(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The 21st-ranked Thomas More University women's basketball team defeated NAIA Division II 22nd-ranked University of Michigan-Dearborn, 85-50, tonight (Saturday, November 16, 2019) in its home opener at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
- Thomas More opened the game on a 13-5 run capped by a three pointer by first-year guard Courtney Hurst (Burlington, Ky./Conner) with 4:49 to play in the opening quarter.
- The Wolverines answered with an 8-3 run to cut the lead to 16-13 with 8:43 to play in the second quarter when Mariah Taylor made a jumper.
- Undaunted, the Saints closed the first half on a 21-7 run to build a 37-20 lead at halftime when first-year Zoie Barth (Forth Thomas, Ky./Highlands) made two free-throws with one-second to play in the second quarter.
- Senior forward Emily Schultz (Melbourne, Ky./Bishop Brossart) led all scorers in the first half with nine points.
- Senior guard Kaela Saner (Florence, Ky./Boone County) added eight points.
- Thomas More out-scored UM-Dearborn 33-15 in the third quarter to lead 70-35 after three quarters.
- The fourth quarter each team scored 15 points as the Saints cruised to the 85-50 victory.
- Hurst led the team in scoring in the second half with eight points.
- Thomas More improved to 4-0 on the season, while Michigan-Dearborn fell to 4-2
- The Saints out-scored the Wolverines 28-16 in the paint, 21-7 off turnovers and 15-2 on second chance points.
- Barth finished with a double-double in first collegiate game in the Connor Convocation Center with 14 points and 11 rebounds to go with four assists and three steals.
- Schultz led all scorers with 15 points.
- Hurst finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
- First-year guard Summer Secrist (Taylor Mill, Ky./Scott) finished with 11 points.
- Thomas More is idle until November 29 when it plays Ohio University-Chillicothe at 7 p.m. on the first day of the Julie Costello Memorial Classic presented by Barleycorn's at the Connor Convocation Center.
