Women's Basketball Tops Purdue Northwest Behind Alex Smith's 18 Points

(HAMMOND, IN)-Thomas More University women's basketball team defeated Purdue University Northwest on Sunday afternoon (Dec 17), 72-61. The Saints overall record improves to 7-4 on the season. 

• Sophomore Rylee Turner (Newport, KY / Newport Central Catholic) scored the first basket for the Saints at the 7:45 mark of the opening quarter, (2-8).
• Senior Kelly Brenner (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon) made a 3-point shot off an assist from senior Alex Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mercy McAuley) to cut into the Purdue Northwest lead (5-13).
• Alex Smith and first year Morgan Hunt (Hollansburg, OH / Tri-Village Local Schools) spark a Saint run with back to back baskets for the Saints (9-16).
• First Year Rylee Leonard (Sardinia, Ohio/ Eastern Brown) knocked down a jump shot on a fast break to close the first quarter on a 8 point Saint run (13-16).
• Rylee Leonard kept the Saints going with a basket to open the second quarter to make it a one point game (15-16).
• Senior Rachel Martin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day) scores in the paint on a fast break to bring the Saints back within two (19-21).
• Alex Smith gives the Saints their first lead of the day with a three pointer off an assist from Rylee Turner (22-21).
• Senior Maggie Jones (Piner, Ky./Simon Kenton) makes it back to back three pointers for the Saints to extend the Saint lead (25-21).
• After an "and-one" by Rachel Martin, Maggie Jones makes a jumper to push the lead to nine for Thomas More with 4:00 to go in the half (32-23).
• Maggie Jones continues her hot half with a three pointer off an assist from Rachel Martin (35-26).
• Thomas More takes a halftime lead of 37 to 32.
• Thomas More shot 13-32 from the field and 4-13 from the three point line in the half.

• Alex Smith scores the first points on the second half for the Saints to halt a Purdue Northwest scoring run, (39-42).
• Junior Callie Hunt (Trenton, OH / Edgewood) scores her first points of the day on a fast break off an assist from Rylee Leonard (41-44).
• Senior Mattison Vickers (Covington, KY / Simon Kenton) knocks down a jump shot to retake the lead for the Saints (47-46).
• Callie Hunt hits a three point shot off a pass from Mattison Vickers to extend the Saint lead to four (50-46).
• First year Desiree Tandy (Danville, KY / Danville) makes a shot at the end of quarter off a Rylee Leonard pass to keep the Saint lead at four (52-48).
• Mattison Vickers opens the final quarter with a three pointer for the Saints (55-48).
• With 5:09 to go, Alex Smith hits a three pointer to put the lead back to six for the Saints (58-52).
• A Maggie Jones three pointer off an assist from Kelly Brenner makes it a nine point game in favor of the Saints (61-52).
• After a Rachel Martin layup and free throws from the Saints, the lead was 11 with 1:21 to go (66-55).
• Saints make their free throws in the closing second and go on to win by a final score of 72-61.
• Thomas More shot 11-32 from the field and 4-12 from the three point line in the half.

• Alex Smith led the Saints with 18 points in the contest along with 4 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist.
• Maggie Jones recorded 13 points in the ball game behind 4 for 6 shooting from the field.
• Rylee Leonard had a team high 4 assists to go with 8 points and 2 steals.
• The Saints shot 16 for 17 from the free throw line.

The Saints return to action Tuesday (Dec 19) when they travel to Allendale, MI to face off against #2 Grand Valley State University. That game is scheduled to tip-off at 2:00 PM.