(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) The Thomas More College men's basketball team gets to be called the 2016 Bridge Shootout Champs after it defeated Mount St. Joseph University 65-62.

Thomas More was carried by an outstanding defensive effort as it held the Lions to 36.5 percent shooting from the field and 25.7 percent from behind the three-point line. The Saints were able to score seven points off 10 turnovers while shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from behind the three-point line.

The Saints had eight players put a tally in the scoring column tonight and were led by sophomore point guard Damion King (Winchester, Ky./George Rodger Clark), who finished the game with a double-double scoring 11 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Other notable scorers were sophomore center Junior Stockwell (Florence, Ky./Boone County) with 14, junior forward Austin Young (Campbellsburg, Ky./Henry County) with 12, and sophomore guard Ryne Callahan (Morehead, Ky./Rowan County) with 10.

Talking with Stockwell after the game we asked him about his 14 point night and how he was able to get around the big men of MSJ.  "I just used the NBA moves that we work on during practice every day and tried to get the best position down low". On the overall game he said, "We had fun tonight, the crowd kept us energized and helped us keep up the pressure on the defensive side of the ball".

The Lions of MSJ had nine players reach the scoring column and were led by Jordan Henry who finished with the game-high 21 points. Other notable scorers for the Lions were Adam Goetz, who finished with seven, Erik Edwards, who finished with eight and Andrew Finley, who finished with nine.

When talking with Coach Cooper after the game he told us, "We just watched not only a team that had fun tonight, but also a program as a whole. The crowd tonight was outstanding and helped keep the energy we needed to keep the pressure on them all night".

The Saints will return to the hardwood on December 19 as they travel to Wilmington, Ohio to take on the Quakers of Wilmington College. Tip-off will be at 7 p.m.