Box Score (CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - The Thomas More College men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season today (Saturday, December 8, 2012) as it fell, 92-82, to Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) rival Washington & Jefferson College at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the loss, the Saints fall to 7-1 overall and 2-1 in the PAC. With the win, the Presidents improve to 3-6 overall and 2-2 in the PAC.
Thomas More jumped out to an early 13-6 lead when junior power forward Josef Marshall (Dayton, Ohio/Trotwood Madison) made a jumper with 15:52 to play in the first half. W&J answered with a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 13-11 with 14:20 to play in the half when Doug Johnson made a three-pointer. The Saints responded with an 8-3 run to extend the lead to 21-14 with 9:33 to play in the opening half when sophomore shooting guard Chris Richard (Louisville, Ky./Southern) made a three-pointer. The Presidents cut the lead to 24-23 when Ben Cecchini made a lay-up with 6:14 to play in the half to cap a 9-3 run. Thomas More came right back with a 9-2 run to increase the lead to 33-25 with 4:11 to play in the half when junior shooting guard Cameron Clemons (Louisville, Ky./Doss) made two free-throws. W&J closed out the half on a 10-3 run to cut the lead to 36-35 at intermission when Mike Resnik made a three-pointer at the buzzer.
W&J opened the second half on a 19-6 run to build a 54-42 lead with 13:34 to play in the game when Nate Bellhy made a three-pointer. Thomas More answered with a 21-12 run to cut the lead to 66-63 when Clemons made a three-pointer with 5:04 to play in the game. The Presidents responded with a 16-7 run capped by two Connor Deckard free-throws with 1:04 to play in the game to increase the lead to 82-70. Sophomore shooting guard Jalen Clark (Frankfort, Ky./Western Hills) made a lay-up with 28-seconds to play in the game to cap an 8-3 run to cut the lead to 85-78. The Presidents closed out the game on a 7-4 run for 92-82 victory.
Richard led four Saints in double-figure scoring with 17 points. Joining him in double-figures was junior small forward Brandon Housley (Covington, Ky./Holmes) with 13 points, Clemons with 12 points and junior point guard D'Carlo Hayes (Louisville, Ky./Male) with 11 points. Richard completed a double-double as he led the team on the boards with 10 rebounds. Junior point guard Eliot Pipes (Nashville, Tenn./Hillsboro) led the team in steals with five.
Thomas More is idle until next Saturday (December 15) when its hosts Spalding University at 3 p.m. at the Connor Convocation Center.
