University of St. Thomas Athletics
North Dakota State
Women’s Basketball hosts North Dakota State in their return to action
1/11/2022 10:07:00 AM | Women's Basketball
St. Paul, Minn. - St. Thomas Women's Basketball (5-8, 2-1) returns to action after a brief layoff due to COVID-related circumstances. The Tommies most recently earned their first Summit League road win when they traveled to Macomb, Ill., to face Western Illinois.
The Purple's win over WIU was the first contest of the season that required overtime, in a game that couldn't be decided after the first overtime session, going into double overtime. St. Thomas was able to walk away with a 66-64 win on New Year's day.
As a team, the Tommies are averaging just over 60 points per game and 36 rebounds per game.
Individually, grad student F Erin Norling is leading the team with 13.5 points per game. Norling is connecting on 43 percent (69-of-159) of her shots from the field and 35 percent (25-of-70) of her shots from behind the arc. Freshman G Jade Hill is averaging 11.9 points per game through her first 13 collegiate contests. Hill also leads St. Thomas with 33 assists on the season.
Briefing the Bison
The North Dakota State women's basketball team couldn't pull off the comeback against Omaha on Saturday afternoon at Scheels Center falling 68-54.
The Bison are 6-9 on the season including a mark of 2-3 in Summit League action. Four of NDSU's six wins have come at home and the Bison are only 2-6 in road contests this seaon.
As a team, NDSU is averaging 63.4 points per game and allowing 64.5 points per game. The Bison are shooting 41 percent from the fiend and 35 percent from behind the arc. NSDU own's the rebounding advantage on the season, on average pulling down 34 rebounds per game compared to 32 by its opponents.
Individually, Heaven Hamling is 1-of-2 Bison to average double-digit points per game with 13.1 points, she is joined by Ryan Cobbins who is averaging 12.3 points per game through 15 games this season. Cobbins is shooting 47 percent from behind the arc, connecting on 23-of-49 of her shots from deep.
Last Time Out
Freshman guard Jade Hill sank a clutch 3-point basket late in regulation time to force overtime, then scored a go-ahead layup late in the second overtime to lead visiting St. Thomas to a 66-64 victory over Western Illinois Saturday afternoon in Summit League women's basketball action.
Coach Ruth Sinn's Tommies (5-8 overall, 2-1 Summit) trailed late in the fourth quarter and again late in each overtime session before closing out the hard-fought victory. They have their first two-game winning streak in season one of Division I play after a game that included 11 ties and 15 lead changes. They limited a WIU team that came in averaging 81 points a game to just 48 points in regulation time.
Graduate student Erin Norling led the Purple with 13 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Hill added 12 points, six rebounds and four assists while playing 45 of 50 minutes. Jordyn Glynn and Maggie Negaard each scored 11 points. Kate Burns had some key baskets and rebounds in overtime and helped hold down WIU's starting center Evan Zars under her 12 ppg average.
The Toms outrebounded the host team 50-46 and overcame 23 turnovers.
"I'm really proud of our ladies, it's just a great overall win with everyone contributing in a lot of little ways," Sinn said. "Any time you get into overtime games, there are a lot of ups and downs, but you just have to keep going and look to the next possession and not think about what has happened before that. I felt like we did a great job of being resilient.
St. Thomas built a nine-point lead early in the third quarter, but the game tightened and the host team led 37-36 after three quarters.
Glynn's layup with 2:01 left in the fourth quarter regained a 45-44 lead for the Tommies. Western answered with two made free throws and a layup to go ahead 48-45 into the final 30 seconds. But Hill drained a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to tie the game, then recorded a steal in the closing seconds to help force overtime.
In the first overtime Western (11-3, 2-1) led 55-52 into the final 45 seconds. Hill made one of two free-throw attempts, and after a WIU missed shot she rebounded and dished to Glynn, who converted the tying layup with 10 seconds to go. After a time out, WIU was unable to score on its last possession, and the game moved into the second overtime.
