Concordia Charge Eliminates Comets In
ASC Tournament Quarterfinals, 89-78

Free Throws, Three-Point Shooting Difference In Turnaround

BELTON, TX - For the third consecutive season after winning the 2005 American Southwest Conference Championship, the UT Dallas men's basketball season saw its season come to a sudden end in the opening game of the 2008 tournament.

UTD saw a 37-29 halftime lead quickly evaporate and turn into a disappointing 89-78 loss to Concordia-Texas as the Tornadoes nailed five big second-half 3-point shots and went 23-of-29 at the foul line after halftime.

The Comets' season ended at 17-9 while Concordia (18-8) advanced to the semifinals to meet Howard Payne University, a 94-90 overtime upset winner over East Division top seed Mississippi College. In the other quarterfinal matchups, Hardin-Simmons knocked out UT-Tyler 65-55 while host Mary Hardin-Baylor eliminated East Texas Baptist, 66-50.

The Comets felt good in their quarterfinal game after finishing off the first half of their game with Concordia with a big 23-7 run. UTD trailed CTX, 22-14, 10:25 into the game, but got inside baskes from Jordan Eppink and Jimmy Witten and a Brandon Greene 3-pointer to cut it to 22-21 with 7:39 to go before intermission. Greene, who had 8 first-half points, then nailed another three followed by a jumper to give the Comets their first lead (28-27) with 5:01 remaining. Concordia hit just one more shot in the final 5:01 of the half as UTD stretched out its lead.

UTD kept its run going - though only temporarily - in the second period as Greene and Ernie Lowery both scored in the first minute of the second half to put UTD up 41-31 at 19:15. But the Comets wouldn't score again for almost three minutes as the Tornadoes closed the gap and tied the game back up at 43-43 with 16:03 remaining. After going back and forth, the game was tied for the eighth and final time at 56-56 (8:29), but CTX answered quickly with one of its five second-half threes and had the lead stretched out to seven (65-58) two minutes later.

While the Tornados were putting up 23 points at the foul line, UTD continually missed opportunities to tighten up the game with missed free throws and three-point attempts. UTD was 5-of-11 at the line in the second period and 0-for-13 from beyond the arch. The Tornadoes outscored UTD, 60-41, in the second period.

The Comets, who do not lose a single senior player, were led by junior Ernie Lowery's 21 points, 12 of those in the second half. Freshman Jimmy Witten had 14 points and 10 rebounds while Greene ended with a 12-point afternoon, scoring just four in the second half. The Comets also lost the battle of the boards, as CTX outrebounded UTD, 52-39.

BOXSCORE

Concordia Charge Eliminates Comets In ASC Tournament Quarterfinals, 89-78

Free Throws, Three-Point Shooting Difference In Turnaround

Concordia Charge Eliminates Comets In
ASC Tournament Quarterfinals, 89-78