(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – Four Saints reached double-figure scoring tonight (Saturday, November 29, 2014), but it wasn't enough as the Thomas More College men's basketball team fell, 84-75, to 20th-ranked Centre College in a non-conference game at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the loss, the Saints fall to 2-4 and with the win, the Colonels improve to 5-0.
Thomas More jumped out to an early 4-3 lead when senior guard Eliot Pipes (Nashville, Tenn./Hillsboro) made a jumper with 15:45 to play in the first half. Centre answered with a 15-7 run to take an 18-11 lead with 11:39 to play in the opening half when Josh Karsner made one-of-two free-throws. The Saints closed out the half on a 28-18 run to take a 39-36 lead at halftime when senior guard Drew Mumford (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy) made a lay-up with 19-seconds to play in the half.
Thomas More opened the second half on a 12-10 run capped by a Mumford lay-up with 15:20 to play in the game to extend the lead to 51-46. The Colonels responded with a 27-8 run to build a 73-59 lead with 3:55 to play in the game when Mike Geegan made a lay-up. The Saints answered with an 11-2 run to cut the lead to 75-70 when sophomore guard Drew Mays (Union, Ky./Ryle) made a lay-up with 1:41 to play in the game. That would be as close as Thomas More would come as the Colonels closed out the game on a 9-5 run for the 84-75 win.
Sophomore guard/forward Nate McGovney (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) led the Saints in scoring with 20 points, while he was joined in double-figure scoring by Mumford with 16 and Mays and senior forward Jalen Clark (Frankfort, Ky./Western Hills) with 10 points each. Mumford led the team on the boards with seven rebounds, while Mays led the team in assists with eight and Pipes led the team in steals with three.
Thomas More opens Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play on Wednesday (December 3) when it travels to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania to play Waynesburg University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.