(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The Thomas More College men's basketball team fell, 78-75, to Birmingham-Southern College today (Saturday, November 21, 2015) on the second day of the Coach Jim Connor Classic at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

With the loss, the Saints fall to 1-1 and with the win, the Panthers improve to 1-2.

Birmingham-Southern took an early 6-2 lead when Ian Thom made a jumper with 18:01 to play in the first half.  The Saints answered with a 24-13 run to take a 26-19 lead when freshman guard Brandon Horne (Louisville, Ky./Male) made two free-throws with 8:12 to play in the opening half.  The Panthers responded with a 13-4 run capped by a three-pointer by Ross Welch to take a 32-20 lead with 2:37 to play in the half.  Thomas More closed out the half on a 6-4 run to tie the game at 36-36 at halftime.

Thomas More opened the second half on a 4-0 run to take build a 40-36 lead with 18:54 to play in the second half when junior forward/center Simon Clifford (Louisville, Ky./duPont Manual) made a lay-up.  The Panthers came right back with a 16-6 run capped by a Mac Barron lay-up to take a 52-46 lead with 13:08 to play in the game.  The Saints responded with a 19-6 run to take a 65-58 lead with 8:54 to play in the game when freshman guard Damion King (Winchester, Ky./George Rogers Clark) made a lay-up.  Birmingham-Southern closed out the game on a 20-10 run capped by two free-throws by Thom with 10-second to play as the Panthers won the game, 78-75.

Sophomore guard Daniel Williams (Louisville, Ky./Jeffersonville) led two Saints in double-figure scoring with 16 points, while Clifford finished with 14 points.  Junior guard Sawyer Pauly (Crescent Springs, Ky./Covington Catholic) led the team on the boards with a game-high eight rebounds, while Horne led the team in blocks with three.

Thomas More returns to action on Wednesday (November 25) when it travels to Richmond, Kentucky to play Division I Eastern Kentucky University at 2 p.m.