(BOWLING GREEN, Ky.) – The 22nd-ranked and fourth-seeded Thomas More University women's basketball team fell, 81-72, to ninth-ranked and third-seeded Shawnee State University tonight (Monday, March 9, 2020) in the championship game of the Mid-South Conference Tournament at the Bowling Green Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
- Thomas More jumped out to a 9-4 lead with 6:36 to play in the first quarter when first-year guard Zoie Barth (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands) made a field goal.
- The Bears responded with a 10-4 run to take a 14-13 lead when Carson Roney made a field goal with 1:29 to play in the opening quarter.
- The Saints closed out the quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 20-16 lead after one quarter when Barth made a field goal with 28-seconds to play in the quarter.
- Thomas More opened the second quarter on a 9-4 run capped by a three-pointer by first-year guard Courtney Hurst (Burlington, Ky./Conner) with 6:42 to play in the quarter to extended the lead to 29-20.
- Shawnee State closed out the first half on an 18-7 run to take a 38-36 lead at halftime when Anyia Pride made a field goal at the buzzer.
- Barth had 12 points, four rebounds and four assists in the first half.
- Senior forward Emily Schultz (Melbourne, Ky./Bishop Brossart) had 12 points and four rebounds.
- Hurst added 10 points.
- Thomas More opened the third quarter on an 11-8 run to take a 47-46 lead with 5:52 to play in the quarter when Hurst made a three-pointer.
- The Bears closed out the quarter on a 13-9 run to lead 59-56 after three quarters when Sydney King made a three-pointer at the buzzer.
- Shawnee State opened the fourth quarter on an 8-3 run to take a 67-59 lead when Snow made a three-pointer with 7:25 to play in the game.
- The Saints answered with an 11-4 to cut the lead to 71-70 with 2:23 to play in the game when junior guard Briana McNutt (Maysville, Ky./Mason County) made one-of-two free-throws.
- That would be as close at Thomas More would come as Shawnee State closed the game on a 10-2 run to post the 81-72 victory.
- Thomas More falls to 22-10.
- Shawnee State improves to 29-4.
- Barth finished with 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
- Hurst added 18 points, six rebounds, one assist and one block.
- Schultz had 17 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
- Senior guard Kaela Saner (Florence, Ky./Boone County) had eight points, four rebounds, one assist and one steal.
- McNutt had eight points, five rebounds, one assist and one steal.
- Thomas More looks to receive an at-large bid to the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship to be played March 18-24, 2020 at Metra Park Arena in Billings, Montana.
- The NAIA will announce the national tournament qualifiers and bracket on Wednesday (March 11) at 7 p.m. Eastern/6 p.m. Central with a selection show on its Facebook page (@PlayNAIA).
