CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.- Katherine Griffith had a career-high 21 points, but Thomas More’s Courtney Hurst went for 24 points and the Saints hit their free throws late to defeat the Phoenix, 73-62.
Cumberland (5-11, 0-6 MSC) started the game well, but the Saints came up with a big second quarter and did not relinquish the lead. The Phoenix shot 38.9% from the field and only hit two three pointers in the game. The Phoenix were out rebounded 36-31 and turned the ball over 19 times.
Griffith posted 21 points and 8 rebounds while shooting 7-of-11 from the field. Senior Kerrice Watson finished with 10 points after getting in to foul trouble and having to sit majority of the second quarter when the Saints made a big run. Junior Mackenzie Trouten registered nine points and four rebounds.
Thomas More (13-5, 2-3 MSC) shot 37% from the field and hit seven threes, six coming from Hurst. The Saints got the line 35 times in the game collecting 26 points from the line. Hurst went for 24 points, three boards, three rebounds and three steals. Emily Schultz posted a 10 point and 10 rebound double-double and Zoie Barth collected 12 points.
Phoenix jumped on the Saints early as Griffith scored six unanswered points in the paint to get the ball rolling. Hurst finally got the ball to drop from deep after the Saints came out slow, but CU was able to continue strong play early on in the quarter working it to as big as an eight point lead for Cumberland after Waston hit a jumper and Trouten hit a three. Thomas More wouldn’t go away as Hurst hit another three and got a slew of points for a lot of players. Each team tuned the ball over five times in the first quarter as the Phoenix slightly edge the Saints 15-12 after the first.
Thomas More tied it at 15-15 after two free throws by Schultz. Morgan nailed a jumper to give the Phoenix the lead back, but the Saint immediately tied it back and Zoie Barth hit a three from the right wing to give Thomas More their first lead of the day, 20-17 with 7:14 left in the half.
Thomas More began to feed Courtney Hurst late in the second quarter and Hurst delivered for the Saints hitting three three-pointers in a four minute span as the Saints work it to an eight point lead, 29-21.
Griffith added a free throw and Burns hit running jumper from inside the paint for the final points for CU in the half. The Saint added four more points and outscored Cumberland 21-9 in the second quarter, Saints lead 33-24 at the intermission.
Cumberland came out ready to go in the second half as the Phoenix got five points back quick as Johnson and Trouten each hit jumpers and Griffith added one of two free throws to cut it to just a four point lead.
Saints picked up a big offensive rebound and dished it out to Hurst and she hit another three. Hurst yet again buried another deep three from the right wing and then found her teammate Kaylin Burdick down low to put the Saints up 47-38 at the end of the third quarter.
Cumberland opened up the fourth quarter with a quick 4-0 spurt with a pair of free throws from Miller and Griffith. Saints answered with a 5-0 run to go back up by ten. Morgan picked off a pass and passed it up to a wide open Kerrice Watson, but the Saints came up with a loose ball and were able to get points Thomas More worked it up to a 13 point lead after free throws, 59-46 with 3:59 left.
Cumberland began to send the Saints to the free throw line and Thomas More hit 10-of-14 free throws as the finished off Cumberland 73-62.
The Phoenix will play again in 48 hours at Georgetown on Saturday at 1 p.m. central time.
