Box Score (MARIETTA, Ga.) — Sophomore center Ryan Batte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) posted his second consecutive 20-point game to lead the Thomas More University men's basketball team past Life University, 56-47, on Saturday afternoon (January 18, 2020) for a road Mid-South Conference win.
- Thomas More led Life 18-16 before a Garren Bertsch (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) three-pointer and a Kedan Davis (Newport, Ky./Newport) basket put the Saints up 23-16 with 5:16 left in the half.
- Another Davis basket with 3:17 remaining gave Thomas More its largest lead of the half, 28-20.
- After the Running Eagles cut the deficit to two points, Max Knisley (Washington Court House, Ohio/Washington) scored at the buzzer to send the Saints into the break with a 31-27 lead.
- Thomas More shot 13-of-27 (48.2 percent) from the field in the first half.
- The second half was a defensive battle, with neither team scoring for the first four minutes until a Batte basket in the paint with 15:56 left made it 33-27 in favor of the Saints.
- Both teams continued to trade baskets until a Bertsch three with 9:53 remaining extended Thomas More's lead to seven points at 40-33.
- Life cut the lead to two points with 8:06 left, but a Bertsch basket with 7:48 to go made it 42-38 and the Running Eagles never got closer.
- Davis scored in the paint with 4:21 left to give the Saints a 10-point lead at 52-42.
- Thomas More's defense clamped down on Life's offense in the second half, holding the Running Eagles to just 8-of-27 (29.6 percent) from the field.
- The Saints shot 10-of-25 (40.0 percent) from the field in the second half.
- Thomas More improved to 14-4 overall and 2-4 in the conference, winning its second consecutive game after a three-game losing streak.
- Life fell to 10-10 overall and 1-6 in Mid-South play.
- Overall, the Saints shot 23-of-52 (44.2 percent) from the field while holding the Running Eagles to 17-of-49 (34.7 percent).
- Thomas More held a narrow edge in rebounding, 34-30, and scored 12 second chance points.
- The Saints scored 32 of their 56 points in the paint.
- Batte finished with 21 points on 10-of-16 shooting with seven rebounds.
- Bertsch scored 17 points and made 3-of-7 three-pointers, adding five rebounds.
- Knisley finished with seven rebounds and three assists.
- Noah Pack (Georgetown, Ohio/Georgetown) led the Saints with eight rebounds.
- Davis scored eight points off the bench.
- The Saints will return home for a Mid-South battle against Lindsey Wilson College on Thursday, January 23, at the Connor Convocation Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m., following the women's game.
