Comets See Brief Stay At Top Slip Away

Big Win Over Ozarks Puts UTD In First Place Until Team Falls at Tyler

RICHARDSON/TYLER, TX - The UTD men's basketball team enjoyed a brief two-day stay tied at the top of the American Southwest Conference East Division standings after a convincing 74-51 win over the University of the Ozarks on Saturday.

A narrow 63-58 road loss to UT-Tyler Monday night ended that moment in the sun, dropping the Comets (14-6, 10-5) to a half-game out of the lead with just five regular season games left.

UTD must finish as one of the top four teams in the division to qualify for its fifth straight ASC Championship Tournament berth.

Junior Ernie Lowery (pictured) led the Comets in scoring in both weekend games, combining for 35 points.

UTD 74, UNIV. OF THE OZARKS 51 (boxscore)

The Comets bounced back from one of its worst losses of the season six days earlier to run away from the Eagles Saturday in a 74-51 win. The Comets got 17 points and six rebounds from Lowery, but had balanced contributions up and down the lineup as 12 different players scored. UTD hit seven three-pointers, including three from Brandon Greene and held the Eagles to just just 29.4 percent shooting

The Comets jumped out to a huge 24-6 lead to open the game, and never let Ozarks get any closer than 16 points in the second half. UTD held the Eagles to 29.4 percent shooting and forced 19 turnovers.

UT-TYLER 63, UTD 58 (boxscore)

The rematch of the 40-point loss to UT-Tyler a week earlier went better than the first go-around, but not well enough fo the Comets to hang on to take over the division lead with a victory. UTD held an early 13-12 lead in a low-scoring affair, but UTT finished up the first half with a 15-5 run to go up 27-18. In the second half, the Patriots again went on a tear and upped their advantage to 43-28 before a four-minute scoring lull allowed UTD back in the game.

With 4:33 left, the Comets were withing seven at 48-41, but UTT finally got rolling again and didn't let UTD back in the game. In a desperation move with :20 left, UTD cut five points off the Tyler lead, but it was too little, too late.

Lowery topped the Comets with 18 points while Temaine Wright added 10, but the Comets gave up 10 points in a close game at the free-throw line, where they hit just three of 13 attempts. UTD had five three-point baskets, but gave up seven to the Patriots.