(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - Junior point guard Daniel Whelan (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) scored a career-high-tying 23 points, but it wasn't enough as the Thomas More College men's basketball team fell, 86-85, to Thiel College tonight (Wednesday, February 16, 2011) in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

With the loss, the Saints fall to 12-12 overall and 8-5 in the PAC.  With the win, the Tomcats improve to 18-6 overall and 13-1 in the PAC.

Thiel jumped out to an early 12-6 lead when Anthony Harvey made a jumper with 15:11 to play in the first half.  Thomas More came right back with a 19-9 run to take a 25-21 lead with 7:48 to play in the first half when senior shooting gauard Aaron Miller (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay) made two free-throws.  The Tomcats answered with a 10-2 run capped by a lay-up by Alan Geogre to take a 31-27 lead with 5:10 to play in the opening half.  The Saints responded with a 6-0 run to take a 33-31 lead with 2:04 to play in the half when senior shooting guard Brian Muse (Bethel, Ohio/Bethel) made a lay-up.  Thiel closed out the half on a 5-2 run to take a 36-35 halftime lead.

Thomas More opened the second half on a 17-8 run to take a 52-44 lead with 16:04 to play in the game when Muse made a lay-up.  Thiel came right back with a 23-7 run capped by a lay-up by Ladell Trotty with 9:29 to play in the game to take a 67-59 lead.  Undaunted, the Saints put together a 23-15 run to tie the game at 82-82 when Muse made a lay-up with 1:30 to play in the game.  It wasn't enough as Thiel closed out the game on a 4-3 run for the 86-85 victory.

Whelan led five Saints in double-figures as Miller and Muse each finished with 17 points, junior center Colt Stafford (Groveport, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) had 11 and freshman point guard Spencer Berlekamp (Cincinnati, Ohio/Kings) added 10.  Miller led the team on the boards with seven rebounds, while Berlekamp led the team in assists with four and Whelan led the team in steals with four.

The Saints close out the regular season on Saturday (February 19) when they host Saint Vincent College at 3 p.m. at the Connor Convocation Center.