Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director
BETHANY, W.Va. (Dec. 2) - Behind a career-high 22 points from senior Liam Davis (Orlando, Fla./Orlando Christian), the Bison claimed a 72-65 win over Thomas More Saturday evening in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game at the Hummel Field House.
The win improves Bethany to 2-0 in the PAC, 2-5 overall this season. Meanwhile, the Saints, last season's conference champion, fall to 4-3 overall, 2-1 in league play.
Davis dropped 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting and added a game-high nine rebounds in the victory. Senior guard Calique Jones (Pittsburgh, Pa./Obama Academy) added a balanced line of 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals, while both senior Christian Harris (Cleveland, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) and sophomore Chaice Truex (Wheeling, W.Va./St. John's Central (Ohio)) each added 10 points in the win.
Bethany controlled play for the first eight minutes and established a 19-12 lead when Jones stole the ball and finished a layup with 11:58 left in the first half. Thomas More notched a pair of baskets to pull within three, 19-16, but a 7-2 spurt by the Bison helped them open up a 28-18 advantage with five minutes remaining until halftime, before taking a 37-26 lead into the locker rooms.
Thomas More opened the second half strong and managed to draw within seven at 39-32 with a pair of three pointers in the first two minutes. Bethany kept the Saints from getting any closer and out-scored Thomas More 22-to-12 over the next nine minutes, including a basket-and-one from junior guard Malik Ellis (Richmond, Va./Life Christian Academy) and a three pointer from Harris, to take a 61-44 lead with 9:03 left in the game.
Thomas More began to cut into the lead, but did not slice its deficit to single digits until the final minute of the contest. A Damion King free-throw with 42 seconds on the clock made the score 70-61 and a cosmetic three pointer at the horn wrapped up Bethany's victory.
Bethany, who shot 15-of-29 (52 percent) in the first half, continued to answer the Saints when they scored and shot 13-of-32 (41 percent) in the second stanza.
The Green & White were opportunistic throughout the game and finished with 21 points off of 15 Thomas More turnovers. Bethany also held a 16-to-4 advantage in second-chance points and out-scored the Saints 13-to-zero on the fast break. The Bison led the game for 38 minutes and 44 seconds and the game was tied for the other one minute and 16 seconds.
King led Thomas More with 18 points in the loss.
Bethany returns to the hardwood on Wednesday, December 6 when they travel to Greene County in Pennsylvania to take on Waynesburg for a PAC contest at 7:30 p.m.
