(WAYNESBURG, Pa.) - Senior shooting guard Aaron Miller (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay) recorded a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Thomas More College men's basketball team to an 84-78 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victory over Waynesburg University today (Saturday, January 8, 2011) at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.
With the win, the Saints improve to 8-6 overall and 4-0 in the PAC. With the loss, the Yellow Jackets fall to 5-9 overall and 2-3 in the PAC.
Waynesburg jumped out to an early 8-5 lead with 16:47 to play in the first half when Erik Noone made two free-throws. The Saints answered with a 28-12 run to take a 33-20 lead when Miller made a lay-up with 4:06 to play in the opening half. The Yellow Jackets responded with an 8-2 run capped by two free-throws by Nick Herman with 1:40 to play in the half to cut the lead to 35-28. Thomas More closed out the half on a 3-0 run to take a 38-28 halftime lead when Miller made one-of-two free-throws with 37-seconds to play in the first half.
Waynesburg opened the second half on a 14-4 run to tie the game at 42-42 with 16:02 to play in the game when Aaron Cromwell made two free-throws. Thomas More answered with an 11-1 run capped by one free-throw by freshman point guard Spencer Berlekamp (Cincinnati, Ohio/Kings) to take a 53-43 lead with 13:34 to play in the game. The Yellow Jackets came right back with a 20-13 run to close the gap to 66-63 with 7:00 to play in the game when Noone made a three-pointer. The Saints responded with an 8-0 run to extend the lead to 74-63 with 4:52 to play in the game when senior shooting guard Brian Muse (Bethel, Ohio/Bethel) made a lay-up. Waynesburg answered with a 9-0 run to cut the Saints' lead to 74-72 with 2:38 when Jeff Young made two free-throws. That would be as close as Waynesburg would come as Thomas More closed out the game on a 10-6 run for the 84-78 victory.
Two other Saints joined Miller in double-figure scoring as Muse finished with 19 points and Berlekamp had 10 points. Muse led the team in blocks with five, while Berlekamp led the team in assists with six.
The Saints return to action on Wednesday (January 12) when they host Bethany College at 7:30 p.m. at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.