Late Rally Comes Up Short for 'Roo Women

SHERMAN, Texas – The Austin College women's basketball team rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final 1:15 to have a chance to win it at the buzzer, but the 'Roos couldn't quite overcome the University of Texas-Dallas in a 58-54 loss on Saturday afternoon in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 2-3 overall on the year.

Austin College trailed 56-46 with just over a minute remaining before Ann Savage scored five quick points to trim it to a 56-51 game with 49 seconds to play. The 'Roos would pull to within two points at 56-54 nine seconds later when Reagan Chiaverini drilled a three pointer. After the Comets missed at the other end with 11 seconds to go, Austin College took possession with 8.2 on the clock and got an open look from Savage, but it rimmed out and UTD would get the board and two free throws to ice the game.

Both teams struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half, with Austin College leading 4-2 more than halfway through the first quarter. UTD would grab an 8-6 lead before Meghan Lewis scored at the buzzer to tie things up after one. The Comets would take their largest lead of the first half at 21-15 with 2:50 left in the second quarter, but the 'Roos would get three free throws before halftime to trail 21-18 at the break as the two teams combined for 26 first half turnovers.

UT-Dallas opened the second half with a 9-2 run to grab a double-digit lead at 30-20 before Lewis knocked down a three, but the Comets would go on top 35-24 in what would prove to be their largest lead of the game with 5:12 left to play in the third.

With UTD leading 39-28, the 'Roos got a bucket from Bryce Frank and Lewis drilled another three to cut it to a 39-33 game and Frank would add two free throws just before the end of the quarter to make it a four point game heading into the fourth.

Texas-Dallas would twice take a 10-point lead late in the fourth before Austin College's late comeback, with Kelley Skinner making two free throws for the Comets with 0.8 seconds left to seal the game.

Frank scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out three assists to lead the 'Roos while Savage scored 11 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter, adding four rebounds and four assists in the loss. Addy Walling added nine points and Lewis finished with eight points, seven rebounds, and four steals as Austin College shot just 34% from the field as a team.

Victoria Pena led all scorers with 17 rebounds for the Comets while also grabbing a game-high nine rebounds and handing out four assists. Raenett Hughes was the only other player in double-figures, scoring 10 points off the bench for UTD, which shot just 37.7% from the field but grabbed 12 offensive boards on the way to a 40-30 edge overall on the glass.

Austin College will be looking to bounce back tomorrow as they travel to Conway, Arkansas to take on Hendrix College. The 'Roos topped Hendrix 81-66 in Hughey Gym earlier this season.

Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.