Box Score (CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) — The Thomas More University men's basketball team dropped its second game of the season on Saturday evening (January 4, 2020), falling 64-49 in a Mid-South Conference contest against Shawnee State University.
- The Saints were cold to start the game, falling behind 14-4 in the opening minutes before a Reid Jolly (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) cut the lead to 14-6 with 14:19 left in the half.
- A Jolly basket with 4:17 remaining in the half cut the Bears' lead to 28-23.
- Shawnee State entered the half with a 36-28 lead.
- Jolly led the Saints with 10 first-half points.
- Thomas More shot 12-of-35 (34.3 percent) from the field and 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from three-point range in the first half, while Shawnee State was 14-of-29 (48.3 percent) from the field.
- A pair of Ryan Batte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) free throws with 17:26 left in the game cut the Bears' lead to six points at 38-32, but the Saints could not draw any closer in the second half.
- Keegan Saben (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) led Thomas More with seven points in the second half.
- The Saints were 8-of-25 (32.0 percent) from the field and 3-of-9 (33.3 percent) from three point range in the second half.
- Thomas More fell to 12-2 overall and 0-2 in Mid-South Conference play, while Shawnee State moved to 12-4 and 2-1 in the conference.
- The Saints entered play ranked fourth in NAIA Division I in field goal percentage (53.9 percent) and second in three-point percentage (43.3 percent), but shot 20-of-60 (33.3 percent) from the field and 7-of-26 (26.9 percent) from three-point range and just 2-of-4 (50 percent) from the free throw line against the Bears.
- Shawnee State outrebounded Thomas More 51-24 and held a 21-5 edge in second chance points.
- The Bears outscored the Saints 28-10 in the paint.
- Jolly tied for the team lead with 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting, adding three rebounds.
- Luke Rudy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) also scored 12 points with two steals.
- Batte finished with eight points and tied for the team lead with four rebounds.
- Saben scored nine points with four rebounds.
- Thomas More will travel for a Mid-South matchup at No. 4 University of Pikeville on Monday night (January 6). Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern.
