12.28.07
Comets Shake Off Rust To Improve To 7-2
UTD Narrowly Escapes Improved U.Dallas Squad, 67-65
IRVING, TX - Ericka Baker scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds, but perhaps the most important play in a 67-65 win over the resurgent University of Dallas Lady Crusaders was the offensive charge center Rachel Addison (pictured) took under the basket with just two seconds left in the two-point victory.
After UD went on a 7-2 run and cut the Comet lead down to a single point (66-65) with :29 left, the Comets avoided the Crusader press on their possession, ran out most of the clock and added an Edwards free throw to make it 67-65 with just :08 left. UD got the ball back and worked a play to leading scorer Cara Sczepanski, who took the ball inside and scored what would have been a game-tying basket. But Sczepanski collided with a solidly-set Addison on the play - drawing an offensive foul and allowing the Comets to escape with a two-point win.
UTD had put some distance between itself and UD with 2:55 left in the game after stretching a 56-54 lead out to 64-56 behind a pair of Chelsea Edwards free throws. The key play in that 8-2 run was an offensive rebound by first-year guard Tawni Ichimura, who grabbed a missed Baker free throw, stepped back and stroked a three-point shot. But the Crusaders would not go away.
Edwards led all UTD scorers with 19 points, including 15 in the second half. UTD forced 27 Crusaders turnovers, leading directly to 20 points. The Comets improved to 7-2 – their best start in program history – by holding off several rallies throughout the game by the young, but very improved UD team. The Lady Crusaders fell to 6-4 with the loss.