NEW YORK, NY – Preston Thomas turned in his most dominant performance of the season, tying a Houghton University single-game record with nine three-pointers, while guiding the Highlanders past the John Jay College Bloodhounds, 87-75, with a career-best 35 points.
 
Thomas lit the fuse early, knocking down a three on the Highlanders first shot of the game, before scoring the first 16 Houghton points of the game.  He would add nine more points before the half, hitting on 9-of-13 shots and 7-of-11 from beyond the arc.
 
As the rest of the Highlanders fed off of Thomas' hot start, Houghton would build a 20-point lead, entering the break up, 47-27.
 
While Houghton would reduce the heat to a simmer in the second half, the Highlanders lead would never fall below double-digits.  With less than two minutes remaining, Houghton still held a 22-point advantage. 
 
The Bloodhounds refused to go gently into that good night, scoring the game's final 10 points, but inevitably ran out of time.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 87 | John Jay – 75
Records: Houghton: 3-8 |John Jay: 4-7  
Venue: The Doghouse, John Jay College | Attendance: 101

NOTABLE STATS
>> The Highlanders held the Bloodhounds to less than 36 percent shooting on the night, including less than 17 percent (4-for-24) from beyond the arc.  Houghton, meanwhile, shot 50 percent from the floor and knocked down 13-of-29 shots (45 percent) from long range.
 
>> Houghton converted 6-of-10 shots from the free throw line, while the Bloodhounds hit 23-of-34.
 
>> Thomas' 35 points are the most scored by a Highlander in a single game since Dylan Lambert ('19) scored 37 against SUNY Delhi on December 8, 2018.  He now ranks second on the team, behind only Jajuan Preaster, with 16.3 ppg.
 
>> Preaster hit 5-of-10 shots, good for 11 points, and added seven rebounds and six assists.  Aaron Johnson collected a team-high 13 rebounds, and Trey Flatt added 12 points.
 
>> Jamir Stewart led the Bloodhounds with 22 points.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"I like the trajectory we are on currently and I think the guys do, too. It was so evident that we now appreciate what good basketball feels like that we were visibly upset in the locker room at the end, knowing the second half had too many turnovers and second chances for John Jay. We had just won by double digits, but we are now only satisfied with excellence in what we are targeting. The second half wasn't excellent, so there is a healthy discontent. That's growth.
 
"When I pursued Preston Thomas to come to Houghton, that is what I knew he could be offensively - an absolutely lethal hot shooter once he gets going. Our players did a great job of finding Preston, but maybe my favorite part of his maturity is that he had four assists and one turnover on a day when he had it going. Preston can make great reads and find his teammates, if defenses make it too much about him." - Head Coach Jeremy Bialek

UP NEXT
The Highlanders remain in Gotham until tomorrow afternoon when they will square off against the City College of New York Beavers at 1:00.