(BOWLING GREEN, Ky.) – The top-ranked and first-seeded Thomas More University women's basketball team won its first Mid-South Conference Tournament Championship today (Tuesday, March 2, 2021) as it defeated third-ranked and second-seeded Campbellsville University, 56-47, in the championship game at Studle Financial Arena in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
- Campbellsville raced out to a 10-0 lead with 7:18 to play in the first quarter when Savannah Gregory made a field goal.
- Undaunted, the Saints responded with a 13-2 run to close out the opening quarter to take a 13-12 lead after one quarter when sophomore guard Courtney Hurst (Burlington, Ky./Conner) made a field goal with 46-seconds to play in the quarter.
- Thomas More opened the second quarter on a 3-0 run to take a 16-12 lead when graduate forward Alexah Chrisman (Greendale, Ind./McAuley (Ohio)) made a field goal with 9:22 to play in the quarter.
- Sammy Rogers capped a 7-3 run for the Tigers to tie the game at 19-19 with 6:17 to play in the second quarter.
- The Saints used a 4-0 run to take a 23-19 lead with 4:55 to play in the second quarter when senior guard Briana McNutt (Maysville, Ky./Mason County).
- Campbellsville closed out the second quarter on a 4-0 run to tie the game at 23-23 at halftime when Courtney Pritchett made one-of-two free-throws with six-seconds to play in the quarter.
- Thomas More shot 36.0 percent (nine-of-25) from the field in the first half.
- The Saints' bench out-scored the Tigers 12-5, had a 14-8 advantage in the paint and 9-5 off turnovers.
- First-year guard Maggie Jones (Piner, Ky./Simon Kenton) led the Saints in scoring with eight points.
- Sophomore guard Emily Simon (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) added four points.
- Hurst had three points and four rebounds in the opening 20 minutes.
- The Saints opened the third quarter on a 14-6 run to take 37-29 lead when sophomore guard Kenzie Schwarber (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) made basket with 1:15 to play in the quarter.
- Campbellsville scored the final four points of the quarter to cut the Saints' lead to 37-33 after three quarters.
- The Tigers opened the fourth quarter on a 9-4 run to take a 42-41 lead with 6:44 to play in the fourth quarter when Lauren Lee made two free-throws.
- Thomas More then closed out the game on a 15-5 run to post the 56-47 victory.
- Junior guard Taylor Clos (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) scored 10 points in the second half.
- Jones added six points in the closing 20 minutes.
- The Saints improve to 25-1 on the season.
- The tournament championship was the Saints' 13th overall tournament championship with all of them happening since 2007.
- Thomas More shot 40.4 percent (21-of-52) from the field, while out-scoring Campbellsville 26-16 in the paint and 24-13 in bench points.
- Sophomore guard Zoie Barth (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands) was named the Outstanding Player of the Mid-South Championship as he averaged 15.7 points and 3.7 steals per game.
- Jones led the Saints in scoring with 14 point, while adding three rebounds and four assists.
- Clos had 10 points, one rebound and one assist.
- Hurst had six points, six rebounds and two assists.
- The Saints have an automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship and Thomas More will host the opening rounds on March 12 and 13 at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
- The NAIA will announce the tournament field and pairings with a selection show on the Play NAIA facebook page on Thursday (March 4) at 6 p.m. Central/7 p.m. Eastern.
