Third-Seeded Thomas More Downs Sixth-Seeded Freed-Hardeman in Mid-South Quarterfinals

(BOWLING GREEN, Ky.) – The third-seeded Thomas More University men's basketball team defeated sixth-seeded Freed-Hardeman University, 78-61, tonight (Sunday, February 28, 2021) in the quarterfinal round of the Mid-South Conference Men's Basketball Championship held at Studle Financial Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

• Freed-Hardeman jumped out to an 8-3 lead with 17:03 to play in the half when Hunter Scurlock made a three-pointer.
• The Saints answered with a 12-0 run to take a 15-8 lead when senior center Ryan Batte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) made a field goal with 15:02 to play in the first quarter.
• Freed-Hardeman then used a 12-5 run capped by a field goal by Jeremiah Alexander to tie the game at 20-20 with 10:19 to play in the half.
• Thomas More closed out the half on a 19-9 run to take a 39-29 lead at halftime.
• The Saints shot 58.3 percent (14-of-24) from the field, including 45.5 percent (five-of-11) from behind the three-point arc.
• Senior guard Luke Rudy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) scored 12 points, pulled down three rebounds and dished out three assists in the first half.
• Sophomore guard/forward Reid Jolly (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) had 11 points, one rebound and one assist.

• Thomas More opened the second half on a 7-2 run to extend the lead to 46-31 with 17:38 to play in the half when Rudy made a three-pointer.
• The Lions responded with a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 48-38 with 14:38 to play in the game when Scurlock made a field goal.
• That would be as close as Freed-Hardeman would come as the Saints closed the game on a 30-23 run to post the 78-61 victory.
• Jolly scored 14 points in the final 20 minutes.
• Sophomore center Noah Pack (Georgetown, Ohio/Georgetown) added eight points and four rebounds in the second half.

• Thomas More improves to 15-8 on the season.
• Freed-Hardeman falls to 16-7.
• The Saints shot 57.7 percent (30-of-52) from the field, including 38.1 percent (eight-of-21) from behind the three-point arc.
• Thomas More out-scored the Lions 42-28 in the paint and 19-10 off turnovers.
• Jolly was named the Player of the Game as he scored 25 points, pulled down two rebounds and dished out three assists.
• Rudy finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
• Pack added 15 points, five rebounds and one assist.
• Batte scored 12 points, pulled down six rebounds and had three assists.

• Thomas More advances to play 15^th-ranked and second-seeded Georgetown College on Monday (March 1) at 7:30 p.m. Central/8:30 p.m. Eastern in the semifinal round of the Mid-South Championship in Bowling Green, Kentucky.