(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - The Thomas More College women's basketball team won its seventh-straight Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) regular season title tonight (Wednesday, February 15, 2012) as it defeated Saint Vincent College, 68-59, at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints improve to 20-4 overall and 16-1 in the PAC. With the loss, the Bearcats fall to 19-5 overall and 14-3 in the PAC.
Thomas More raced out to a 23-10 lead with 11:29 to play in the first half when junior guard Allison Long (Hebron, Ky./Conner) made a three-pointer. Saint Vincent answered with a 15-5 run capped by two Brittany Sedlock free-throws to cut the lead to 28-25 with 44-seconds to play in the half. Sophomore guard Katie Kitchen (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) made two free-throws with 26-seconds to play in the half to increase the lead to 30-25 at halftime.
The Saints opened the second half on a 9-4 run to extend the lead to 39-29 with 14:45 to play in the game when junior guard Jill Brunsman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) made a lay-up. The Bearcats responded with an 8-3 run to cut the lead to 42-37 with 9:41 to play in the game when Sedlock made a three-pointer. Thomas More answered with a 19-11 run capped by two free-throws by junior center/forward Katie Kees (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) with 2:17 to play in the game. Saint Vincent used an 11-4 run to cut the lead to 65-59 with Sedlock made a three-pointer with 21-seconds to play in the game. Thomas More scored three points in the final 21-seconds to for the 68-59 victory.
Long led four Saints in double-figure scoring with 18 points. Joining her in double-figures was Kitchen with 13, Kees with 12 and sophomore guard Devin Beasley (Burlington, Ky./Conner) 10. Kees completed a double-double as she led the team on the boards with 11 rebounds. Long led the team in assists with four.
Thomas More closes out the regular season on Saturday (February 18) when they host Chatham University at 1 p.m. at the Connor Convocation Center.