(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) – The top-ranked Thomas More College women's basketball team extended its winnings streak to 48 games as it defeated Chatham University, 97-37, tonight (Wednesday, January 20, 2016) in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints improve to 15-0 overall and 9-0 in the PAC. With the loss, the Cougars fall to 6-10 overall and 2-7 in the PAC.
With the game tied at 4-4 in the first quarter, the Saints closed out the quarter on a 24-3 run to lead 28-7 after one quarter when junior forward Kirsten Paul (Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Christian) made a lay-up with 37-seconds to play in the quarter. Thomas More out-scored Chatham 31-5 in the second quarter to extend the lead to 59-12 at halftime.
Chatham opened the second half on a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 59-19 with 8:25 to play in the third quarter when Ashley McClain made a lay-up. The Saints closed out the quarter on an 18-5 run to increase the lead to 77-24 after three quarters. Thomas More outscored the Cougars 20-13 in the fourth quarter to cruise to the 97-37 victory.
Thomas More had a 64-10 advantage on points in the paint, 36-3 off turnovers, 15-9 in second chance points, 24-2 on fast break points and the Saints bench out-scored Chatham 43-6.
Three Saints finished in double-figure scoring as freshman guard Madison Temple (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) had a game-high 17 points, sophomore guard Abby Owings (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) had 16 points and Paul finished with 14 points. Senior guard Olivia Huber (Woodlawn, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) led the team on the boards with a game-high eight rebounds, while senior guard/forward Sydney Moss (St. Albans, W.Va./Boone County (Ky.)) led the team in assists with a game-high eight. Owings led the team in steals with five.
Thomas More returns to action on Saturday (January 23) when it travels to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania to play Waynesburg University at 1:30 p.m. inside the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.