Box Score (CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - The Thomas More College men's basketball team rallied from a 13 point halftime deficit to defeat Cincinnati Christian University, 83-81, tonight (Friday, December 28, 2012) on the first day of the Coach Jim Connor Scholarship Classic at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints improve to 9-2 on the season and with the loss, the Golden Eagles fall to 6-8 on the season.
Thomas More took an early 3-0 lead when senior point guard Ryan Hamm (Maysville, Ky./Mason County) made a three-pointer with 19:48 to play in the first half. Cincinnati Christian answered with an 18-2 run capped by a Joe Shellman lay-up with 13:57 to play in the first half to take an 18-5 lead. The Saints used a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 20-12 with 12:21 to play in the half when junior power forward Al Upshaw (Cincinnati, Ohio/Gamble Montessori) made a lay-up. The Golden Eagles responded with a 16-7 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 36-19 with 6:11 to play in the opening half when Shellman made a lay-up. Thomas More closed out the half on a 13-9 run to cut the lead to 45-32 at halftime when sophomore shooting guard Jalen Clark (Frankfort, Ky./Western Hills) made a three-pointer with three-seconds to play in the half.
The Saints opened the second half on a 16-5 run to cut the lead to 50-48 on a Hamm three-pointer at the 14:11 mark of the second half. CCU extended the lead to 54-48 when NIck Wake made two free-throws with 12:53 to play in the game to cap a 4-0 run. Thomas More answered with a 13-6 to take a 61-60 lead with 11-12 to play in the second half when junior shooting guard Cameron Clemons (Louisville, Ky./Doss) made two free-throws. The Golden Eagles took the lead at 63-61 when Kenny Gaynor converted an old fashion three point play with 6:02 to play in the game. The Saints responded with a 13-5 run capped by two free-throws by junior point guard D'Carlo Hayes (Louisville, Ky./Male) to take a 74-68 lead with 4:00 to play in the game. Mike Hill made two free-throws for Cincinnati Christian with 2:38 to play in the game to cap an 8-1 run to take a 76-75 lead. The Saints closed out the game on an 8-5 run capped by a free-throw by Hamm with two-seconds to play in the game for the 83-81 victory.
Thomas More had three players finish in double-figure scoring as Hayes and Hamm both finished with 18 points and junior small forward Brandon Housley (Covington, Ky./Holmes) added 10 points. The Saints were led on the boards by Hayes with six rebounds. Junior point guard Spencer Berlekamp (Cincinnati, Ohio/Kings) led the team in assists with four, while senior shooting guard Ross Renken (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) led the team in steals with five.
The Saints will close out the Coach Connor Classic tomorrow (Saturday, December 29) when they host Miami University-Middletown 5 p.m. at the Connor Convocation Center. Miami-Middletown fell, 73-48, to Centre College in the first game the Coach Connor Classic tonight.
