(WAYNESBURG, Pa.) – The Thomas More College men's basketball team fell, 83-80, in overtime to Waynesburg University today (Friday, January 22, 2016) in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.
With the loss, the Saints fall to 10-7 overall and 7-3 in the PAC. With the win, the Yellow Jackets improve to 5-12 overall and 5-5 in the PAC.
Thomas More jumped out to an 8-2 lead with 17:35 to play in the first half when sophomore guard Daniel Williams (Louisville, Ky./Jeffersontown) made a three-pointer. Waynesburg answered with a 12-0 run to build at 14-8 lead when DJ Ritchie made two free-throws with 14:36 to play in the opening half. The Saints closed out the half on a 36-22 run to take a 36-44 halftime lead when junior forward/center Simon Clifford (Louisville, Ky./DuPont Manual) made a lay-up at the buzzer.
The Yellow Jackets opened the second half on a 27-11 run to take a 63-55 lead on a Dylan O'Hara jumper with 9:00 to play in the game. Thomas More responded with a 17-6 run to take a 72-69 lead when Williams made two free-throws with 57-seconds to play in the game. Waynesburg's O'Hara converted an old fashion three-point play with 36-seconds to play in regulation to tie the game at 72-72 and force overtime.
Waynesburg opened overtime on a 5-1 run to take a 78-73 lead with 1:44 to play in the extra period when BJ Durham made a three-pointer. Thomas More answered with a 7-0 run to take an 80-78 lead with 22-seconds to play when Williams made a three-pointer. The Yellow Jackets scored the final five points of overtime to win the game, 83-80.
The Saints were led in scoring by Williams with 20 points. He was joined in double-figures by junior guard Sawyer Pauly (Crescent Springs, Ky./Covington Catholic) with 16 points and freshman guard Damion King (Winchester, Ky./George Rogers Clark) with 14 points. Clifford led the team on the boards with 11 rebounds and in assists with five. Williams led the team in steals with four.
Thomas More returns to action on Wednesday (January 27) when it travels to Grove City, Pennsylvania to play Grove City College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. inside the Grove City College Arena.