(NEW WILMINGTON, Pa.) – Four Saints reached double-figure scoring tonight (Thursday, January 5, 2017) as No. 6-ranked Thomas More defeated Westminster College, 83-62, in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game at Buzz Ridl Gymnasium in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.
With the win, the Saints improve to 12-0 overall and 5-0 in the PAC. With the loss, the Titans fall to 5-7 overall and 0-5 in the PAC.
Westminster took an early 4-2 lead when Kylie cook made a lay-up with 7:37 to play in the first quarter. Thomas More answered with a 19-3 run to build a 21-7 lead with 24-seconds to play in the opening quarter when sophomore forward Shelby Rupp (Milan, Ind./Batesville) made one-of-two free-throws. The Titans Aliya Gage made a three-pointer at the buzzer to cut the Saints' lead to 21-10 after one quarter. Sophomore guard Michaela Ware (Newport, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) converted an old fashion three-point play with 9:47 to play in the second half to increase the lead to 24-10. Westminster responded with a 14-5 run capped by a Jackie Mathews three-pointer to cut the lead to 29-24 with 3:45 to play in the second quarter. Thomas More closed out the second quarter on a 10-2 run take a 39-26 lead at halftime when sophomore guard Kelly Clapper (Newark, Ohio/Newark Catholic) made a jumper with 28-seconds to play in the half.
The Saints opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run to increase the lead to 47-26 with 7:15 to play in the quarter when sophomore guard Madison Temple (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) made a jumper. Westminster answered with a 16-8 run capped by a Paige Quinn three-pointer with 1:14 to play in the quarter to cut the lead to 55-42. Thomas More closed out the third quarter on a 5-2 run and built a 60-44 lead after three quarters when Temple made a three-pointer at the buzzer. The Saints out-scored Westminster 23-18 in the fourth quarter to win the game 83-62.
Thomas More out-scored Westminster 38-12 in the paint and 34-9 off turnovers.
Junior guard Abby Owings (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) led all scorers with a game-high 26 points. Joining her in double-figures was Temple with 20 points and senior forward Kirsten Paul (Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Christian) and junior forward Nikki Kiernan (Cold Springs, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) with 10 points each. Kiernan pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for her second-straight and fifth overall double-double for the season, while Temple just missed a double-double with nine rebounds. Ware led the team in assists with five and steals with four.
Thomas More will open a three-game home stand on Saturday (January 7) when it hosts Geneva College at 3 p.m. inside the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.