The No. 1-ranked Thomas More College women’s basketball team got a game-high 40 points and 13 rebounds from junior guard forward Sydney Moss (St. Albans, W.Va./Boone County) Friday and defeated Greensboro College, 83-61, in a first round game of the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament at the Connor Convocation Center.
With the win, the Saints remain undefeated at 28-0 and advance to play Eastern Mennonite University in the second round Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the Connor Convocation Center. With the loss, the Pride end the season at 24-5.
Thomas More jumped out to an early 11-3 lead when Moss made a three-pointer with 18:52 to play in the first half. Greensboro answered with an 11-4 run capped by a Syerra Troutman lay-up with 14:39 to play in the first half to cut the lead to 15-14.
The Saints answered with a 42-13 run to build a 57-27 lead with 1:35 to play in the opening half when Moss made one-of-two free-throws. The Pride closed the half on a 2-1 run to cut the lead to 58-29 at halftime.
Greensboro opened the second half on a 28-13 run to cut the lead to 71-57 when Tiffani Stephens made a jumper with 7:54 to play in the game. That would be as close as Greensboro would come as the Saints closed out the game on a 102-4 run for the 83-61 victory.
Moss was joined in double-figure scoring by freshman guard Abby Owings (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) with 16 points and freshman forward Nikki Kiernan (Cold Springs, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) with 10 points. Moss led the team in assists with five, while Kiernan led the team in steals with five.
From TMC Athletics