Coming off a 12-day layoff, the Thomas More Saints (11-2) hung on for a 70-68 victory over Saint Francis (Illinois) on Thursday afternoon.
The Saints nearly let a eight-point lead go to waste with 2:52 to play, but a 3-pointer by St. Francis (5-5) was missed in the closing seconds, Thomas More coach Justin Ray earning his 100th career victory in just his fifth season with the program.
Reid Jolly led Thomas More with 22 points and pulled down five rebounds as he went 10-of-17 from the field. It’s Jolly’s seventh game this season in which he’s scored at least 20 points. Wyatt Vieth added 18 points, tying a season-high, Casey George with 12.
The difference in this one was from long range, Thomas More knocking down 9-of-18 from deep, St. Francis just 4-of-17 from beyond the arc.
The Saints led by as much as 17 in the first half before the two went into the break tied at 32. Thomas More built another double-digit lead with 9:10 to play on a Vieth 3-pointer to make it 61-51. A free throw by George made it 62-52 with 6:34 to go before the Fighting Saints put up a rally to get all the way within one on Carter Fayhee’s layup with nine seconds to go to make it 69-68.
Jolly hit 1-of-2 from the line to make it 70-68 with seven seconds left, Fayhee’s 3-pointer in the closing seconds no good.
Thomas More has one more in Illinois before they return home, taking on Roosevelt University on Friday at 2 p.m., the fifth straight game away from the Connor Convocation Center.
They’ll play at home on Jan. 5 for the first time since Dec. 8 when they take on Campbellsville to get back into Mid-South Conference play.