(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The Thomas More University men's basketball team sprinted past the Wilberforce University Bulldogs Saturday afternoon, 83-69 in Mid-South Conference action. They are now 19-5 overall and 13-5 in the MSC.
- The Saints jumped out to a 19-9 lead just over ten minutes into the first half. Sophomore Casey George (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) had all nine of his points during this stretch to lead the Saints.
- A Jacob Jones (Jeffersonville, Ind./Jeffersonville/University of Wisconsin Green Bay) jumper put Thomas More up 30-15 with 6:37 to play.
- The Bulldogs would scratch back to within eight at 30-22 after a 7-0 run, but the Saints would shut the door from there.
- They outscored Wilberforce 15-9 over the final 5:27 to head into the halftime break leading 45-31.
- Sophomore Kyle Ross (St. John, Ind./Lake Central/University of Wisconsin Milwaukee) had 15 points at the break on 5-8 shooting while Jones added 12 on an identical 5-8 shooting.
- The Saints shot 56.7% from the field in the first 20 minutes.
- Thomas More would never relinquish a double-digit lead in the second half, leading by as many as 21 with 4:40 to play.
- The Saints shot an even better 58.3% from the field in the second half en route to their 83-69 victory.
- Jones, Reid Jolly (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County), and Wyatt Vieth (Hebron, Ky./Saint Henry) all scored in double digits in the second half, with Jones's 12 leading the way. Jolly had 11 and Vieth had 10.
- Four Saints in Jones (24), Ross (17), Jolly (13), and Vieth (10) scored in double-digits.
- This was a season-high in points for Jones.
- Ross earned his third double-double of the season, and second straight.
- Jones had six steals in the game, the best of any Saint this season.
- Vieth led the team with four assists.
- The Saints shot 57.4% (31-54) from the field, their fifth best shooting percentage of the season.
- It was the ninth time the team has made 30 or more field goals in a game this season.
- Their 11 steals as a team are the most this season.
Thomas More has now won five straight games and will look to make it six on Thursday at home against the Bethel University (Tenn.) Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. They beat Bethel in overtime 84-81 earlier this season on Dec. 17, 2022.
