GOODWELL, Okla. -- One could almost hear the collective sighs of relief in the distant cold night here Thursday (Feb. 17) night as the University of North Texas at Dallas basketball teams rallied to score come-from-behind victories.
     First, the UNTD women came back for a 82-78 win over Sooner Athletic Conference rival Oklahoma Panhandle State, then Vernon Johnson sank a layup with just 11 seconds left to give the visiting Trailblazers men a 74-73 win here in Anchor D Arena.
     With only a Saturday date with the NAIA's 12th-ranked Wayland Baptist left on their regular season schedule the UNTD men improved their conference record to 8-13 while the women now stand at 6-15.  Both will compete in the conference post-season schedule which will get underway Tuesday (Feb. 22) after pairings are announced this weekend.
     Thursday's wins were impressive but hardly easy.
     Panhandle State's men, having won two of their last three games, led 41-39 at intermission and led by as many as eight in the second half before UNTD began whittling away at the margin and gaining an edge on the boards. The lead changed hands nine times during the game.
     Hysheam Weston led the victors' scoring with 18, including a pair of 3-pointers, followed by Johnson's 16 (and eight rebounds). Larry Rusk added 11.
     Ryquan Elliott topped the Aggies scorers with 22, followed by Jalen Thomas' 19.
     The Thursday win gave Coach Josh Howard's squad a season sweep of Panhandle State after defeating it 73-65 earlier in the season.  The Trailblazers women also made it a 2-0 sweep oveer the Aggies.
     It took a 21-point final quarter for the UNTD women to notch their win. With 6:58 remaining, Tamia Miller's layup gave the visitors a 68-66 edge in a game that saw the lead change hands seven times. Late in the final quarter, howeveer, the Trailblazers' aggressive defense took command, forcing key turnovers that allowed the visitors to build a seven-point advantage with 14 seconds remaining.
     Zyunn Cormier had her most productive game of the year, leading UNTD scorers with 27 points.  Tamia Miller scored 19, Delyssa Miller, 16, and Mykayla Dumas, 10, for the winners. Delyssa Miller and Dumas led the rebounding with nine apiece, followed by Tamia Miller's eight.
     Saturday (Feb.19), the women's game at Wayland Baptist tips off at 2 p.m. with the men's game following at 4 p.m.