Thomason says. "But we will be asking them to do much more than they've had to do in the past." The future of the program will hopefully be in the eight newcomers who fill out the roster. Point guard Chelsea Edwards was an all-region player at Friendswood (TX) HS, and, "has shown good floor leadership and a grasp of running the offense." Midlothian's Lauren Hale, an all-district performer who led her district in three-point shooting , may be the team's best shooter. Guard/forward Lauren Meriwether is another who seems destined for plenty of playing time. "Our biggest challenge will be learning how to play defense, and continuing to focus on improvement over wins and losses," Thomason says. "As young as we are, we're going to make mistakes. But we've got to keep our heads up and play with heart. I think the potential is there. It's just a matter of these players learning to believe in themselves."

>>PRE-SEASON POLL
COMETS TABBED 4TH IN ASC EAST DIVISION PREDICTIONS

RICHARDSON, TX - The improvement made by last season's UTD women's basketball team earned the Comets the fourth place spot in the American Southwest Conference East Division pre-season poll. The Comets, who finished 12-15 last season, were selected to finish three slots behind Texas-Tyler, a team that is once again not eligible for the conference post-season tournament. If UTD finished in the top three behind UT-Tyler, the Comets could qualify for their first ever ASC post-season championship tournament berth. The poll was voted on by ASC East Division coaches, sports information directors and

UTD finished with 48 points, well behind the favored Patriots, who had 105 points and 8 of the 17 first-place votes. The voters selected the both Mississippi College (104 points, 5 first-place votes) and East Texas Baptist (90 points, 2 first-place votes) to finish ahead of the rebuilding UTD team.

In the West Division, voters predict another tight finish between Hardin-Simmons (145 points, 10 first-place votes) and McMurry (142 points, 9 first-place votes).