(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – Sophomore forward Nikki Kiernan (Cold Springs, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) scored a career-high 30 points on her birthday today (Saturday, November 28, 2015) as she led the top-ranked Thomas More College women's basketball team to a 75-61, win over 15th-ranked Ohio Northern University on the first day of the 14th Annual Julie Costello Memorial Classic – presented by Barleycorn's at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints improve to 2-0 and with the loss, the Polar Bears fall to 2-2.
Ohio Northern jumped out to an early 6-2 lead when Carly Thomas made a jumper with 6:45 to play in the first quarter. Thomas More answered with a 12-3 lead capped by a Kiernan lay-up with 1:46 to play in the quarter to take a 14-9 lead. The Polar Bears closed out the first quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 16-14 lead after one quarter when Thomas made a jumper with two-seconds to play.
The Polar Bears opened the second quarter on a 10-6 run to take a 26-20 lead when Karissa Steffas made a lay-up with 5:28 to play in the second quarter. The Saints closed out the quarter on an 8-4 run to cut ONU's lead to 30-28 at halftime when sophomore guard Abby Owings (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) made a three-pointer with 1:07 to play in the second quarter.
Thomas More opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run to build a 37-30 lead when Kiernan converted an old fashion three-point play with 6:41 to play in the quarter. Ohio Northern answered with a 9-3 run to cut the lead to 40-39 with 4:26 to play in the third quarter when Brooke Espenschied made a jumper. The Saints closed out the quarter on an 11-7 run capped by a lay-up by freshman guard Madison Temple (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) with three-seconds to play in the quarter to increase the lead to 51-46.
The Saints used a 13-3 run to open the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 64-49 with 4:30 to play in the game when senior guard Kiley Bartels (Southgate, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) made a lay-up. Ohio Northern responded with a 9-2 run capped by a Britt Lauck jumper to cut the lead to 66-58 with 2:23 to play in the game. Thomas More closed out the game on a 9-3 run to cruise to the 75-61 victory.
Kiernan led three Saints in double-figure scoring as Owings had 19 points and Temple finished with 11. Kiernan and senior forward Alexa Santamaria (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) led the team on the boards with seven rebounds each, while Owings led the team in assists with five.
The Saints close out the Julie Costello Memorial Classic tomorrow when they play traditional rival Hanover College at 4 p.m. at the Connor Convocation Center.