Box Score (MCKENZIE, Tenn.)#10 Thomas More University men's basketball team took down Bethel (Tenn.) on Thursday evening (Jan. 13), 77-57. The Saints overall record improves to 14-2 overall and 8-1 in the conference.
- To start off the scoring for the Saints was graduate student Luke Rudy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) hitting a 3-point shot to put the Saints on the board (3-2) with 18:19 to play in the first half.
- With 10:07 to play in the first half, sophomore Reid Jolly (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) made a jump shot to give the Saints lead for the first time of the night (15-14).
- First year Wyatt Vieth (Hebron, Ky./Saint Henry) would drain a 3-point shot to put the Saints up 20-14 with 7:00 to play in the first half to top of the Saints 13-0 run over the Wildcats.
- Rudy would swish a 3-point jump shot with 2:32 to play in the half to extend the Saints lead to 11 (29-18).
- Redshirt junior Ryan Batte hits a jump shot with 57 seconds left for the Saints final basket of the first half. The Saints led 33-24 going into the locker room over the Wildcats.
- Batte led the Saints across the board with 12 points and six rebounds in the first half.
- Rudy followed with six points and five rebounds.
- The Saints were 44.8% (13-29) from the field, 33.3% (4-12) from the 3-point line, and 75% (3-4) from the free throw line in the first half.
- Junior Logan Swackhammer (Chillicothe, Ohio/Unioto) kicked off things for the Saints, driving to the basket for the first points of the half for the Saints (35-24) with 18:42 to play.
- With 10:14 to play in the game, graduate student Garren Bertsch (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) would make a layup to extend the Saints lead to 14 (53-39).
- Rudy would hit three free throws with 5:28 to play in the game to put the saints up 62-49.
- First year Ayden Schneider (Cincinnati, Ohio/La Salle) drove to the rim for the final basket of the game to secure the Saints 77-57 win over Bethel.
- Batte led the Saints with 12 points and three rebounds in the first half.
- Bertsch would follow with 10 points and one rebound.
- Swackhammer and Jolly would also tally three rebounds to lead the team defensively in the second half.
- The Saints were 72.7% (16-22) from the field, 75% (3-4) from the 3-point line, and 81.8% (9-11) from the free throw line in the second half.
- Batte led the Saints across the board with 24 points and nine rebounds and had one assist.
- Bertsch followed with 14 points, three rebounds, and one assist.
- Rudy tallied 12 points, five rebounds, and one assist.
- Jolly had eight points and three rebounds.
- Swackhammer led the Saints with two assists and had four rebounds.
- The Saints were 56.9% (29-51) from the field, 43.8% (7-16) from the 3-point line, and 80% (12-15) from the free throw.
Next up, the Saints takes on Freed Hardeman at 3:00 pm ET in Henderson, Tenn. on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 15).
