No. 3 Thomas More women defeat No. 2 Hope (Mich.), 81-61; Louisville women defeat NKU, 92-59

NKyTribune staff

Every Thomas More University opponent is focused on stopping Madison Temple, but the Saints proved Saturday they are much more than a one-player show during a battle of nationally ranked teams in the NCAA Division III poll.

Emily Schultz poured in 21 points as No. 3 Thomas More knocked off No. 2 Hope (Mich.) by an 81-61 score in the championship game of the Post-Exam Jam in Holland, Mich. The unbeaten Saints (13-0) held Hope (7-1) to 35.3 percent shooting from the field and placed four players in double figures to claim a major road victory.

Schultz was 9-for-11 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds. She also blocked two shots and dished out a pair of assists.

Temple added 15 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for Thomas More, which shot 47.7 percent from the field. Shelby Rupp also added a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) as the Saints dominated the court to remain unbeaten.

Kaela Saner finished with 15 points — all on 3-pointers — for Thomas More, which has not dropped a regular-season game in more than a year. The Saints’ last defeat in the regular season occurred on Nov. 18, 2017, when Rochester (N.Y.) pulled out a 61-58 win over visiting Thomas More.

The Saints controlled the inside and finished with a 46-27 advantage on the boards. Kenedy Schoonveld led Hope with 13 points.

LOUISVILLE DEFEATS NKU: The University of Louisville women’s basketball team posted a 92-59 victory over NKU on Saturday at the KFC Yum! Center. The unbeaten Cardinals (11-0) shot 50.7 percent from the field and coasted to the win.

Dana Evans scored a career-high 21 points for Louisville, which owned a 51-24 lead at halftime. Kylee Shook recorded her first double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Cardinals, while teammate Sam Fuehring added 15 points.

Kailey Coffey finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds for NKU, which dropped to 1-6. Grayson Rose tied her career high of 16 points, going 7-for-10 from the field. She also grabbed eight rebounds for the Norse, who have lost six consecutive games.

The Cardinals opened the game in strong fashion, building a quick 11-2 lead in the first three minutes of play. Powered by drives to the rim, the Cards took advantage of their opportunities at the foul line, going 8-for-9 in the first half as they amassed a 51-24 lead at halftime.

NKU began to cut into the deficit after halftime, outscoring the Cards 21-15 in the third quarter with strong play at the bucket. For the game, NKU outrebounded Louisville by a 39-33 margin.

Despite the comeback, the Cardinals’ lead never dipped below 18, eventually leading to a 10-2 Louisville run to close the game.

(Information compiled from Thomas More, NKU Athletics Communications and staff reports)