(SIOUX CITY, Iowa)-No. 1 seed Thomas More University's women's basketball team fell to No. 2 seed Clarke on Saturday evening (March 18), 63-52, in the 2023 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Finals. The Saints close out their season with an overall record of 31-4 and 20-2 in conference.
- Senior Zoie Barth (Ft. Thomas, Ky./Highlands) drove to the rim for the Saints first basket of the game with 4:47 to play in the first quarter (2-12).
- Senior Courtney Hurst (Burlington, Ky./Conner) drained a 3-point ask with 20 second left in the quarter to put the Saints withing seven (11-18).
- Zoie Barth knocked in a 3-point jump shot with 8:06 to play in the first half to make it a 14-20 game.
- Junior Kelly Brenner (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon) made a 3-point basket to give the Saints the lead for the first time of the night with 2:27 on the clock (23-22).
- Senior Emily Simon (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) laid in a layup with 1:41 to play to put the team up by one (25-24) for the Saints final basket of the first half.
- The Saints would trail by one going into the locker room at the half (25-26).
- Zoie Barth led the team with 11 points and five rebounds in the first half.
- Courtney Hurst followed with seven points, two rebounds, and one assist.
- Junior Alex Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mercy McAuley) recorded a team high of two assists in the first half.
- The Saints were 32.3% (10-31) from the field, 23.5 % (4-17) from the 3-point line, and 50% (1-2) from the free throw line in the first half.
- Courtney Hurst made a 2-point field goal to kick things off for the Saints in the second half with 7:21 on the clock (27-31).
- Zoie Barth knocked in two free throws with 5:29 on the clock in the third quarter to make it a five point game (29-34).
- With 16 seconds to play in the third quarter, Emily Simon made a layup for the Saints final basket of the third quarter and put the team within one going into the final quarter (41-42).
- Emily Simon hit a 3-point basket with 7:49 to play to tie the game up at 44-44.
- Zoie Barth made a layup and one to tie the game at 50-50 with 4:01 to play.
- Emily Simon made two free throws with 1:18 to play for the Saints final points of the game (52-59).
- The Saints would fall to Clarke 63-52.
- Alex Smith led the team in the second half with seven points and had one rebound and one assist.
- Emily Simon brought down four rebounds to lead the team and put up seven points.
- The Saints were 32.1% (9-28) from the field, 20% (2-10) from the 3-point line, and 77.8% (7-9) from the free throw line in the second half.
- Zoie Barth recorded 16 points to lead the team and had five rebounds and two assists.Â
- Courtney Hurst followed with 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists.
- Emily Simon tallied seven rebounds to lead the team and had 11 points.
- Alex Smith had a team high of three assists and had seven points and one rebound.
- The Saints were 32.2% (19-59) from the field, 22.2% (6-27) from the 3-point line, and 72.7% (8-11) from the free throw line.
- Smith was named to the All-Tournament First Team while Barth was listed on the Second Team.
The Saints return to action next season as they transition in to NCAA Division II and the Great Midwest Conference.
