01.26.08
Comets Head Into East Showdown On Roll
UTD Just One Game Behind UT-Tyler After Wins Over LETU, ETBU
RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD women's basketball team's next two games against American Southwest Conference East Division leader UT-Tyler certainly won't be as easy as the two, one-sided wins the Comets got this weekend to set up a showdown with the Patriots for first place.
UTD (10-7, 6-6) will host UT-Tyler Monday night, then head to Tyler for a return matchup the following Monday after taking care of LeTourneau, 65-53, on the road Thursday; then whipping the defending East champion ETBU Tigers, 73-49 on Saturday.
Neither game was really as close as the final score might indicate.
Jenise Langston (pictured) rediscovered her scoring touch with an 18-point game against LETU, then added 11 more Saturday. Teammate Lauren Hale erupted for 19 points and eight rebounds in the win over ETBU.
The Comets broke open a close game with an 18-8 run late in the first half to turn a 16-13 lead into a sizable 34-21 halftime advantage. Langston, who had been a big scoring threat earlier in the season before hitting a mid-season skid, found her stroke again - putting up 11 first-half points on her way to a team-high 18 for the game. After halftime, LETU could get no closer than eight points down the stretch. In fact, the Comets were up 15 at the end before the LadyJackets nailed a three-point shot at the buzzer.
Guard Chelsea Edwards had her third straight big game, posting 15 points and coming up with eight rebounds. Ericka Baker had a nine-point, 11-rebound game as UTD dominated the boards, 53-42.
UTD had maybe its best shooting game of the year early, running out to a 46-18 halftime lead while nailing 45.2 percent from the field. The Comets continued to roll after halftime, stretching the advantage to as many as 36 points (65-29 at 10:09) before Coach Polly Thomason started emptying the bench in the game's final minutes.
Hale's big game came early as she had 16 points and six rebounds at the half. UTD completely dominated the game defensively - grabbing a 58-34 rebounding advantage against a pair of tall, physical ETBU centers; and then forcing 29 Tiger turnovers. ETBU went to the free-throw line 20 times off 21 UTD fouls, but were just 9-of-20 at the stripe.
The Comets got a combined 22 points from Langston and sophomore Tawni Ichimura while Edwards (8 pts, 7 rebounds), Ericka Baker (8 pts, 10 rebounds) and Rachel Addison (9 pts, 6 rebounds) also made significant contributions.