(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - The Thomas More College men's basketball team extended its winning streak to five games today (Saturday, February 4, 2012) as it defeated Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) front runner Thiel College, 73-63, at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

With the win, the Saints improve to 15-7 overall and 10-3 in the PAC.  With the loss, the Tomcats fall to 14-6 overall and 11-2 in the PAC. 

Thomas More raced out to a 9-4 lead with 15:13 to play in the first half when junior point guard Ryan Hamm (Maysville, Ky./Mason County) made a three-pointer.  Thiel answered with a 22-15 run capped by an Anthony Harvey lay-up with 5:06 to play in the half and give the Tomcats a 26-24 lead.  The Saints closed out the half on a 14-5 run to take a 38-31 lead at halftime when junior small forward Phil Feinberg (Tempe, Ariz./Corona Del Sol) converted a three-point play with 48-seconds to play in the half. 

The Tomcats opened the second half on a 15-2 run to take a 46-40 lead with 14:07 to play in the game when Devon Adams made a lay-up.  Thomas More responded with a 24-6 run capped by a Feinberg tip-in with 6:30 to play in the game to give the Saints a 64-52 lead.  Thiel answered with an 11-5 run to cut the lead to 69-63 with 1:00 to play in the game when Adams made a jumper.  That would be as close as the Tomcats would come as Thomas More closed out the game on a 4-0 capped by a dunk by senior center Colt Stafford (Groveport, Ohio/Bishop Hartley) with 40-seconds to play in the game for the 73-63 victory.

Stafford led three Saints in double-figures with a career-high 24 points.  Joining him in double-figures was Hamm and Feinberg with 11 points each.  Feinberg led the team on the boards with 10 rebounds to complete his fifth double-double of the season. 

Thomas More returns to action on Wednesday (February 8) when it travels to New Wilmington, Pennsylvania to play Westminster College.  The game will tip-off at 8 p.m. inside the Buzz Ridl Gymnasium.