(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The No. 1-ranked Thomas More College women's basketball team won its 103rd-straight home game against Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) opponents as it defeated Geneva College 91-45 tonight (Wednesday, January 13, 2016) at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints improve to 13-0 overall and 7-0 in the PAC. Thomas More's last PAC loss in the Connor Convocation Center was February 7, 2007, which was a 49-48 overtime loss to Washington & Jefferson College. With the loss, the Golden Tornadoes fall to 6-8 overall and 3-4 in the PAC.
Geneva jumped out to an early 8-2 lead when Miranda Heaney made a three-pointer with 7:17 to play in the first quarter. Thomas More responded as it closed out the quarter on a 28-5 run to build a 30-13 after one quarter when junior forward Kaylee Bush (Middletown, Ohio/Madison) made a lay-up at the buzzer.
Thomas More opened the second quarter on an 11-0 run to extend the lead to 41-13 with 6:43 to play in the quarter when sophomore forward Nikki Kiernan (Cold Springs, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) made two free-throws. Geneva responded with an 11-7 run capped by a Marissa Heaney three-pointer to cut the lead to 48-24 with 2:40 to play in the second quarter. The Saints closed out the second quarter on a 5-0 run to build a 53-24 halftime lead when senior guard Olivia Huber (Woodlawn, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) made a lay-up with 1:05 to play in the quarter.
Thomas More out-scored the Golden Tornadoes 24-8 in the third quarter to extend the lead to 77-32 after one quarter and then had a 14-13 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter to cruise to the 91-45 victory.
The Saints had a 54-10 advantage on points in the paint, 37-7 in points off turnovers and 22-0 on fast break points.
Kiernan led the team in scoring with a game-high 22 points, while senior guard/forward Sydney Moss (St. Albans, W.Va./Boone County (Ky.)) joined her in double-figure scoring with 11 points and sophomore guard Abby Owings (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) just missed double-figures with nine points. Bush led the team on the boards with a game-high-tying six rebounds, while Owings led the team in assists with nine. Huber and freshman guard Michaela Ware (Newport, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) led the team in steals with five each.
Thomas More returns to action on Saturday (January 16) when it travels to Latrobe, Pennsylvania to play Saint Vincent College at 2:30 p.m. inside the Carey Center.