Box Score
The Lions fell from the ranks of the unbeaten tonight when they were upended at home by cross-river rival Thomas More College, 52-44. The Mount, 3-1 on the season, will be back in action on Nov. 30 when they open HCAC play at home against Bluffton University. Thomas More improved to 4-0 on the season.
Both teams struggled to find the mark early and often in the pre-Thanksgiving night match-up, as the Saints grabbed a 25-16 lead at the half. The Mount connected on only 26 percent in the first half, missing numerous inside shot attempts while Thomas More made only 39 percent of their shots. They forced eight Mount turnovers in the opening half and out-rebounded the Lions, 19-16. David Mann (Fairfield, OH/Cincinnati Christian) continued his solid all-around play for the Mount, scoring 10 first half points and grabbing six rebounds.
The Lions turned up the defensive pressure early in the second half, and began to find the basket at a higher percentage, cutting the deficit to 32-28 with 10:49 to play in the game, and then whittled the margin down to 33-30, after an Aaron Barber (Canal Winchester, OH/Canal Winchester) layup at 8:24. The Mount, however, would get no closer. Thomas More forced the Mount into numerous turnovers over the next few minutes, and pushed their lead out to a double-digit margin with 2:40 to play in the game, 44-34. The Lions out-shot the Saints, 45 to 41 percent in the second half and out-scored their opponent, 28-27, in the final 20 minutes of action, but committed 11 turnovers. The Lions were just two-of-13 from three-point range in the game, while Thomas More hit five-of-18 from long distance.
Mann led the Mount with 16 points and nine rebounds while teammate Clifford Cass (Cincinnati, OH/Mt. Healthy) fired in 10 points, and added four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
