Box Score (CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.)-No. 2 seed Thomas More University men's basketball team defeated No. 15 seed Grand View (Iowa) on Friday evening (March 11), 81-74 to collect the Saints second win in the NAIA National Tournament. The Saints overall record improves to 28-4 to be the best record in program history.
- First year transfer Jacob Jones (Jeffersonville, Ind./Jeffersonville) would make a jump shot to kick things off for the Saints to give the team a 0-2 lead with 19:39 on the clock in the first half.
- Sophomore Noah Pack (Georgetown, Ohio/Georgetown) drained a 3-point shot to cut the Vikings lead to 20-17 with 11:29 to play in the first half.
- Graduate student Garren Bertsch (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) knocked in a 3-pointer to put the Saints back on top with 7:52 in the half (25-27).
- Redshirt junior Ryan Batte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) would make two free throws to close out the scoring for the Saints in the first half with 1:12 to play (37-42).
- The Saints would walk into the locker room with a 40-43 lead at the half.
- Sophomore Reid Jolly (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) led the Saints with 13 points and had three rebounds and one assist.
- Pack tallied seven points and led the team defensively bringing down four rebounds.
- Jones would also recorded four rebounds to lead the Saints and had seven points and two assists.
- Batte led the team with three assists in the first half and had seven points and one rebound.
- The Saints were 56.7% (17-30) from the field, 58.3% (7-12) from the 3-point line, and 100% (2-2) from the free throw line in the first half.
- First year Casey George (Pickerington,Ohio/Pickerington North) would hit the Saints first basket of the second half with a 3-point jump shot to extend the team's lead to 40-46 with 18:20 to play.
- With 11:52 to play, Jones would drive to the basket for a layup to put the Saints up 49-55.
- Batte made a layup with 5:02 to play to make it a 60-69 game.
- Jolly would make two free throws to secure the Saints win over the Vikings.
- Saints would defeat the Vikings 74-81 in the Opening Round of the NAIA Championship.
- Batte would lead the team with 14 points and two assists and came down with two rebounds.
- Jolly would follow with seven points and led the team with two assists and four rebounds in the second half.
- Jones recorded seven points, one rebound, and one assist.
- The Saints were 53.8% (14-26) from the field, 50% (5-10) from the 3-point line, and 83.3% (5-6) from the free throw line in the second half.
- Batte tallied 21 points and five assists to lead the Saints and had three rebounds.
- Jolly followed behind with 20 points and three assists and brought down seven rebounds to lead the team.
- Jones recorded 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
- Pack put up nine points, one assist, and brought down six rebounds.
- Bertsch had eight points, four rebounds, and one assist.
- The Saints were 55.4% (31-56) from the field, 54.5% (12-22) from the 3-point line, and 87.5% (7-8) from the free throw line.
The Saints return to the court tomorrow night (March 12) in the Connor Convocation Center against No. 7 seed Stillman (Ala.) at 6:00 pm ET in the NAIA Men's Basketball Champion Opening Round, presented by Ballogy.
