(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - Senior guard Allison Long (Hebron, Ky./Conner) scored a game-high 26 points to lead the No. 6/7-ranked and top-seeded Thomas More College women's basketball to a 97-58 win over eighth-seed Bethany College tonight (Tuesday, February 19, 2013) in the quarterfinal round of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championship Tournament at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints improve to 25-1 and advance to play fourth-seeded Waynesburg University on Friday (February 22) at 8 p.m. in the semifinals of the PAC Tournament at the Connor Convocation Center. With the loss, the Bison end the season at 7-19.
Thomas More took an early 28-16 lead when Long made a lay-up with 8:29 to play in the first half. The Bison used a 14-5 run to cut the lead to 33-30 with 2:39 to play in the half when Brianna Nuzum made a lay-up. The Saints answered with a 5-1 run to extend the lead to 38-31 when junior guard Devin Beasley (Burlington, Ky./Conner) made a lay-up with 1:50 to play in the game. Bethany closed out the half on a 5-3 run to cut the lead to 41-36 at halftime.
The Saints took control in the second half as they opened the half on a 50-11 run to increase the lead to 91-47 with 3:17 to play in the game when sophomore guard Sydni Wainscott (Erlanger, Ky./Simon Kenton) made a jumper. Bethany closed the game on an 11-6 run, but it wasn't enough as Thomas More was victorious, 97-58.
Four other Saints joined Long in double-figures as senior guard Katie Kitchen (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) had 19, senior guard Jill Brunsman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) had 17 and Wainscott and sophomore guard Stephanie Krusling (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicolas) each finished with 10 points. Junior forward Moriah Corey (Louisville, Ky./Butler) led the team on the boards with seven rebounds, while Kitchen led the team in steals with nine. Long, Kitchen, Brunsman and Beasley all finished the game with three assists. Long's three assists gave her 355 career assists to move into second all-time at Thomas More. She only trails Shannon Galbrath (1994-98), who has 430.
