Box Score (CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The Thomas More College men's basketball shot 52.4 percent from three-point range today (Saturday, December 20, 2014) to defeat across-the-river rival Mount St. Joseph University, 77-76, in the Bridge Shootout at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints improve to 6-4 and with the loss, the Lions fall to 6-3.
Thomas More raced out to an early 11-6 lead when senior forward Drew Mumford (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy) made a lay-up with 15:50 to play in the first half. Mount St. Joseph answered with a 5-0 run capped by a Bobby Murdock lay-up to tie the game at 11-11 with 12:50 to play in the opening half. The Saints responded with a 13-2 run to take a 24-13 lead with 9:30 to play in the half when sophomore guard Sawyer Pauly (Crescent Springs, Ky./Covington Catholic) made a three-pointer. The Lions closed out the half on a 21-14 run to cut the lead to 38-34 at halftime when Ken Kunkel made a lay-up with three-seconds to play in the first half.
The Saints opened the second half on a 26-15 run to extended the lead to 64-49 with 5:58 to play in the game when sophomore guard/forward Nate McGovney (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) made a jumper. MSJ closed out the game on a 27-13, but it wasn't enough as the Saints earned the 77-76 victory.
Thomas More shot 57.1 percent (28-of-49) from the field, including the 52.4 percent (11-of-21) from behind the arc.
Also in the win, Mumford became the 27th all-time Saint to score 1,000 career points.
Mumford led the Saints in scoring with a game-high 30 points, while sophomore guard Drew Mays (Union, Ky./Ryle) added 11. Freshman forward Austin Young (Campbellsburg, Ky./Henry County) just missed double-figure scoring with nine points. Freshman center Louis Maniacci (Burlington, Ky./Cooper) led the team on the boards with five rebounds, while senior guard Eliot Pipes (Nashville, Tenn./Hillsboro) led the team in assists with six.
Thomas More is idle until December 31 when it travels to Lexington, Kentucky to play in-state rival Transylvania University. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. inside the Beck Center.
