01.05.08
Comets Remain Perfect Road Warriors
UTD Back In ASC Win Column With Road Wins at HPU, Sul Ross
BROWNWOOD/ALPINE, TX - The UTD men's basketball team broke a two-game American Southwest Conference losing streak by winning a pair of close games on the road.
UTD (8-3, 4-2) used clutch finishes in both games, opening up an 81-75 win over Howard Payne and a 67-59 victory over Sul Ross State in the final minutes at the free throw line. UTD finished off HPU by hitting six of eight foul shots in the final :28, then scored nine of its last 12 points at the line in the final 2:35 at Sul Ross.
Scott Rodgers had a pair of clutch games off the bench, scoring 15 and 13 points. Guard Temaine Wright (pictured), who hit critical shots down the line against HPU, finished in double figures in each game, as well; while Ernie Lowery had a pair of 14-point outings.
UTD was finally able to shake off a determined Howard Payne squad Thursday, but not before guard Temaine Wright came to life in the second half with 12 points and a pair of key free throws to break open a one-possession game with :28 seconds left. UTD and HPU had traded 20 lead changes and seven ties until the Comets finally took the lead for good on a Lowery layup witgh 17:21 left. UTD moved out to as much as an 8-point lead, but the Yellowjackets were able to battle back three times (59-61 at 7:23, 64-65 at 4:15 and 72-75 with :38 remaining.
The Comets were able to convert at the foul line in the final minute, which was a spot that caused HPU trouble all game long. The Yellowjackets hit just 9 of 20 free throws, which didn't allow them to take advantage of a 55 percent shooting night from the field. UTD shot just 41.7 percent, but went 23-for-28 at the line. The Comets ended up with five players in double figures, led by Brandon Greene (who also had nine rebounds) and Rodgers, who came up big off the bench.
The Comets used a stellar second-half performance and clutch free-throw shooting near the end to pull away for their second win of the weekend. UTD trailed just 26-23 after a sluggish first half that saw them hit just 40.9 percent from the field. But after halftime, the Comets opened on fire, using a 16-2 run that put them ahead, 39-28, at 13:25. Sul Ross creeped back to within three (50-53) with 3:52 remaining and again (57-60) with :57 left on the clock, but UTD countered with a 15-of-24 shooting performance in the second period.
UTD got double-figure scoring out of Lowery (14), Wright and Rodgers (13 ea.) while also forcing 20 SRSU turnovers.