BOX SCORE

The Bearcats dropped their conference opener on the road to a tough Thiel College team, 80-60.

The Tomcats came out in high gear, and took a 7-3 lead with an up-tempo game.  Near the 15 minute mark of the first half, two straight three-pointers by BJ McGill quieted the crowd and gave SVC a 9-7 lead, and the teams traded advantages several times over the next five minutes. 

Saint Vincent was down by just one, 21-20, after a steal and score by McGill with just over six minutes left in the half, but Thiel then went on a 13-2 run to deflate the Bearcats.  Saint Vincent attempted to fight back, cutting the margin to eight at the half, 36-28, but the second half would belong to the hosts.

After Isaac Turner scored on a conventional three-point play to start the half, Thiel embarked on an 8-0 run to extend the lead to thirteen (44-31).  A fast break score by Dennis Bassich followed by a pair of free throws by Mike Burroughs with 12:15 left cut the gap to just six, 53-47, but the Bearcats could get no closer.

Plenty of physical play sent both teams to the free throw line often over the final ten minutes, and Thiel pulled away to a 20-point win.

McGill led Saint Vincent with 20 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots.  Bassich added 12 points, while Turner scored 10 and Burroughs had 7.

Thiel outrebounded Saint Vincent by a 43-30 margin for the night, led by Blair Rosenblad, who had a double-double with 13 boards to go along with his game-high 30 points.  Andra Jones also had a double-double, recording 20 points and 10 rebounds. 

Saint Vincent is now 5-2 overall, 0-1 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, while Thiel improves to 4-2/1-0, only showing losses against Division II schools IUP and Edinboro.

The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, traveling to New Wilmington for a 4PM matchup against Westminster College in PAC play.