LAKELAND, Fla.— Thomas University fell behind early and could not recover, dropping a tough one to Southeastern on Friday night

The Night Hawks struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, committing 21 turnovers that led to 18 points for Southeastern. Thomas managed just 18 points by halftime, shooting 30% from the field and going 2-for-10 from three-point range.
Tieraney Bolton led Thomas with 17 points and 6 rebounds, going 8-of-12 from the free-throw line. Kennedy Collins added 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Destiny Hill posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Thomas fell behind early as Southeastern opened the game with an 11-0 run in the first quarter. Jamia Brown briefly gave TU its only lead at 5-4 (8:43, 1st QTR) with a three-pointer, but the Fire responded with an 11-0 run and never looked back. Jodi Mullins, who finished with 23 points, scored 11 in the opening frame to push Southeastern ahead 23-11.
Turnovers plagued Thomas in the second quarter, with nine giveaways in the period alone. The Night Hawks mustered just seven points in the quarter, falling behind 38-18 at the break.

The Night Hawks played with more urgency in the third quarter, led by Collins' two three-pointers and improved rebounding from Hill. However, Southeastern's balanced attack extended the lead to 59-30 heading into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Thomas put together its best stretch, outscoring Southeastern 22-17. Bolton scored 8 points in the final period, while Hill added 9 points and 5 rebounds. However, Southeastern had already built a 36-point lead (4th QTR, 6:59), making a comeback impossible.

Thomas will look to bounce back at home against Ave Maria next week.