News Release

Crestview Hills, KY — Thomas More's only lead in tonight's game was in the first two minutes as Transylvania handed the Saints their third-straight loss Wednesday night, 76-70. Despite winning the statistical battle, Thomas More could never re-take the lead from the Pioneers who improved to 16-8 on the season while the Saints dropped to 11-13, ending hopes for their first winning season since 1997-98.

Sophomore center R.K. Thurman led all scorers with 22 points and junior guard Marcus Johnson added 15 for the Saints, but Transy almost placed six players in double figures.

Just 1:45 into the game, the Saints took a 2-0 lead on a jumper by sophomore guard Chris Thompson, but Transy's Robbie Huellemeier aswered with a 3-pointer 25 seconds later at the 17:50 mark to give the Pioneers a one-point lead. Transylvania would never trail again and proceeded to run its lead to as many as 11 points, 15-4 with 13:52 left, which marked the largest of the game.

However, Thomas More was able to close the gap before halftime, capped off by a three-pointer by Johnson with six seconds remaining to tie the game at 36-36. The Saints outscored the Pioneers, 24-10 in points in the paint in the half, led by 15 from Thurman.

Much like the first half, Transy opened the second on a 14-5 run to take a nine-point lead, 50-41 with 14:57 remaining. Thomas More responded with a 9-1 run over the next 3:16 to cut the lead to one, 51-50, but Transylvania answered with an 8-1 run to increase its lead to eight to safely distance itself from any comeback attempt.

Finke finished with 21 points to lead the Pioneers and Bryan Howard added 14 points. Four other players for Transy, Huellemeier, Bryan Adams, Nick Valentine and Ryan Kizer each scored nine points.

Prior to tonight's game, the Saints honored senior forward Paul Hardy who was playing in his final game in Connor Convocation Center. Despite a rough shooting night, the Concord, CA native finished with two assists, two blocks, one steal and one rebound. Hardy is a James Graham Brown Scholar at Thomas More and will graduate this May with honors and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He currently has a 3.8 grade point average and plans to attend Harvard to get his MBA.

These two teams will meet again on Saturday in Lexington, KY in the season finale for Thomas More.