FREDERICK, Md. (Dec. 30) – Turnovers and foul problems plagued a short-handed Saint Vincent men's basketball team in a 90-62 road loss to Hood College in non-conference play.
 
Some early turnover problems by Saint Vincent helped Hood take an early 6-0 advantage just a few minutes into the contest. A three-pointer by Mike Simmons got SVC on the scoreboard, cutting the deficit in half at 6-3 with 16:35 to play in the first half.
 
After Hood split a pair of free throws, SVC used back-to-back baskets by Tom Kromka and David Stephen to tie the game 7-7 at the 15:21 mark. The host Blazers would use five straight points to take a 12-7 lead.
 
The Bearcats would use a 6-2 spurt, including a layup by Kromka, to pull within a single point (14-13) with just 9:25 remaining in the half. Hood would slowly build upon its lead, using a 7-0 run to move the lead to 21-13 at the 6:49 mark.
 
After a three-pointer by Nathan Griffin pulled SVC within five (21-16), Hood would respond with a 7-2 run to move the lead into double figures for the first time, at 28-18 with 1:56 to play in the first. The Blazers would take a 33-22 edge into the break. A large part of the Bearcats' offensive struggles in the first half were caused by 14 turnovers.
 
A three-point play by Kromka early in the second half would cut the Bearcats' deficit back into single digits, making the score 36-29 at the 18:27 mark. Three-pointers on four consecutive possessions helped the Blazers strengthen their lead to 50-35 with 15:46 left in the second half.
 
From that point the game was in complete control for the Blazers, building the lead to as many as 30 points in the second half en route to victory.
 
Kromka led SVC with 17 points and nine rebounds, just narrowly missing a double-double. Stephen tallied 11 points, while Matt D'Amico added 10 points in the loss. Simmons racked up seven points, five rebounds and three assists. 
 
SVC converted 40.3 percent from the field. However, the Bearcats made just 3-of-14 three-point attempts and just 9-of-20 at the free throw line. Hood converted 58 percent of its field goals, including 13 three-pointers.
 
The loss was the third straight for Saint Vincent, who drops to 6-5 overall. The win improves Hood to 6-7 overall.
 
Saint Vincent returns to PAC action when they travel to Bethany College on Wednesday, Jan. 3. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. The Bearcats and the Bison will both enter the contest tied for second place with identical 3-1 conference records.