Feb 24, 2019
(ALFRED, N.Y.) – The second-ranked and top-seeded Thomas More University women's basketball team won its 12th-straight conference championship today (Sunday, February 24, 2019) as it defeated third-seeded University of Valley Forge, 92-47, in the American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) Championship Game in Alfred, New York. The Saints won the previous 11 championship in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) before leaving that conference this past summer. The Saints remain undefeated at 27-0 and the Patriots fall to 10-11.
FIRST HALF:
- Thomas More led 31-5 after one quarter and 48-12 at halftime.
- The Saints scored the first 15 points of the half.
- Thomas More shot 54.1 percent (20-of-37) from the field
- Thomas More had a 28-6 advantage in the paint and 15-0 on fast breaks.
- First-year guard Asyah Mitchell (Kenton County, Ky./Cooper) led the team in scoring in the first half with 14 points.
- Senior guard Madison Temple (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) had 12 points, six rebounds and four assists in the half.
- Senior forward Shelby Rupp (Milan, Ohio/Batesville) tallied nine points, seven rebounds and three assists in the opening half.
SECOND HALF:
- Thomas More extended its lead to 75-30 after three quarters and cruised to the 92-47 victory.
- The Saints shot 46.1 percent (18-of-39) from the floor.
- Thomas More had a 30-18 advantage in points in the paint and 13-2 on fast breaks.
- Temple led the team in scoring in the second half with nine points.
- Sophomore guard Hayden White (Milford, Ohio/Milford) had six points and six rebounds in the closing half.
- Sophomore guard Juliauna Howard (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) tallied six points in the second half.
NOTABLES:
- Thomas More shot 49.4 percent (38-of-77) from the field in the game.
- The Saints out-scored the Patriots 58-24 in the paint and 28-2 on fast breaks.
- Thomas More out-rebounded Valley Forge, 54-30
- Temple finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
- Rupp had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while dishing out four assists and recording three steals.
- Mitchell finished with 14 points.
- Junior guard Kaela Saner (Florence, Ky./Boone County) had eight points.
UP NEXT:
- The ACAA does not receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship and the Saints must earn an at-large bid to the tournament.
- The NCAA will announce the tournament field and the brackets for the championship tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. with a selection show on www.ncaa.com.