ASC Tourney Returning To UTD After No. 20 Comets Down LeTourneau, 75-52

Game Leaders

LeTourneau
Pts: Josh Thornton - 14
Reb: Justin Jones - 9
Ast: Ladaria Brown - 6
Texas-Dallas
Pts: Kyle Schleigh - 17
Reb: Matthew Medell - 8
Ast: Kyle Schleigh - 6

Team Stats

LeTourneau
Texas-Dallas

Field Goals

(21-64)
(27-53)

Field Goal %

32.8%
50.9%

Rebounds

37
40

Assists

11
21

Turnovers

13
12

Pts off Turnovers

9
17

2nd Chance Pts

8
7

Bench Pts

9
26
full stats
More news about: Texas-Dallas
Feb 15, 2014

The No. 20-ranked UT Dallas men's basketball team used a strong first half to propel the Comets to a 75-52 win over LeTourneau Saturday afternoon in American Southwest Conference.

With the win, the Comets (now 21-2, 19-1 ASC) have secured the right host the ASC Tournament for the third time in the past four seasons. With two games left in the regular season, UTD has a three-game lead over second-place Hardin-Simmons (16-4). The Comets will close the regular season next week with games against the third and fourth ranked teams in the league. UTD visits Concordia Texas Thursday before facing Mary Hardin-Baylor Saturday in the regular-season finale.

Senior forward Kyle Schleigh led four Comets in double figures as he had 17 points, six rebounds and six assists in his final regular-season home game. Fellow senior Carter Nash, Nolan Harvey and Matthew Medell each finished with 13 points.

Just two days after posting a second half with nine three-pointers, the Comets went to the inside game to set the tone in Saturday's win. UTD out-scored the YellowJackets, 28-6, in the paint in the opening 20 minutes en route to a 44-24 lead at the break. The Comets shot 59.3 percent (16-of-27) from the field in the first half, hitting just two three-pointers.

LeTourneau did make a run early in the second half, drawing within 11 points, 47-36, after a three-pointer by Josh Thorton with 14:58 remaining. However, the Comets clamped down defensively after that, limiting LETU to just eight more field goals for the remainder of the game. UTD extended its lead to as many as 27 points on two occasions before setting for the 23-point win.

Schleigh was 7-for-14 from the field and 3-for-3 from the line as he moved into ninth place all-time in the ASC in career points. Now with 1,592 points, he moved past former Texas-Tyler standout Brandon Weasby (1,589 points, 2003-08). Schleigh added three steals and a pair of steals against LETU.

UTD, now winners of six straight games, shot better than 50 percent for the 13th time this season as the Comets were 27-of-53 (50.9%) from the field, hitting just 4-of-22 three-pointers (18.2%), and was 17-of-21 (81%) from the free-throw line. UTD out-rebounded the YellowJackets, 40-37.

For LETU, Thornton had a team-high 14 points as he led three YellowJackets in double figures. Ladaria Brown and Giovanni Thompson each finished with 11 points. LeTourneau was 21-of-64 (32.8%) from the field, hitting 4-of-20 three-pointers (20%), and hit just 6-of-14 (42.9%) free throws.