No. 21 Thomas More Outlasts RV Providence (Mont.), 82-73 at Phoenix Frontier Classic

(CHANDLER, Ariz.) – The No. 21 Thomas More University women's basketball team pulled away late for an 82-73 win over the University of Providence (Mont.) on Saturday afternoon at the Phoenix Frontier Classic at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

• Thomas More fell behind 11-5 early, but the Saints were able to close the gap and tie the game 14-14 with a Summer Secrist (Taylor Mill, Ky./Scott) putback with 1:02 left in the first quarter.
• The Saints again fell behind by six in the second quarter, but fought back to take a 29-27 lead with a Zoie Barth (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands) basket with 3:33 left in the half.
• Briana McNutt (Maysville, Ky./Mason County) scored with 1:19 left in the second quarter to give Thomas More its largest lead of the half at 35-29.
• The Saints held a 38-36 lead at halftime.
• Thomas More was 15-of-29 from the field (51.7 percent) in the half and a perfect 4-for-4 at the line.

• The Saints fell behind by four early in the third quarter, but tied the score at 46 with a Barth three-pointer with 5:21 remaining in the quarter.
• Courtney Hurst (Burlington, Ky./Conner) scored with 16 seconds left to give the Saints a 61-56 lead at the end of the third.
• The game was tied 69-69 with 3:15 left, but Thomas More closed the game on a 13-4 run, including eight points by Hurst down the stretch as the Saints won 82-73.
• Thomas More shot 13-of-32 from the field (40.6 percent) in the second half, and made 13-of-15 second half free throws (86.7 percent).

• With the win, the Saints improved to 11-3 while the Argonauts, who received votes in the latest NAIA Division I Top 25, fell to 7-5.
• Thomas More shot 45.9 percent from the field (28-of-61) and 89.5 percent from the foul line (17-of-19).
• The game featured nine times and 11 lead changes.
• Hurst led all scorers with 21 points.
• Barth finished with 19 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
• Kaela Saner (Florence, Ky./Boone County) scored 15 points and was 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
• McNutt finished with 13 points.
• Emily Schultz (Melbourne, Ky./Bishop Brossart) tallied six points and a team-high six rebounds.

• The Saints will be back in action on Saturday, January 4 at 2 p.m. when they will open Mid-South Conference play at the Connor Convocation Center against No. 7 Shawnee State University.