#1 Women's Basketball Defeats Southeastern to Open the Costello Classic

(CRESTVIEW HILLS, KY.) – The #1 Thomas More University women's basketball team opened the 21st Annual Julie Costello Memorial Classic with a 74 to 50 victory over Southeaster. The top ranked Saints move to an overall record of 7-0 with a Mid South record of 3-0.

• Senior Courtney Hurst (Burlington, Ky. / Conner) got the Saints started with a basket to give Thomas More a 2-0 lead.
• Senior Zoie Barth (Fort Thomas, Ky. / Highlands) knocks down a three pointer off an assist from junior Rachel Martin (Cincinnati, Ohio / Summit Country Day) to give the Saints an early 6-0 lead.
• Senior Emily Simon (Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Davidson) makes a basket off a Zoie Barth assist to continue the Saints early run. 
• Junior Kelly Brenner (Cincinnati, Ohio / Roger Bacon) knocks down a three pointer off a Zoie Barth assist to give the Saints an 11-0 lead.
• Kelly Brenner makes another three pointer off another Zoie Barth assist to give the Saints a 14-2 lead.
• After a pair of free throws from junior Mattison Vickers (Covington, Ky. / Simon Kenton) the Saints end the first quarter with a 16-7 lead.
• Zoie Barth scores the first fie points in the second quarter to give the Saints a 21-10 lead.
• After layups from Courtney Hurst and Zoie Barth were made, Hurst knocks down a three point shot off a Zoie Barth assist to give the Saints a 30-18 lead.
• First year Jenna Lillard (Ludlow, Ky. / Ludlow) makes a layup with 40 seconds to go to give the Saints a 34 t0 20 lead at the half.
• Saints were led by Zoie Barth with 10 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds.
• Emily Simon had 5 points, and 7 assists.
• Kelly Brenner had 6 points off two three pointers.
• Courtney Hurst had 9 points.
• The Saints shot 40.6% from the field in the first half.
• They held their opponents to a shooting percentage of 23.3%
• The Saints scored 11 points off turnovers.

• Zoie Barth got the Saints rolling again in the second half with a basket to give them a 36-20 lead.
• Courtney Hurst followed with a three pointer off an assist from Barth to give the Saints a 39-20 lead.
• At the midway point in the third quarter Courtney Hurst hits a three pointer to give the Saints a 46-20 lead.
• Kelly Brenner ended the Southeastern 9 point run with a three pointer from a Barth assist to put the lead back to 20.
• Junior Alex Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio / Mercy McAuley) got going in the second half with a bucket to give the Saints a 51-32 lead.
• At the start of the fourth quarter junior Maggie Jones makes a layup off a Kelly Brenner assist to give the Saints a 19 point lead.
• Alex Smith has four straight Saint points to give the Saints a 22 point lead.
• Jenna Lillard makes a jump shot with 6 minutes to go to put the Saints up 65-42.
• Kelly Brenner again makes a three pointer this time off a pass from Emily Simon to give the Saints a 24 point lead.
• Junior Hailie Morgan (Cincinnati, Ohio / Seton) makes a layup with 2 minutes to go to give the Saints a 70-46 lead.
• With one minute to go junior Sammie Whiteman (Covington, Ky. / Covington) makes a layup to make the score 74-48.
• Final score was Thomas More 74, Southeastern 50.
• The Saints shot 45.3% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the three point line.
• The Saints made 8 of their 10 foul shots.
• Courtney Hurst led the Saints with 15 points.
• Emily Simon recorded a double double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

• Zoie Barth recorded 14 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.
• Courtney Hurst scored 15 points to go along with 2 rebounds.
• Emily Simon recorded a double double by scoring 11 points, and 12 rebounds.
• Kelly Brenner had 4 three pointers to score 12 points.
• Jenna Lillard recorded 7 rebounds for the Saints to go with her 4 points.

Thomas More returns to the court tomorrow, Saturday (November 26th) when they host Miami-Hamilton in day 2 of the Julie Costello Classic.