(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – Sophomore guard Abby Owings (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) led the No. 1-ranked Thomas More College women's basketball team to an 89-66 win over traditional rival Hanover College today (Saturday, November 29, 2015) on the second day of the 14th Annual Julie Costello Memorial Classic – presented by Barleycorn's at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints remain undefeated at 3-0 and with the loss, the Panthers fall to 2-2.
Thomas More took an early 5-2 lead when senior forward Alexa Santamaria (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) made a lay-up with 8:09 to play in the fourth quarter. Hanover answered with a 12-7 run capped by an Allison Nash three-pointer to take a 14-12 lead with 5:28 to play in the opening half. The Saints used a 10-3 run to build a 22-17 lead with 1:31 to play in the first quarter when Owings made a jumper. The Panthers closed out the quarter on a 4-0 run to cut the lead to 22-21 when Ashley Molloy made two free-throws with 1:00 to play in the quarter.
The Panthers opened the second quarter on a 12-4 run to take a 33-26 lead with 3:38 to play in the quarter when Molloy made a lay-up. Thomas More closed out the second quarter on a 7-4 run to cut the Panthers' lead to 37-33 at halftime when Santamaria made two free-throws with 54-seconds to play in the quarter.
Thomas More opened the third quarter on a 19-3 run to take a 52-40 lead when senior guard Olivia Huber (Woodlawn, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) made a lay-up with 4:14 to play in the quarter. Hanover answered with a 12-6 run to cut the lead to 58-52 with 1:33 to play in the quarter when Baylee Mitchell made two free-throws. The Saints closed out the quarter on a 4-0 run capped by a put-back by junior forward Kaylee Bush (Middletown, Ohio/Madison) at the buzzer.
The Saints out-scored Hanover 27-14 in the fourth quarter to cruise to the 89-66 victory.
Owings led four Saints in double-figures with a career-high 36 points. Joining her in double-figures was freshman guard Madison Temple (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) with 16 points, Santamaria with 12 points and sophomore forward Nikki Kiernan (Cold Springs, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) with 10 points. Kiernan led the team on the boards with nine rebounds, while Owings led the team in assists with nine and steals with four.
At the conclusion of the classic Owings was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Kiernan was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Thomas More returns to action on Wednesday (December 2) when it opens Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play with a 5:30 p.m. game with Waynesburg University at the Connor Convocation Center.