Comets Open ASC With Two Road Wins

UTD Gets Past Schreiner, Texas Lutheran By Identical 74-63 Scores

KERRVILLE/SEGUIN, TX - The UTD men's basketball team opened its American Southwest Conference schedule over the weekend with a pair of identical 74-63 road wins at Schreiner and Texas Lutheran University.

Junior Ernie Lowery (pictured) combined for a 37-point weekend in leading the Comets (4-1, 2-0) in scoring for the third straight game. UTD kept both Schreiner and TLU winless on the young season by shooting over 50 percent in each game. It was the third and fourth straight wins for UTD.

UTD 74, SCHREINER 63

The Comets used a fast start and fast finish to dispose of Schreiner in their ASC opener. UTD built a 34-22 lead by the 4:30 mark of the first period, but the Mountaineers closed the gap to 34-30 at the half, then completed a 17-4 run that gave them another lead at 39-38 with 17:34 remaining in the game. But Brandon Greene ended that situation just :39 later and UTD went on an 18-8 run, builidng a 66-47 lead with 5:15 remaining.

Lowery had 20 points to lead the Comets, while Brandon Greene added 13 points with 7 rebounds and freshman Jimmy Witten pitched in 11 points and six rebounds. The Comets really dominated the glass, out-rebounding Schreiner, 44-23; and hit over 54 percent from the field.

UTD 74, TEXAS LUTHERAN 63

UTD again posted a 74-63 victory, but this one was even harder to come by. Texas Lutheran and the Comets each traded baskets and leads throughout the first half until UTD built a slim, 32-30 halftime advantage. UTD held the lead from that point on, but the Bulldogs were able to pull to within a basket at 49-51 with 6:03 left in the game. That's when the Comets went on a timely 15-4 run to stretch the lead to 66-53 with just 1:13 left. TLU attempted to force the issue at the foul line, but UTD was clutch down the stretch. Lowery hit six straight in the final :18 to finish with a team-high 17 points.

UTD got three other double-figure scoring performances, including a 15-point, eight-rebound day from Witten. Jordan Eppink added 12 points and Scott Rodgers had 11 off the bench.