Box Score

Fallin's Barbeque Thomas Postgame Show - Life

THOMASVILLE, Ga. - Thomas coach Brent Crews and his team were searching for a signature win early in the season. Crews' statement to his team just before tip-off in the team huddle: fear nobody.

Message received.

Johnnel Ginnie pumped in a game-high 24 points Wednesday evening, sparking the Green and White to an 83-74 win over Life (Ga.), the 2017 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship runner-up which is ranked ninth in the Division I preseason poll, inside TU Gymnasium. The Night Hawks have won five of their last six home games.

"Our team likes playing with each other," Crews said. "I think that was the biggest key in the victory tonight was playing together. 

"You always want to play the best and beat the best. That was a great test for us early. If you want to win a championship, you have to beat championship teams."

Ginnie led three Thomas (3-0) players in double figures on 8-of-10 shooting. Javoris Cooks ended with 16 points and five rebounds. D.J. Roulhac added 12 points.

"We came out and did what we had to do," Ginnie said. "We knew how big of a win this would be. A lot of people doubted us, so we wanted to prove the doubters wrong."

Keion Peoples contributed eight points and a game-high seven assists in the victory. Willie Holloway had two of the team's three rejections.

Deven Dorsett recorded 22 points and seven rebounds for Life (0-1). Undra Mitchem had 17 points and nine rebounds. Jay Johnson added 11 points.

Crews' squad shot better than 60 percent in each half and finished 62 percent (31-of-50) from the floor overall and drained nine treys.

The Running Eagles shot 44.4 percent (24-of-54) from the field but just 26.1 percent (6-of-23) from 3-point range. 

Thomas outscored the visitors in the paint 36-26. 

The Night Hawks never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 19 at the 14:46 mark of the second half following an Ivan Tomic layup. Life closed within five points, 79-74, with 1:12 to go after an Ivan Benkovic layup, but Crews' bunch held the Running Eagles scoreless down the stretch to seal the triumph.

Thomas travels to Florida State on Tuesday, Nov. 7, for an exhibition at 7 p.m. ET.