MARSHALL, Texas – Unable to overcome a late second half deficit, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team fell to the University of Texas Dallas, 81-67, on Saturday evening in the last home game of the year. ETBU finishes the regular season with an overall record of 12-13 and an American Southwest Conference East Division mark of 8-8. They will be the #4 seed from the East Division and will face #1 West seed the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on Thursday in the ASC Tournament in Richardson, Texas.

Nathan Fontenot and Jordan Gray led the Tigers, each tallying 15 points in the contest. Jarrell Taylor chipped in 10 points and Westin Riddick added nine points on three shots from deep. Jacob Owens-Bush recorded eight rebounds to lead the effort on the glass. Jalen Weber led the Comets with 25 points on 60 percent shooting from the floor. As a team, ETBU shot just 42.6 percent from the field (23-of-54) and 39 percent from beyond the arc (11-of-28). The Comets owned the effort on the glass, out-rebounding the Tigers 38-25 in the ballgame.

Two free throws by Michael Forester gave UTD the early 2-0 lead in the first 15 seconds of play. Chris Haynes responded with a layup for ETBU, squaring the game at 2-2 one possession later. A three pointer by Dimetrius Underwood broke the scoring seal giving UTD the 5-2 lead a minute later. The Comets held a three point lead (7-4) at the 16:32 mark of the half, until a three pointer by Fontenot knotted the game at 7-7. UTD led by two over the next minute of the game when Gray answered with a three pointer to give ETBU the one point lead (12-11). It was a back and forth affair over the next nine minutes of the first half when the Comets pushed the score to 26-20 with 5:15 to play until the break. The Tigers would go on a 14-6 spurt over the final five minutes, capped off by three pointers by Riddick and Taylor to put ETBU back on top, 34-32, entering halftime.

The game was tied at 34-34 when Spencer Cochran soared above the rim for the slam to give the Tigers back the lead at 36-34 two minutes into the second half. Scores by Curtis Allen and Weber gave the Comets the three point lead (39-36) on the next two possessions. A steal and a dunk by Underwood pushed the lead to five, 41-36, seconds later. Back-to-back three pointers by Riddick put the Tigers back on top (45-43) over the next two minutes of the contest. ETBU led by as many as three (46-43) until the Comets rattled off a 12-0 run to go on top by nine, 55-46, at the midway point of the half. UTD would lead by as many as 20 before finishing the ballgame with an 81-67 win.

ETBU will travel to Richardson, Texas, to compete in the ASC Tournament on Thursday, Feb. 21.