St. Thomas went up 61-57 in the second OT, but WIU eventually took a 64-63 lead on a layup with 22 seconds to go. Hill countered with a driving layup with 12 seconds left for a 65-64 lead. After a Western timeout the hosts missed a go-ahead layup with two seconds to go, and Kate Burns grabbed the rebound. Norling was fouled and made one of two with :01 to go, and the Toms were able to close out the win.
Conference Standings
As the Tommies enter their first Summit League games, they are towards the top of a handful of statistic across the conference.
Below are the top-five team and individual rankings and statistics for all games by the 10 conference schools this season.
Rank - Category - Stat
Team
4th - Defensive Rebounding - 25.7 per game
5th - Offensive Rebounding - 10.5 per game
5th - Rebounding Margin - +1.6 per game
Individual
2nd - Minutes - J. Hill, 34.3 per game
6th - Free-Throw Percentage - J. Hill, .764
8th - Scoring - E. Norling, 13.5 per game
9th - Steals - J. Hill, 1.5 per game
9th - 3-point field goals made - E. Norling, 1.9 per game
Tommie Leader
Head coach Ruth Sinn is in her 17th season at St. Thomas in 2021-22. Her overall record of 361-96, including a mark of 356-88 in Division III averages out to be a 27-4 over the last nine full seasons.
Sinn returned three starters from a 6-1 team in a shortened 2020-21 season. St. Thomas finished 21-6 in 2019-20, just after a senior-led Tommie team in 2018-19 reached the D-III Final Four with a 30-2 finish.
Second-Quarter Strong
St. Thomas has been playing its best ball in the second quarter of games. The Purple have outscored their opponents 226-212 in the second quarter of their games this season, averaging 17.4 points per second quarter.
Super-Senior Leadership
Grad Student F Kaia Porter ranks third on the team in scoring (min. five games played), averaging 7.1 points per game. Porter leads the team in three-point shooting percentage connecting on 18-of-48 attempts on the season from behind the arc. Porter also averages 3.4 rebounds per game and has dished out 24 assists through 13 games this season.
Grad Student F Erin Norling transferred from Wayne State to join the Tommies in their inaugural D-I season. She leads St. Thomas 13.5 points per game. Norling is connecting on 43 percent (69-of-159) of her shots from the field and 36 percent (25-of-70) of her shots from behind the arc.
Schedule Talk
The Toms had six November contests, including four on the road and one on a neutral court, followed by six of seven December games at home. They opened Summit League play here in Schoenecker Arena on Dec. 20 and 22 against Omaha and Denver.
Did You Know?
St. Thomas is scheduled to play games in 10 different states and all four time zones this season with trips to Wisconsin, Illinois, California, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, South Dakota and North Dakota.
Tommie Opponents' Last Season W-L
St. Thomas will play 18 games against its nine Summit League foes and nine other non-conference games against D-I opponents. Here's those 18 teams records so far this season:
Wisconsin (3-10)
Illinois State (5-7)
South Carolina State (0-14)
Presbyterian (5-7)
Cal Poly (1-10)
North Texas (6-4)
Northern Iowa (7-4)
Chicago State (1-9)
Idaho State (7-6)
Omaha (5-8)
Denver (5-9)
Western Illinois (11-3)
Oral Roberts (6-8)
Kansas City (10-3)
North Dakota State (6-8)
North Dakota (7-8)
South Dakota State (8-7)
South Dakota (11-4)
Family Ties
Freshman guard Jade Hill is the younger sister of WNBA player and former Ohio State standout Tayler Hill.
Freshman forward Jordyn Lamker is the daughter of Tommie All-America WBB player Amy Bot and daughter of Augsburg University head football coach Darrin Lamker.
Transfer forward Maggie Negaard is the younger sister of former St. Thomas swimmer Tom Negaard, a nine-time conference champion in relays and individual races here from 2015-19. Their grandfather Jack played basketball at Drake (1949-50).
Tommie Players
#4 Jade Hill: 5-6, Fr., G...2021-22: Started all 13 games and averages a team-high 34.6 minutes per game...averages 11.9 points per game and 2.5 assists per game.
