PORTSMOUTH — The Shawnee State University men’s basketball team handed No. 1 ranked Thomas More University their first loss of the season on Saturday — defeating the Saints 60-56 inside Waller Gymnasium,.

The Bears held an eight-point lead at halftime and held on to win their fifth game in their last six, improving their record to 7-6 on the 2022-23 campaign.

SSU was led in scoring by sophomore Jaiden Guice, who scored 20 points on six field goals — five of which were three pointers, and a three-of-four mark at the free-throw line.

Junior Tre Baumgardner III scored 19 points for the Bears on seven field goals.

Baumgardner, like Guice, made three-of-four foul shots.

As a team, SSU shot 23-of-61 from the field and 8-of-27 from three.

They committed seven turnovers to 11 assists.

Defensively, the Bears had 11 steals, including a game-high four by junior Brandon Beavers.

SSU held Thomas More to 22-of-67 shooting from the field and 9-of-38 from three.

Shawnee State returns to Mid-South Conference play on Thursday (Dec. 15), when they’ll host Lindsey Wilson College in a women’s-men’s doubleheader.

***

BOX SCORE

Thomas More 21 35 — 56

Shawnee State 29 31 — 60

Thomas More (9-1): Reid Jolly 7 0-0 17, Wyatt Vieth 1 0-0 3, Jacob Jones 2 2-2 6, Casey George 6 1-2 14, Noah Pack 4 0-0 11, Matt Smith 0 0-0 0, Derek Eddings 2 0-0 5; TOTALS 22 3-4 56, Three-point field goals: 9 (Reid Jolly and Noah Pack 3 apiece, Wyatt Vieth, Casey George and Derek Eddings 1 apiece)

Shawnee State (7-6): Felix Uadiale 1 0-1 2, Tre Baumgardner III 7 3-4 19, Jaiden Guice 6 3-4 20, Brandon Beavers 4 0-0 8, Latavious Mitchell 4 0-0 8, Issac Abergut 1 0-0 3, Tre Beard 0 0-0 0, Azubukie Nwankwo 0 0-0 0; TOTALS 23 6-9 60; Three-point field goals: 8 (Jaiden Guice 5, Tre Baumgardner III 2, Issac Abergut 1)