(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - The second-seeded Thomas More College men's basketball team defeated ninth-seeded Geneva College, 87-65, tonight (Thursday, February 27, 2014) in the semifinal round of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championship Tournament at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

With the win, the Saints improve to 15-11 and advance to their third straight and fourth championship game in the last six years. Thomas More host third-seeded Saint Vincent College in the championship game on Saturday (March 1) at 7:30 p.m. at the Connor Convocation Center. With the loss, the Golden Tornadoes end the season at 7-21.

Geneva jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a Jordan Harbison three-pointer with 18:56 to play in the first half. Thomas More answered with a 17-4 run capped by a lay-up by senior guard Spencer Berlekamp (Cincinnati, Ohio/Kings) with 11:42 to play in the opening half to take a 17-7 lead. The Golden Tornadoes responded with an 8-3 run to cut the lead to 20-15 when Harbison made a jumper with 8:03 to play in the opening half. The Saints used a 7-0 run to increase the lead to 27-15 with 6:14 to play in the first half when freshman guard Drew Mays (Union, Ky./Ryle) made two free-throws. Geneva cut the lead to 27-22 with 4:53 to play in the first half when Chaese Vaudrin converted an old fashion three-point play to cap a 7-0 run. Thomas More closed out the half on an 18-6 run to increase the lead to 45-28 at halftime when senior forward Brandon Housley (Covington, Ky./Holmes) made a lay-up at the buzzer.

Thomas More opened the second half on a 38-27 run to take its biggest lead of the game at 83-55 when junior guard Eliot Pipes (Nashville, Tenn./Hillsboro) made a lay-up with 5:00 to play in the game. Geneva closed out the half on a 12-4 run, but it wasn't enough as Thomas More won the game, 87-65, and advanced to the championship game.

Thomas More had four players finish in double-figure scoring as senior guard D'Carlo Hayes (Louisville, Ky./Male) and junior guard/forward Drew Mumford (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy) each scored 14 points, Berlekamp had 12 and senior forward Josef Marshall (Dayton, Ohio/Trotwood Madison) finished with 10 points. Hayes led the team on the boards with a game-high seven rebounds, while he and Housley led the team in assists with five each.