University of St. Thomas Athletics
24-4Overall
Saint Mary's
24-3Overall
W. Basketball gets 4th playoff title in five seasons
3/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
By DOUG HENNES
WINONA - Coach Ruth Sinn loves MIAC regular-season championships, but the lack of one hasn't stopped her St. Thomas women's basketball team from punching its ticket to the NCAA Division III tournament in the past.
And it didn't again on Saturday, as the second-place and third-seeded Tommies won the conference playoff title game 71-58 over top-seed St. Mary's to pick up their fourth crown in the last five years. In only one of those playoff title years (2012) did St. Thomas also win the regular season championship.
"This team improves, grows and plays better together the longer the season goes," Sinn said as she watched her players cut down the nets on the Cardinals' home court. "It also helps that we have been in big games - a lot of these players were in the Final Four two years ago and the Sweet Sixteen last year. Experience pays off."
On Monday, the Tommies will find out who their next opponent will be and where they will play Friday in the opening round of the 64-team Division III tournament. Sinn hopes St. Thomas, after being on the road in the first round last year, will get the nod to host next weekend.
The No. 15 Tommies (24-4) traveled to Winona Saturday seeking to win the rubber match of a three-game series against No. 17 St. Mary's (24-3) and avenge a 56-54 loss here in January. St. Thomas won at home 65-48 last month but finished a game behind the Cardinals.
"In January, we were a completely different team," said Sinn, referring to an injury that had ended forward Anna Smith's season and the absence of Jenna Dockter, who returned to the court six games ago after a long rehab of an injury last summer. "We didn't move the ball well in that game, and it had a real defensive feel. Today was a better offensive game for both teams."
Junior center Maggie Weiers, who had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, credited team play as the difference this time on the road. Three teammates also finished in double figures - Taylor Young led with 16 points, followed by Kelly Brandenburg with 15 and Dockter with 13 - and the Tommies shot 60 percent for the game.
"The last time down here, we played a very individual game," Weiers said. "We were all trying to save the game. Today we knew the only way to win was as a team. We knew this would be a really tough battle."
Fast-paced first half
St. Thomas hit 70 percent of its shots in a fast-paced first half, but Courtney Euerle kept St. Mary's close with 12 early points. The Tommies went ahead for good at 27-26 on a Dockter layup with 7:47 remaining in the half to start a 7-0 run and led 38-33 at the break.
A St. Mary's three-pointer cut its deficit to 47-44 with 12:32 left in the game. The Tommies didn't panic but used excellent passing to make five layups on their next seven baskets over a five-minute stretch to lead 61-51 with seven minutes to go. They didn't make another field goal but hit 10 of 12 free throws and held the Cardinals to only one basket in the last 4:31 to win.
St. Thomas dominated the boards 39-26 but had 17 turnovers - many on traveling calls - to St. Mary's 9. The Cardinals shot only 39 percent, including 30 percent in the second half, and Euerle was their only player in double figures, with 22 points.
It was the fifth straight game the Tommies held an opponent under 60 points. They rank No. 5 in Division III in allowing only 50.9 points a game. Young believes that staunch defense has been the key all season long.
"We want to make sure we are consistent on defense," she said. "We can't get lazy and let teams get run on us. We played great defense today, and it made a difference."
Click here for box score:
http://www.miacathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2013-14/boxscores/20140301_tvlx.xml
