THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The Thomas University men's basketball team defeated Keiser University, 56-45, Thursday night in the Sun Conference opener at TU Gymnasium. 

Thomas improves to 3-1 after defeating Keiser, which is receiving votes in the preseason NAIA Coaches Top 25 poll. 

Junior Dexter Hood came in off the bench to lead the Night Hawks with 20 points and nine rebounds, including a perfect 9-of-9 performance at the line. Junior Joshua Scott added 14 points and a team high three assists, also off the bench. TU's reserves scored 44 of the team's 56 points. 

Thomas defense held Keiser to 11.8 percent (2-17) shooting from long range. The Night Hawks led Keiser in points in the paint, 20-14, and scored 19 points off of the Seahawks' 16 turnovers. 

TU took off on a 10-2 run over the first four minutes to open the game, but Keiser scratched its way back to within one at the break. 

The Seahawks scored first in the second stanza to take the one-point lead, but Thomas erased that margin and went ahead by six with 16:30 left in the game. Keiser tied the game at 31 with 13 minutes to play, but consecutive made free throws by Adrian Sims with 12:41 remaining gave TU the lead for good. Sophomore Brandon Kostyk knocked down a 3-pointer with three minutes left to give Thomas the 51-40 lead, its first double-digit margin of the game. 

The Night Hawks next face Johnson & Wales at 4 p.m. Saturday at the TU Gymnasium.