MARSHALL, TX (02.25.22) - Alex Bowman's three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation sparked the Comets to a dominating extra period as the UT Dallas women's basketball team upended top-seeded Mary Hardin-Baylor, 66-53, in the semifinals of the ASC Championship Tournament Friday night, held at Ornelas Gym on the campus of East Texas Baptist. 
 
With the win, the Comets (15-7) have advanced to the league title game at 6 p.m. Saturday, facing No. 25 Hardin-Simmons. UTD will be competing for its fifth ASC championship in program history, winning the title in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
 
Bowman's game-tying trey, which knotted the game at 47-47, ignited what proved to be a 16-0 run by the fourth-seeded Comets as UTD opened up the overtime frame with 13 straight points. The Comets did the bulk of their damage in overtime from the free-throw line, hitting 12-of-15 free shots in the extra five minutes. Michaela Walker scored eight of UTD's first 11 points in overtime, including a dagger three-pointer, as the Comets pulled away to knock off the defending ASC champions and top ranked team in the NCAA D-III's Region X.
 
UTD limited the No. 16-ranked nationally Cru, which ranks second in the ASC in both scoring offense and field goal percentage, to just 26.5 percent accuracy from the field as a team, holding UMHB to just 18-of-68 shooting while forcing 17 turnovers. The Comets scored 17 points off of those UMHB giveaways, nine of which came either the fourth period or overtime.
 
After exchanging leads seven times in the opening half, the Comets maintained a 26-21 lead at intermission but watched their advantage fade away early in the third as the Cru opened the second half on a 7-0 run to gain a two-point cushion, 28-26, with 5:55 left in the third.
 
Jordan Rudd would then connect on a pair of three-pointers over the next two minutes as part of an 8-2 run by the Comets to regain control of the contest.  UTD extended its lead to as many as six points late in the third before taking a 38-35 lead into the final frame.
 
However, the Cru respond with another 7-0 run to open the fourth to take a 42-38 lead with 7:09 remaining in the contest. The Comets would keep UMHB it their sights for the remainder of regulation, but would not knot the game until Bowman's three-pointer that sent the game to overtime.
 
Rudd and Walker each led the Comets with 13 points while Bowman added 11 points. All three Comets finished the game with season highs in scoring. Blythe Williams sparked UTD with 10 rebounds.
 
The Comets closed the game shooting 33.3 percent from the field, hitting 8-of-22 three-pointers, and hit 18-of-23 free throws.