Thomas More University is headed to the NAIA Fab Four (national semifinals) after a 59-56 win over top-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan on Saturday.
The Saints (31-4) will play in the semifinals Monday night against Talladega (Ala.) at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Arizona Christian will battle Loyola (La.) in the other semifinal.
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Here are more details from TMU:
(KANSAS CITY, Mo.)-No. 2 seed Thomas More University men’s basketball team defeated No. 1 seed Oklahoma Wesleyan on Saturday evening (March 19) 59-56 in the Quarterfinals of the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship to advance to the Fab Four. The Saints overall record improves to 31-4.
Sophomore Reid Jolly (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) kicked off the scoring for the Saints, with a layup to tie the game up at 2-2 with 19:06 to play in the first half and to start the team’s 13-0 run over the Eagles.
Redshirt junior Ryan Batte (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) would hit a jump shot with 12:45 on the clock in the first half to extend the Saints lead to 15-6.
Graduate Student Garren Bertsch (Alexandria, Ky./Campbell County) drained a 3-point shot with 7:00 to play in the half to make it a 21-17 game.
First year Casey George (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) hit a 3-point jump shot for the Saints final basket of the half with 1:37 on the clock (27-27).
The Saints went into the locker room down 27-29 at the half.
Batte led the Saints with eight points and seven rebounds and had two assists in the first half.
Jolly followed with seven points, one rebound, and two assists.
First year transfer Jacob Jones (Jeffersonville, Ind./Jeffersonville) led the Saints with three assists.
The Saints were 38.5% (10-26) from the field, 35.7% (5-14) from the 3-point line, and 100% (2-2) from the free throw line in the first half.
Bertsch started the scoring off for the Saints in the second half, draining a 3-point basket to put the team withing one (30-31) with 19:01 to play.
Sophomore Noah Pack (Georgetown, Ohio/Georgetown) would hit a big 3-point shot to help the Saints regain the lead (44-42) with 11:56 to play.
With 4:28 to play, Jones would drive to the rim for a layup to extend the Saints lead to 52-49.
Batte would make two free throws for the Saints final basket of the game and to secure the game (59-56) with five seconds left to advance the team to the Fab Four.
Batte would lead the Saints with 15 points and had four rebounds and one assist in the second half.
Pack led the team with five rebounds and had seven points.
George recorded three assists to lead the Saints in the second half.
The Saints were 60% (12-20) from the field, 33.3% (2-6) from the 3-point line, and 75% (6-8) from the free throw line in the second half.
Batte led the Saints with 23 points and 11 rebounds (final site high in rebounds) and had three assists.
Bertsch followed with 11 points, two rebounds, and one assist.
Pack recorded 10 points and seven rebounds.
Jones tallied four assists to lead the team and had four rebounds and two points.
George also had four assists to lead the Saints and had six points and one rebound.
The Saints were 47.8% (22-46) from the field, 35% (7-20) from the 3-point line, and 80% (8-10) from the free throw line.
The Saints return to the court on Monday (March 21) against TBD at 8:00 pm ET in Kansas City, Mo.
