By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter
In their final season as members of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference, both Thomas More College basketball programs are going out in championship-type fashion.
The Saints women continued their six-year streak of dominance against PAC schools with an 85-49 victory at Chatham (Pa.) on Saturday. Abby Owings scored 27 points and collected five steals for Thomas More, which improved to 18-1 overall, 12-0 in the PAC.
Thomas More, which held a 40-32 halftime lead, used a 25-6 spurt in the third quarter to build a 65-38 advantage. Owings scored 10 points to key the third-quarter run.
The Saints made 53.3 percent of their attempts from the field and limited Chatham (4-15 overall, 2-10 PAC) to just 30 percent shooting. Thomas More also owned the glass, finishing with a 46-27 advantage in rebounds.
The Thomas More women have won 127 consecutive games against PAC foes since a 68-65 loss at Saint Vincent (Pa.) College on Jan. 14, 2012. The NCAA forced the Saints to vacate every win during the 2014-15 season due to an eligibility issue, wiping out 20 victories against PAC schools.
In the men’s game Saturday, Thomas More ran its winning streak to eight with a 75-71 victory at Chatham. The Saints are 15-4 overall, 11-1 in the PAC and in sole possession of first place.
Thomas More’s Simon Clifford scored his 1,000th career point on Saturday and finished with 16 for the game. Damion King netted 18 points to lead the Saints, who rallied from a 38-32 deficit early in the second half with a 21-11 run to gain a 53-49 lead with 10:58 remaining.
Clifford sparked the Thomas More spurt with six points.
Ralph Stone added 16 points for Thomas More, which shot 55.8 percent from the field. The Saints held Chatham (4-14, 1-11 PAC) to 43.4 percent shooting and won the rebounding battle by a 34-26 margin as Brandon Horne grabbed nine boards.
Thomas More is unbeaten in 2018 (8-0), with its last defeat coming to Mount St. Joseph on Dec. 30 in a non-conference game.
Both Thomas More teams will be in action Wednesday at the Connor Convocation Center when Bethany (W.Va.) visits for a doubleheader. The women play at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men at 7:30 p.m.
NKU WOMEN LOSE AT CSU: Ashanti Abshaw scored 17 points to lead Cleveland State to a 72-49 win over the Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team on Saturday.
Khayla Livingston added 16 points and four steals as Cleveland State improved to 14-7 overall, 6-4 in the Horizon League. The Vikings forced 25 NKU turnovers and outscored the Norse 29-7 in points off those miscues.
Molly Glick led NKU (5-16 overall, 3-7 Horizon League) with 13 points. The Norse made just 34.7 percent of their shots from the field.
Chyna Anthony added 10 points off the bench for NKU, while teammate Grayson Rose grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. NKU is now 3-5 all-time against Cleveland State. The Vikings also defeated the Norse earlier this season, 70-65, at BB&T Arena.
NKU plays at nationally ranked Green Bay on Thursday night at 8 p.m. The Norse upset the Phoenix earlier this season by a 62-54 score at BB&T Arena. Green Bay is currently ranked No. 21 nationally.