Women's Basketball falls just short against Malone

(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - Thomas More University women's basketball team came up just short against Malone on Saturday afternoon in a matchup between two of the top three teams in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Saints fall to 19-5 overall and 11-5 in conference play.

• Malone scored the first four points before senior Sereniti Webb (Covington, KY / Simon Kenton / Midway) hit a layup to get the Saints on the board at the 7:44 mark. She started a five-point run for Thomas More on her own.
• A pair of free throws from senior Rylee Turner (West Harrison, IN / East Central) halfway through the game put Thomas More up by four-points before junior Desiree Tandy (Danville, KY / Danville) pushed the lead to five with a jump-shot and a free throw.
• Rylee Turner pushed the lead out to seven with another pair of free throws with 2:19 to play in the opening.
• Sereniti Webb hit her 8th and 9th points of the first quarter with a pair of free throws with just three seconds left to give the Saints a 20-14 lead.
• At 8:43 in the second quarter, Sereniti Webb hit the Saints first points with a layup with an assist from junior Izzy Rotert (Harrison, OH / Mercy McAuley).
• Rylee Turner dished the ball to redshirt junior Natalie Noel (Salem, IN / Salem) who hit a three-pointer at 7:23 to give Thomas More the 25-17 lead. 
• Malone climbed back within a point before Thomas More had an 8-0 run for their largest lead of the half at 33-24.
• The two teams traded three-point baskets with sophomore Amara Jackson (Huntington, WV / Huntington) hitting from deep off an assist from Desiree Tandy.
• The Pioneers hit back-to-back three-point shots to close the half and the teams headed to the locker room with the Saints leading 36-33. 
• Sereniti Webb had 11 points shooting 4-5 (80%) to lead the offense in the first half as the Saints shot 46.2% (12-26) from the floor and 37.5% (3-8) from beyond the arc. Rylee Turner went 5-5 from the free throw line and jumper in the paint. Izzy Rotert, Morgan Hunt, and Amara Jackson each pulled down three rebounds, combining for nine of Thomas More's 17.

• Malone continued their momentum, keeping the home team scoreless until a Izzy Rotert jumper at the 6:04 mark. Thomas More flipped the lead with another three-pointer from Natalie Noel that got the crowd to erupt with excitement.
• Both teams traded baskets with neither gaining more than a two-point advantage but Malone finished the quarter with a slight 50-49 lead.
• Thomas More quickly got back in the lead with a 7-0 run, started by Sereniti Webb's layup and a three-point shot from Morgan Hunt.
• The Pioneers responded with their own 9-0 run to make the score 59-56 with just under three minutes to play.
• Back-to-back layups from junior Morgan Hunt (Hollansburg, OH / Tri-Village) and Rylee Turner tied the game at 62 with 37 seconds to play. Malone got a final three-point shot to end the game 65-62.
• Rylee Turner led the team with seven points in the second half going 2-6 (33.3%) from the floor and 3-3 from the free throw line. The team shot 31.0% (9-29) from the floor and 37.5% (3-8) from three-point range in the half.
• Izzy Rotert added five rebounds to her total of the night.
• The Thomas More defense forced Malone into 11 turnovers and scored 13 points off those turnovers.

• Rylee Turner and Sereniti Webb each had 14 points both scoring all their points within the arc. Rylee Turner also pulled down five defensive rebounds.
• Morgan Hunt had 10 points shooting 4-7 from the floor and 2-4 from three-point range. She also had a game-high 4 steals and five rebounds.
• Natalie Noel shot 3-5 from three-point range to score all of her points.
• Izzy Rotert had 8 total rebounds and seven on the defensive end of the court.

The Saints will host Lake Erie College next Thursday (Feb. 19) for a 5:30 pm tip-off as they celebrate Senior Night.