By Dan Weber
NKyTribune sports reporter
The Thomas More men’s basketball season found out Wednesday why host Montana Tech was an unbeaten 18-0 on their Butte, Mont., home court.
Despite leading much of the way in a game that went into overtime, Thomas More (23-9) was outscored 19-5 at the free throw line by the home team. From the field, the Saints outscored Montana Tech, 67-58.
“We played pretty well offensively,” TMU Coach Justin Ray said of his Saints who put all five starters into double figures led by Reid Jolly’s 22 points.
“We had plenty of chances to win this game,” Ray said of the 77-72 second-round overtime loss that will send the Saints home and Montana Tech on to Kansas City next week for the 16-team NAIA Championship finals.
Thomas More outshot Tech 50.0 percent (31 of 62) from the field to 42.9 percent (25 of 59). TMU also outrebounded Tech 35-32. One other stat TMU led in. The Saints were called for two technical fouls. Montana Tech none. Both were on player verbal exchanges without warning after scores.
“No warning, nothing,” Ray said. “The game was officiated differently. Just say many of those calls weren’t consistent.”
But was it absolutely a case of home cooking? “I don’t think you can say that,” Ray said. “We went five of 13 from the free throw line.”
If you get only 13 free throws to Tech’s 28, you’d better convert more than 38.5 percent (five) to Tech’s 67.9 (19). In a game where every point matters, that hurt.
TMU also had a shot to win it at the end of regulation but missed. And had an open three to tie it at the end of overtime and missed that as well.
Tied at 67 in regulation, the Techsters outscored TMU 10-5 in overtime for the final 77-72 score. “We missed a bunch of free throws in overtime,” Ray said.
Other double-figure scorers for the Saints were Wyatt Vieth and Noah Pack, with 13 points each, and Casey George and Jacob Jones, with 12 points each.
What seems completely clear here is that you better play the regular season like your postseason depends on it. Because it does. Falling from a high of No. 1 in the NAIA Coaches Poll to No. 24 on the final poll, Thomas More lost its chance to be one of the 16 first-round hosts as a No. 5 seed. Montana Tech, as a No. 4 seed, got the host role.
And that, as they say, is all that mattered. “For sure,” Ray said.
But then he added this: “It was a fun environment. There was not an open seat.”
BOX SCORE
THOMAS MORE 41 26 5{ –72
MONTANA TECH 34 33 10—77
THOMAS MORE (23-9): Jolly 20, Vieth 13, Pack 13, George 12, Jones 12, Ross 2, Scott 0, Smith 0, TOTAL 72.
MONTANA TECH (28-4): Ure 22, Williams 18, Diekhans 12, Larance 7, Dixon 4, Deden 5, Bake 4, Scott 3, Larsen 2, TOTAL: 77.