The Thomas More College men’s and women’s basketball team are enjoying successful seasons during the 2017-18 campaign as both teams are leading the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) standings.
The men’s team is currently 16-4 overall, including 12-1 in the PAC and is riding a nine-game winning streak. The Saints are shooting 48.5 percent (558-of-1,150) from the field and have a +11.0 scoring margin as they are scoring 75.2 points per game, while holding opponents to 64.5 points per game. Thomas More also has a +8.0 rebounding margin and a 1.2 assist turnover ratio.
Three Saints are averaging double-figure scoring as junior guard Damion King (Winchester, Ky./George Rogers Clark) is averaging 15.5 ppg, junior guard Brandon Horne (Louisville, Ky./Male) averages 10.7 ppg, and junior guard Ryne Callahan (Morehead, Ky./Rowan County) averages 10.1 ppg. Junior forward Ralph Stone (Shelbyville, Ky./Martha Layne Collins) leads the team on the boards with 6.3 rebounds per game, while King leads the team in assists with 89 and Horne leads the team in steals with 28.
The women’s team is ranked No. 4 in both Division III national polls as it is 19-1 overall and 13-0 in the PAC. The Saints have won 108 straight games over PAC opponents as they have won 95 straight PAC regular season game dating back to the 2011-12 season and have also won 13 straight PAC Championship Tournament games during that span. Thomas More has a +34.0 scoring margin, a +12.7 rebounding margin and a +7.7 turnover margin this season. The Saints defeated then No. 2-ranked Christopher Newport University, 86-53, in December during the Hoop N Surf Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Thomas More has three players that have scored over 1,000 career points as a Saint as senior guard Abby Owings (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) has 1,617 points (ranks second in school history), senior forward Nikki Kiernan (Cold Spring, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) has scored 1,352 points and junior guard Madison Temple (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) has 1,168 points. This season, Temple leads the team in scoring with 16.7 ppg, while Owings averages 14.6 ppg, and Kiernan averages 11.2 ppg. Temple also leads the team in rebounding with 6.8 rpg, and assists with 114 and Owings leads the team in steals with 46.
Both teams are at home on Saturday (February 3) when they host Geneva College in a PAC doubleheader at the Connor Convocation Center. The women’s game will tip-off at 1 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 3 p.m.
Cory Blackson
Director of Athletic Communications and Compliance
Thomas More College
