Box Score (WILMORE, Ky.) - The Thomas More University men's basketball team won its season opener 73-55 at Asbury University on Tuesday night (October 29, 2019), using two first half runs to build a 15-point halftime lead.
- Thomas More went on a 13-0 run midway through the first half, capped off by a Luke Rudy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) three-pointer with 9:07 to go in the half to take an 18-7 lead.
- Minutes later, the Saints went on an 8-0 run, culminating in another Rudy three, to take a 28-13 lead with 4:24 to play.
- Thomas More entered the break with a 33-18 lead.
- Asbury cut the lead down to single digits, bringing the score to 58-49 with 3:36 left, but Keegan Saben (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) responded with a three-pointer.
- Ryan Batte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) hit 6-6 free throws in the final four minutes to close out the victory.
- Rudy added four points in the final two minutes.
- The Saints shot .420 from the field and .381 from three-point range.
- Thomas More attempted 31 free throws, making 23 (.742).
- Saben led all scorers with 19 points in his Saints debut, going 6-11 from the field and 5-7 from the line.
- Rudy added 18 points and four rebounds, and went 6-13 from the field including 4-9 from three-point range.
- Batte finished with nine points, six rebounds, and two steals and finished the game a perfect 6-6 from the line
- Reid Jolly (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) scored eight points, going 4-4 from the free throw line, and pulled down five rebounds
- Tyrice Walker (Hamilton, Ohio/Summit Country Day) tied for the team lead with six rebounds, adding four points.
- Garren Bertsch (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) scored six points with a team-high three assists and went 4-4 from the foul line.
- The Saints will head just over the river for an exhibition against the University of Cincinnati on Thursday (October 31) at Fifth Third Arena.
