Box Score (CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.)- #8 Thomas More University men's basketball team defeated Bethel on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 12), 76-62. The Saints overall record improves to 22-2 and 17-2 in conference.
- Redshirt junior Ryan Batte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) kicked off the scoring for the Saints making a layup and one to put the team on the board with 19:00 to play in the first half (2-3).
- Sophomore Noah Pack (Georgetown, Ohio/Georgetown) dunked the ball with 12:44 on the clock to extend the Saints lead to 11 (20-9).
- With 8:02 to play in the first half, sophomore Reid Jolly (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) drove to the basket for a layup to make it a 30-18 game.
- Graduate student Garren Bertsch (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) would make the Saints final basket of the first half with a layup.
- The Saints would go into the locker room with a 45-32 lead.
- Batte would lead the Saints with 15 points and three assists in the first half and had one rebound and a block.
- Jolly would follow with 11 points and would lead the Saints defensively with four rebounds.
- First year transfer Jacob Jones (Jeffersonville, Ind./Jeffersonville) would also record three assists to lead the team and had two rebounds and two points.
- The Saints were 63.3% (19-30) from the field, 42.9% (3-7) from the 3-point line, and 100% (4-4) from the free throw line in the first half.
- First year Wyatt Vieth (Hebron, ky./St. Henry) made the first basket for the Saints in the second half, draining a 3-point basket with 17:56 to play (48-36).
- Graduate Student Luke Rudy (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) hit a 3-point basket with 10:19 on the clock to extend the team's lead to 62-50.
- With 4:29 left in the game, Bertsch would make a 3-point shot to put the Saints up 71-60.
- Jones made the final basket of the game with a layup and one to secure the Saints victory over the Wildcats, 76-62.
- Batte recorded eight points and four assists and three rebounds in the second half.
- Jolly led the Saints defensively with five rebounds and had six points.
- Vieth recorded six points and one rebound.
- The Saints were 52.2% (12-23) from the field, 40% (4-10) from the 3-point line, and 37.5% (3-8) from the free throw line in the second half.
- Batted led the Saints with 23 points and seven assists and tallied four rebounds and one block.
- Jolly followed with 17 points and led the team defensively, bringing down nine rebounds.
- Vieth recorded nine points, one rebound, and one assist.
- Jones had six points, three assists, and three rebounds.
- The Saints were 58.5% (31-53) from the field, 41.2% (7-17) from the 3-point line, and 58.3% (7-12) from the free throw line.
The Saints return to the court on Thursday (Feb. 17) to face #12 Georgetown at 8:00 pm ET in the Connor Convocation Center.
