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The Saint Vincent Bearcats improved to 10-1 in the conference with a 75-69 victory over Thiel College in the Carey Center.

A strong start from center Grant Latus got the Bearcats off to a 6-0 lead, and a three from Chris Klimchock near the 14 minute mark made it 12-3.

Solid play from Isaac Turner and Dillon Stith helped the lead grow to twelve, 27-15, with just over four minutes left in the half, but the Tomcats closed the half with a 7-0 run to make it a five-point game, 27-22, at the break.

The visitors added another score to open the second half before Latus scored to increase the lead to five, 29-24.  However, Thiel then added five straight points, the last three on a conventional three-point play from Kamran McCaskill, to tie the game at 29 with 17:14 on the clock.

Stith then took control for the Bearcats, scoring the team's next eight points, but Thiel kept pace, as the score was 37-35 before Turner hit a three to extend the lead to five.

Yet again the Tomcats refused to quit, fighting back and taking their first lead of the night, 46-45, on a Ladell Trotty three at the 8:15 mark.

The lead was short-lived, as Edmond Wright II drove the baseline thirty seconds later and returned the lead to the Bearcat side of the ledger. 

After a Thiel free throw tied the game, RJ Brownlee gave the visitors a two-point edge, 49-47 at the 6:39 mark.

However, the Bearcats then regrouped, and scored ten straight points in a span of just 1:07.  Sean Kett opened the run with a three.  As he was shooting a foul was called away from the ball that gave SVC possession, and ten seconds later Turner scored and drew a foul, hitting the free throw to make it 53-49.  Wright then stole the inbound pass, drove the lane and tallied the score, and a spin move and layup by Turner ended the run at the 5:10 mark with SVC in front, 57-49.

Thiel was never able to recover, as much of the remainder of the game took place at the free throw line.  In all, the teams combined to attempt 56 free throws on the night (on 50 fouls), with the Bearcats hitting 21 of 31 shots.

Turner, who hit 7 of 11 free throws, led all scorers on the night with 21 points, while Stith added 17 for Saint Vincent (15-5 overall, 10-1 Presidents' Athletic Conference).  Stith also had a game-high six rebounds.  Klimchock, Wright and Latus each contributed 10 points, while Klimchock also added four assists.  Latus blocked three shots on the night, and SVC had 10 steals as a team.

For Thiel (10-8, 7-5 PAC), Anthony Harvey and Brownlee each scored 11 points, while McCaskill and Trotty added 10 each. 

Saint Vincent returns to action on Saturday in the Carey Center, hosting Grove City at 6PM.