NKyTribune staff
Briana McNutt and Zoie Barth combined for 38 points as the Thomas More women’s basketball team improved to 14-0 with a 62-59 win at Freed-Hardeman on Thursday.
McNutt scored a game-high 22 points for Thomas More, which is ranked No. 4 nationally in the NAIA poll. Barth added 16 points and four assists as the Saints remained perfect (9-0) in Mid-South Conference play.
Thomas More’s Briana McNutt.
Thomas More held a 55-45 lead with 7:20 remaining in the game after Maggie Jones buried a jumper, but Freed-Hardeman responded with a 12-2 run to even the score at 57-all.
Emily Simon made one of two free throws to give Thomas More a 58-57 lead with 3:22 left on the clock, and Taylor Clos extended the Saints advantage to 60-57 after her steal and basket.
With less than five seconds remaining in the game and Thomas More holding a 62-59 lead, Courtney Hurst partially blocked a long 3-point attempt by Alyssa LeMay as the buzzer sounded.
Thomas More shot 52.3 percent from the field and was 9-for-22 from 3-point range. The Saints held Freed-Hardeman (7-9 overall, 1-8 Mid-South Conference) to 39.3 percent shooting from the field.
TMU MEN IMPROVE TO 7-3: Reid Jolly scored 32 points to lead Thomas More to an 85-71 win at Freed-Hardeman on Thursday night. The Saints improved to 7-3 overall, 5-3 in the Mid-South Conference.
Luke Rudy added 20 points for Thomas More, while Ryan Batte finished with 15 points and five rebounds.
NKU MEN PLAY HOST TO IUPUI: Northern Kentucky plays host to IUPUI on Friday and Saturday, with 6 p.m. start times for both games. NKU is 5-6 overall, 3-3 in the Horizon League. IUPUI is 1-4 overall, 0-4 in the Horizon League.
NKU junior guard Trevon Faulkner averages 16.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
NKU freshman guard Marques Warrick has averaged 19.0 points per game during the last four contests. He netted a career-high 25 points against Cleveland State last week. Warrick is second on the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game.
IUPUI is led by Marcus Burk, who averages 15.0 points per game. The Jaguars’ Jaylen Minnett is scoring 11.3 points per contest, while teammate Elyjah Goss ranks No. 3 in the nation with 11.8 rebounds per game.
NKU is 9-2 all-time against IUPUI, including 6-0 at home.
(Information compiled from Thomas More, NKU Athletics Communications and staff reports)
