Second Half Struggles Doom 'Roo Women's Hoops

RICHARDSON, Texas - The Austin College women's basketball team trailed just 33-29 at halftime against the University of Texas-Dallas, but the 'Roos struggled to get anything going offensively after the break, scoring just 14 points in the final 20 minutes of a 71-43 defeat on Wednesday evening. The 'Roos are now 1-1 overall on the year.

Lexi Martin scored 19 points for the second time in as many games to lead the 'Roos offensively, and the first-year guard scored the first eight of the game for Austin College, including a pair of three pointers. The 'Roos led 5-0 early and after a 10-0 run for the Comets, Martin's second triple cut it to 10-8 midway through the first quarter. UTD would finish the period strong, though, taking an 18-12 lead into the second frame.

The 'Roos had their strongest showing of the game in the second quarter, and after finding themselves trailing 23-12 caught fire with Megan O'Neil burying two threes and Martin hitting her third of the game to cut it to a 27-25 game at the 3:45 mark. Martin would hit a pair of jumpers in the closing minutes to keep things tight, with UTD leading by four points at the break. However, the 'Roos began to stumble offensively in the third, making just two field goals in the period and finishing with eight points. Austin College mustered only six points in the fourth as UTD pulled away, scoring 21 in that same frame.

Austin College finished the game shooting 29.1% from the field and 30.4% from three while connecting on only 4-of-10 free throws. The 'Roos also turned it over 19 times, compared to just eight for the Comets, who shot 43.1% from the field. Martin made 7-of-15 shots and 3-of-6 from deep to get her 19 points, and O'Neil came off the bench to score eight points on 3-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-9 from long range. Lauren Traylor had a game-high 10 rebounds for the 'Roos. Trystan Clark paced UTD with 19 points and four steals.