#12 Jordyn Glynn: 5-9, Jr., G…2021-22: Appeared in 13 games with nine starts...averages 3.7 points and 4.8 rebounds through 13 games...D-III: Played in 23 games and scored 33 points.
#13 Gabby Johnson: 5-8, Fr., G...2021-22: Played in nine games...contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds.
#14 Jordyn Lamker: 6-0, Fr., F...2021-22: Appeared in 10 games for the Purple...scored 16 points and hauled in 17 rebounds.
#15 Phoebe Frentzel: 5-9, Fr., G...2021-22: Played 11 games for St. Thomas...contributed 22 points and eight rebounds.
#20 Sammy Opichka: 6-0, Fr., F...2021-22: Played in two games this season...made Collegiate debut against Northland...scored seven points, recorded three rebounds and one steal on the season.
#22 Erin Norling: 5-11, Grad Student, F...2021-22: Started all 13 games...averages a team-best 13.5 points per game...connecting on 43 percent (69-of-159) of her shots from the field and 36 percent (25-of-70) of her shots from behind the arc...Previously: Wayne State University… played four years at D-II Wayne State; recorded 1,597 career points, scored in double figures in 84 games, 4X all-conference, and twice voted onto the elite CoSIDA Academic All-America team… in 2020-21 was voted Northern Sun Conference South Division Player of the Year... led team in scoring (16.3) and rebounding (6.8), ranking fourth in the NSIC in scoring and eighth in rebounding.
#23 Maggie Negaard: 5-10, Sr., G...2021-22: Started all 13 games for the Purple...averages 6.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game...Previously: Drake University…played in 78 games at Drake
#24 Abby Mackenthun: 5-11, Jr., F…2021-22: Played six games...averages 2.0 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, while playing 3.5 minutes per game...D-III: played in 34 games and has recorded 156 points, 48 assists, 166 rebounds.
#25 Katelyn Stanley: 5-8, So., G…2021-22: Played in four games for St. Thoams...contributed eight points and 13 rebounds on the season...D-III: Started in all seven games as a freshman; scored 58 points, 21 assists, and secured 43 rebounds; shot 89% from the foul line and hit 10 3-pointers... career highs include 14 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals.
#32 Kaia Porter: 5-11, Grad Student, G/F…2021-22: Has played in all 13 games with five starts...averages 7.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game...D-III: in 71 games over parts of four seasons in D-III she had 716 points, 278 rebounds and 147 assists; started as a sophomore on Tommies' 30-2 Final Four team.… career highs include 23 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals.
#33 Brynn Schwanz: 6-0, So., F…2021-22: Appeared in four games...has recorded two rebounds...D-III: Missed 2020-21 season with an injury.
#34 Jo Langbehn: 6-2, Fr., C...2021-22: Played all 13 games for St. Thomas...averages 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.
#35 Kate Burns: 6-2, So., C…2021-22: Started all 12 games she's played...averges 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game...D-III: Played in five of team's seven games, scored 30 points.
#50 Audrey Hatfield: 6-2, Fr., C...2021-22: Made collegiate debut against Northland...scored eight points and recorded four rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
Unprecedented Move
St. Thomas is the first NCAA institution to move all of its athletics teams directly from Division III to D-I in one season.
Tommie teams have begun competing in four conferences across all 21 sports, with 31 different universities as
fellow conference mates:
• The Summit League (18 sports);
• Pioneer Football League;
• Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) for women's hockey;
• Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) for men's hockey.
Division III Era and Tradition
• 1 NCAA championship (1991)
• 7 NCAA Final Fours (three in eight-year span from 2012-2019)
• 32 postseason appearances in last 33 full seasons
• 27 MIAC championships (18 regular-season)
• 30-win seasons four times in nine years (2012-2020)
• 26 NCAA playoff appearances (55 wins)
• 22 All-America honors since 1980
• 77-game conference win streak ended in Dec. 2019
• 5 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans
• 9 of the last 21 MIAC Player of the Year honors
• 5 of the 13 MIAC Coach of the Year honors
• Kaitlin Langer 2017 National Player of the Year
