NKyTribune staff
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Fourth-seeded Thomas More outscored No. 5 seed Pikeville 43-22 in the second half on Friday as the Saints rallied for a 61-54 victory in the Mid-South Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
Thomas More’s Kaela Saner scored a team-high 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field. Courtney Hurst and Zoie Barth each scored 13 points for the Saints, who are ranked No. 22 nationally in the NAIA poll.
Thomas More (21-9 overall record) trailed 32-18 after the first 20 minutes of play. The Saints cut the deficit to single digits with an 8-3 run to open up the third quarter making it 35-26. A pair of Bear baskets increased their lead to 39-26, but Thomas More used a 13-0 run to tie the contest at 39-all with 42 seconds to play in the third.
Thomas More’s Kaela Saner scored a team-high 17 points on Friday against Pikeville. (TMU photo)
A Bear basket cut the Saints lead to 51-48 with 1:42 left. The Saints then scored the next four points, increasing their lead to 55-48 with under a minute to play.
After a Pikeville 3-pointer, Thomas More ended the game on a 6-3 run to seal the win.
Thomas More opened the game scoring 11 of the first 13 points. Pikeville answered back with a quick 5-0 run of its own to cut the Saints lead to 11-7. Thomas More then converted an and-one opportunity before the Bears ended the quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 17-14 lead.
The Bears began the second quarter on a 9-2 run increasing their lead to 26-16. After a Thomas More basket made it 26-18, Pikeville ended the first half on a 6-0 run to take a 32-18 lead.
Pikeville was led by Brianna Burbridge, who scored a game-high 19 points. Sierra Feltner was the other Bear in double figures with 13 points.
The Saints advance to Sunday’s semifinals against top-seeded Campbellsville at 2 p.m. at Bowling Green High School Arena.
(Information compiled from the Mid-South Conference, Thomas More and staff reports)
