Box Score (LEBANON, Tenn.)-#16 Thomas More University men's basketball team defeated Cumberland (Tenn.) 72-70 on Thursday evening (Dec. 2) on an exciting last second shot to extend the Saints undefeated conference record to 3-0. The Saints overall record improves to 7-1.
- Graduate Student (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) made a tip-in and one to help put the Saints on the board with 18:20 into the game (3-3).
- With 14:51 to play in the first half, graduate student Luke Rudy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) tallied three free throws to give the Saints the lead for the first time in the game (10-8).
- First year Wyatt Vieth (Hebron, Ky./Saint Henry) drained a three to tie the game up with the Phoenix (25-25) with 6:09 to play in the half.
- With 1:24 to play, first year Casey George would drive to the rim for a layup to five the Saints the lead once again (36-35).
- Bertsch swished in a 3-point jump shot with two seconds left to give the Saints a 39-37 lead going into the locker room at the half.
- George and Bertsch both led the Saints with nine points each in the first half. George also led the Saints with two assists.
- Red-shirt junior Ryan Batte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) followed with eight points, three rebounds, and one assist.
- Rudy also tallied two assists to lead the Saints.
- Sophomore Noah Pack (Georgetown, Ohio/Georgetown) came down with four rebounds to lead the team in the first half.
- The Saints were 50% (14-28) from the field, 40% (4-10) from the 3-point line, and 100% (7-7) from the free throw line in the first half.
- To start the Saints off in the second half, Pack would make a 3-point jump shot to extend the Saints lead to 42-39 with 19:13 to play in the game.
- Batte drove to the basket for a layup to put the Saints within two with 12:56 to play in the game (49-51).
- Junior Logan Swackhammer (Chillicothe, Ohio/Unioto) made a layup to tie the game up 61-61 with 6:37 left in the game.
- With 5:55 to play in the game, Vieth would hit a 3-point shot for the Saints to regain the lead and started their 7-0 run over the Phoenix (64-61).
- Batte would then tally up the Saints last eight points of the game and hit the game winning jump shot with one second left to win the game 72-70.
- Batte carried the Saints in the second half with 14 points and two assists and had two rebounds.
- Swackhammer followed with eight points, two rebounds, and an assist.
- Rudy led the team with three rebounds.
- Pack recorded three rebounds and two assists in the second half to lead the Saints.
- The Saints were 42.3% (11-26) from the field, 27.2% (3-11) from the 3-point line, and 72.7% (8-11) from the free throw line in the second half.
- Batte led the way for the Saints with 22 points and three assists and had five rebounds.
- Vieth followed with 12 points and two rebounds. He also was 4-4 from the 3-point line tonight.
- George tallied 11 points and two assists.
- Pack came down with the ball seven times tonight to lead the Saints in rebounds and led in assists with three.
- Rudy had five rebounds and two assists.
- Bertsch put up nine points and four rebounds.
- Swackhammer followed behind with eight points, two rebounds, and an assist.
- The Saints were 46.3% (25-54) from the field, 33.3% (7-21) from the 3-point line, and 83.3% (15-18) from the free throw line tonight.
The Saints return to the court on Saturday evening (Dec. 4) to face Lindsey Wilson in a MSC match up at 8:30 pm ET in Columbia, Ky.
