Men's Basketball Fights Back but Comes up Short to the Chargers

(HILLSDALE, Mich)-Thomas More University's men's basketball team fell to Hillsdale on Thursday evening (Feb 27), 70-65. The Saints overall record falls to 17-9 and 12-7 in conference.

• Junior Mitchell Rylee (Ft. Mitchell, Ky./Covington Catholic) made a layup to get things started for the Saints with 17:57 on the clock (2-7).
• Senior Casey George (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) made a jump shot with 11:50 to play in the half to make it a 8-22 game.
• With 7:08 to play in the half, Casey George drove to the rim for a layup to put the Saints within 16 (12-28).
• Mitchell Rylee knocked in two free throws to make it a 15-30 game with 5:53 left in the half.
• Redshirt first year Kai Simpson (Lexington, Ky./Frederick Douglass) made a fast break layup to put the Saints within 12 with 1:45 to play.
• Junior Ryan Paris (Hilliard, Ohio/Hiliard Davidson) made two free throws to end the half to put the Saints within 10 going into the locker room at the half (39-29).
• Mitchell Rylee recorded and four rebounds to lead the team in the first half.
• Casey George four rebounds and two assists to lead the Saints and had eight points.
• Ryan Paris had eight points and one rebound.
• The Saints were 40.9% (9-22) from the field, 33.3% (2-6) from the 3-point line, and 75% (9-12) from the free throw line in the first half.

• Kai Simpson knocked in two free throws to start things off in the second half with 17:54 to play to cut the lead to eight (31-39).
• With 13:36 to play, redshirt first year Jack McCune (Paducah, Ky./McCracken County) banged in a 3-point shot to make it a 36-49 game.
• Kai Simpson drove to the rim for a layup and one with 9:39 to play (43-55).
• Casey George made a layup to put the Saints within four with 4:09 remaining in the game (56-60).
• Ryan Paris banged in a 3-point shot with one second left on the clock to make it a 70-65 game.
• The Saints would fall 70-65 to the Chargers. 
• Kai Simpson led with 18 points and had one rebound.
• Casey George recorded six rebound to lead the Saints in the second half and had eight points.
• The Saints were 40.7% (11-27) from the field, 37.5% (3-8) from the 3-point line, and 91.7% (11-12) from the free throw line in the second half.

• Kai Simpson led the Saints with 21 points and had three rebounds.
• Casey George recorded a double to lead the team with 10 rebounds and two assists and had 16 points.
• Ryan Paris had 11 points and one rebound.
• The Saints were 40.8% (20-49) from the field, 35.7% (5-14) from the 3-point line, and 83.3% (20-24) from the free throw line.

The Saints return on Saturday (March 1) for senior day against Kentucky Wesleyan at 3:00 pm ET.