CLINTON, MS (02.06.14) - Senior forward Kyle Schleigh recorded his eighth "double-double" of the season Thursday night as the No. 24-ranked UT Dallas men's basketball team fought hard for a 78-69 road win over Mississippi College in American Southwest Conference play.

Schleigh finished the win with 25 points and a season-high 16 rebounds as he climbed up both the ASC's scoring and rebounding career lists. Schleigh now has 1,528 career points, moving into 10th place all-time in the ASC, and 814 rebounds, taking over fourth place all-time in the league.

Winners of 13 of their past 14 contests, the Comets (now 18-2, 16-1 ASC) are now just two wins away from locking up at least a share of the ASC regular-season title and three wins shy of securing the right to host the ASC Tournament for the second straight season. Hardin-Simmons (13-4) currently sits second place in the ASC while Concordia Texas (12-5) falls to third place after a loss Thursday night.

The Comets shot just 42 percent (21-for-50) from the field, the lowest in 15 games, but still managed to find the win column and improve to 9-1 on the road this season. UTD entered the night shooting a league-best 48.9 percent on the season. The Comets connected on just 9-of-29 three-pointers (31%) and shot 71.1 percent (27-of-38) and out-rebounded MC, 40-36.

UTD got off to a hot start, grabbing a 13-6 lead just five minutes into the contest. The Comets led by as many as 18 points in the opening half before taking a 43-27 lead into the locker room.

The Comets maintained a double-digit lead over the first five minutes of the second half before MC quickly began to chip away at the lead. The host Choctaws used a 9-0 run, capped by a pair of free throws by DeAundrea Lyons to draw within three points, 48-45, with 12:23 to play. MC got within two points less than a minute later before the Comets regained momentum.

Leading 49-47 with 11:48 to play, the Comets used a layup by Matthew Medell and two free throws from Nolan Harvey on back-to-back possessions to regain a six-point cushion and never looked back. MC drew back within four points on three occasions over the next several minutes before the Comets got five-straight points from Schleigh to pull ahead, 63-54, with 5:57 remaining.  UTD regained a double-digit lead with just over there minutes left before settling for the nine-point victory.

Schleigh finished the night 4-of-11 from the field, hitting three first-half three-pointers, and was 14-of-17 from the foul line. Schleigh's 16 rebounds were the most by a Comet this season. Harvey ended the night with 19 points, his sixth-straight double-digit outing, while Medell had nine points.

For the Choctaws (7-11, 5-10 ASC), Emmanuel Ezejiofo had a team-high 22 points to lead three MC players in double figures. Lakin Ford had 20 points and Jay Case had 10 points. The Choctaws shot 42.4 percent (25-of-59) from the field, hitting just 2-of-14 three-pointers (14.3%), and shot just 68 percent (17-of-25) from the foul line.

The Comets continue their road trip Saturday afternoon at Louisiana College. Game time is 3 p.m. in Pineville, La.