RICHARDSON, TX (01.29.11) – Seniors Tarneisha Scott and Tawni Ichimura provided the UTD women's basketball team with 40 points worth of offense as the Comets returned to the friendly confines of the UTD Activity Center floor Saturday afternoon with a 72-62 American Southwest Conference East Division win over East Texas Baptist.
Scott, a senior from Jacksonville, Arkansas, led the way for the Comets (15-4, 11-3 ASC) with her seventh double-double of the season, pouring in 24 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. She scored 18 of those points and had seven boards before halftime, helping UTD rush out to a 40-29 advantage at intermission.
Ichimura, a grad student from Plano, picked up the pace in the second half for the Comets, scoring 10 points on her way to a 16-point afternoon. She also contributed six rebounds and had a pair of steals.
The win helps the Comets keep within striking distance of the top of the ASC East race. Even with the win, UTD still trails East leader Louisiana College (13-1) by two games after LC hammered LeTourneau Saturday, 93-52.
After a shaky start that saw ETBU jump out to a 10-2 lead 4:15 into the game, the Comet offense finally got on track and tied the game at 12-12 on a Katy Spence jumper. The Comets then took the only lead change of the game on their next possession on a three-pointer from Ichimura, and were up 19-12 at the end of a 17-2 run at the 10:04 mark. They finished the first half 11 points ahead at 40-29.
The Lady Tigers kept things from getting further out of hand in the second period, but did not break the 10-point deficit barrier when they fought back to within nine (60-51) with 6:11 remaining in the game. They cut the lead down to seven (60-53) at 4:28, but the Comets scored six unanswered over the next :50 and had things in hand.
Lyndsey Smith was held to nine points on 4-of-13 shooting, but reserve Ashley George managed seven points in just 12 minutes of action.
The Comets will be looking for revenge when they return to the home court Monday night to face the University of the Ozarks. Ozarks handed UTD its first loss of the season, 69-60, in Clarksville on Dec. 18. Tipoff is at 5:30 pm.
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