(CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - The Thomas More College men's basketball team fell, 71-66, to Bethany College tonight (Wednesday, January 12, 2011) in a Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) game at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.

With the loss, the Saints fall to 8-7 overall and 4-1 in the PAC.  With the win, the Bison improve to 10-5 overall and 4-2 in the PAC.

Thomas More took an early 7-5 lead when senior shooting guard Brian Muse (Bethel, Ohio/Bethel) made a lay-up with 16:25 to play in the first half.  Bethany answered with a 10-3 run to take a 15-10 lead when British Alexander made one-of-two free-throws with 12:53 to play in the half.  The Saints responded with an 11-0 run to take a 21-15 lead when junior point guard Daniel Whelan (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) made a lay-up with 7:04 to play before halftime.  The Bison closed out the half on a 12-5 run to take a 27-26 halftime lead when Nick Wilcox converted an old fashion three-point play with 1:07 to play in the half.

The Saints opened the second half on a 13-6 run capped by a lay-up by senior shooting guard Aaron Miller (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay) to take a 39-33 lead with 13:39 left in the game.  Bethany came right back with a 34-16 run to take its biggest lead of the game at 67-55 with 1:05 to play in the game when Reece Mabery made two free-throws.  Thomas More closed out the game on an 11-4 run, but it wasn't enough as Bethany won the game, 71-66.

Miller recorded his fourth double-double of the season as he finished with a game-high 28 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.  Muse finished in double-figures scoring with 13 point, while freshman point guard Spencer Berlekamp (Cincinnati, Ohio/Kings) led the team in assists with six.

Thomas More opens a four-game road trip on Saturday (January 15) when it travels to Greenville, Pennsylvania to play Thiel College at 3 p.m.