RICHARDSON, Texas - Ending the regular season in a close game on the road, the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team fell short to the University of Texas Dallas, 52-51. ETBU finishes the regular season at 19-6 overall and 13-5 in the American Southwest Conference tied for second place. They are now the number two seed in the ASC Tournament begin play on Thursday, February 23, in the semi-final round. 
 
Jayla Hall led the team with 16 points with putting up three rebounds. Kenidi White followed with 10 points, three rebounds, and three steals. Michaela James led the team with six rebounds, while Alexis Purcell had four assists. ETBU shot 39% overall, 36% from beyond the arc, and 73% on the line. UTD shot 41% from the floor, 25% outside the three-point circle, and 55% on the line. 
 
The Comets started the game with a layup and jumper, setting the score 4-0, 8:26. White recorded a layup, followed by Dittmar tying the game at four with 6:51 left. UTD regained their lead with two layups, 8-4. Free-throws by Hall brought the Comet lead down to two with 4:32 left, 8-6. After a jump shot by UTD, Hall kept the score close with a layup, setting the score at 10-8, 1:59. The quarter ended with a jumper by Hall, 12-10, favoring UTD. 
 
ETBU's defense was stronger in the second, pushing the Comets into a single-digit quarter. Brooke Webster began the quarter with a layup, tying the game at 12 at 9:47. UTD followed with a layup of their own, but Dittmar was quick to tie the game again at 14, 9:04. Bridget Upton had a three that gave ETBU their first lead of the game with 8:09 left, 17-14. Dittmar continued the lead on a steal from White, 19-14. White had a second chance three-point jumper with 5:54 left for an eight-point lead, 22-14. After over three minutes without any changes in the score, James drew a foul, setting the ETBU lead to 10 with 2:46 left, 24-14. Kaia Williams had a jumper in the paint with 2:13 left, 26-14. UTD lowered to the to 10 with a layup, 26-16. The quarter ended with shots on the line and a three-pointer from UTD, 26-21, as they cut the lead to five. 
 
UTD entered the third quarter regaining their lead with 8:36 left, 27-26. Hall lowered the lead to two with a layup, 30-28. A three by White gave ETBU the lead with 5:06 left, 31-30. UTD brought their lead back with a three of their own, 33-31. The Comets had a second chance layup bringing the score to 35-31. Free-throws from Hall and Webster lowered the Comet lead to two, 35-33. The quarter ended with a layup by Webster, tying the game at 37. 
 
Two free throws from UTD to begin the fourth made it, 39-37. Dittmar tied the game at 39 with 8:30 left. UTD had a layup and three-point jumper, bringing their lead to 44-39, 6:45. The Comets had another three with 6:04 left pushing their lead to eight, 47-39. Williams lowered the UTD lead to five with a shot from outside the arc, 47-42. Hall followed with a layup, setting the score 47-44, 5:06. Hall recorded a jumper, free-throw, and another jumper, tying the game at 49 with 3:59 left. UTD took the lead with a jump shot, but White was quick to tie the game at 51 with 1:49. UTD had a free-throw with eight second left ending the game, 52-51. 
 
ETBU will play again in Abilene on Thursday, February 23.