12.17.07
UTD Improves To 3-1 In ASC Play
Comets Match Best Start Ever With Split of Conference Games
RADIO BROADCAST: UTD vs. UMHB
RICHARDSON, TX - The UTD women's basketball team improved to 6-2 overall with a win over the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Monday night. The win kept the Comets in position to challenge for the American Southwest Conference East Division lead at 3-1, and was a good rebound for UTD, which did not play well in a 77-60 loss to Concordia on Saturday.
Ericka Baker (pictured) led UTD in scoring in both games, but bounced back from a 14-point effort against Concordia by pouring in 23 against UMHB.
The 6-2 start matches that of the 2001-02 UTD team for the best start in Comet program history. Unfortunately, that team only won six of its final 17 games, finishing 12-13 on the season.
The Comets did not have a pleasant return to ASC play, as Concordia opened up a lead with a 10-0 run midway through the fist half and held off a pair of late UTD rallies. The Comets cut the Concordia lead down to five (34-29) at halftime and stayed close throughout the game. Baker trimmed the lead to six (62-56) with 5:19 left, but Concordia retaliated with a 9-0 run to go up 72-56 while UTD got just a pair of free throws and one layup the rest of the game. UTD crumbled under the Concordia defensive press, which forced 23 UTD turnovers held the Comets to a .407 shooting day.
Ericka Baker led the Comets with 23 points and six rebounds while Chelsea Edwards had 15.
The Comets pulled away late in a game with 8 lead changes and 12 ties as sophomore Lauren Hale came to life in her first extended duty of the season. Hale, who finished with 13 points, six rebounds and a pair of blocked shots, did most of her damage late as UTD went on a 6-0 run with 4:36 left to open up a lead. Hale started the run by regaining the UTD lead with a three-point shot. A minute later, she blocked a clean UMHB layup which led to a Baker bucket; then added another block with 3:31 on the clock as the Crusaders were within three points at 66-63. In addition, she had a couple of key rebounds, hit a pair of free throws and had a steal in the game's final minutes.
Hale was actually just one of four Comets in double figures as Baker and Jenise Langston finished with 14 apiece and Chelsea Edwards overcame foul trouble to finish with 12 points and five rebounds. The Comets, who did not shoot free throws well against Concordia, were 16-of-22 against UMHB.