University of St. Thomas Athletics
North Dakota
Game Notes - Women’s Basketball looks to extend its three-game winning streak
1/14/2022 7:57:00 AM | Women's Basketball
St. Paul, Minn. - St. Thomas Women's Basketball (6-8, 3-1) continues its two-game home stand as they face the University of North Dakota (9-8, 3-3).
The Tommies most recently won their third-straight Summit League contest, improving to 3-1 in conference action. On Thursday night, St. Thomas downed NDSU 73-62.
The Purple's win over NDSU featured 56 points combined points from grad student F Erin Norling (34) and freshman G Jade Hill (22), each were new career-highs.
As a team, the Tommies are averaging 61.5 points per game and 35 rebounds per game.
Individually, grad student F Erin Norling is leading the team with 14.9 points per game. Norling is connecting on 46 percent (83-of-179) of her shots from the field and 39 percent (31-of-79) of her shots from behind the arc. Freshman G Jade Hill is averaging 12.6 points per game through her first 14 collegiate contests. Hill also leads St. Thomas with 39 assists on the season.
Findings on the Fighting Hawks
The University of North Dakota beat Western Illinois in a 76-65 decision on Thursday evening.
The Fighting Hawks shot 40.9 percent from inside the arc, 42.9 percent from beyond the arch, and 80.0 percent from the line. While the Leathernecks shot 40.4 percent from the field, 29.6 percent from beyond the arch, and 64.7 percent from the line.
As a team, UND is averaging 67.8 points per game and allowing 69.5 points per game. The Fighting Hawks are shooting 41 percent from the field and 30 percent from behind the arc. UND owns a slight rebounding advantage on the season, on average pulling down 38.0 rebounds per game compared to 37.6 by its opponents.
Individually, Kacie Borowicz is 1-of-3 Fighting Hawks to average double-digit points per game with 18.1 points, she is joined by Olivia Lane (12.1) and Claire Orth (11.6) as the leading scorers for UND.
Last Time Out
The Tommies were led by Erin Norling (34) and Jade Hill (22) offensively as the two players combined for 56 points. Norling went 6-9 from deep while Hill was 7-8 at the free throw line. Kaia Porter fell just short of a double-double as she tallied nine points and 10 boards against the Bison.
Hill, a freshman guard, kicked off the scoring for St. Thomas with a pair of successful free throws at the 7:51 mark. Down by six points, 14-8, the Toms put together a 6-0 run on baskets from Norling and Hill. Norling, a graduate senior playing at the forward position, scored six points in the first 10 minutes against the Bison. After the first period, St. Thomas led North Dakota State, 18-16.
A step back jump-shot from Hill to open the second quarter extended the team's lead to four points, 20-16. Graduate forward Porter and Norling tallied back-to-back layups after a 4-0 Bison run to keep the Tommies ahead. After the contest was evened up again, 24-24, two-straight threes from St. Thomas gave the team its biggest lead of the game at six points. Abby Mackenthun, a junior forward, got in on the scoring with a second quarter layup off an assist from Hill. Norling, continuing her successful shooting in the first half, hit a three-pointer from a Hill dime for her 14th point at the 1:03 mark.
Entering halftime, the Tommies led 35-26 over the Bison after a strong second quarter of shooting including a 3-4 spot on three-pointers from the Toms. St. Thomas was helped by strong offensive outputs from Norling and Hill in the first 20 minutes, as the two combined for 26 of the team's 25 first half points.
The Bison would roar back in the opening minutes of the third period, putting together a 10-2 scoring run against the Tommies. A Norling jumper halted the NDSU run and kept St. Thomas in front, 39-36. With the score at 39-38, Hill pushed the ball down the court after a Bison miss to find Norling in the corner for a three-pointer at the six-minute portion of the quarter. 30 seconds later, Norling hit on another three, this time off an assist from Porter. The Toms' lead would be extended to nine points on another Norling three, giving her 29 points at the 1:57 mark, and led to a Bison timeout.
St. Thomas led by 11 points at the beginning of the final quarter, 54-43. For the second-straight quarter, North Dakota State would chip away at the Tommie lead, tying the game at 56-56. Junior guard Jordyn Glynn found Hill for a three to put the Toms back on top, 59-56, at the 4:47 mark. Sophomore center Kate Burns found the basket for her fourth point of the game and gave UST a four-point lead. A Norling three-pointer gave the forward her collegiate career high in scoring, besting her previous output from NCAA Division II Wayne State (32 points at South Dakota School of Mines on Nov. 21, 2019).
Both teams were even on points off turnovers, 10-10. The Tommies excelled in the paint, scoring 32 of their 73 points inside the restricted zone. The Bison were held to just 22 points in the paint on Thursday. St. Thomas shot 46.6 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from deep, and 91.7 percent at the charity stripe in the victory.
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.
* Please note, these stats and rankings are as of Wed., Jan. 12.
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 362-96, 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 243-222 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 7.2 points per game. Porter is an efficient three-point shooter connecting on 19-of-54 attempts (35 percent) of her shots on the season from behind the arc. Porter also averages 3.9 rebounds per game and has dished out 26 assists through 14 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 14.9 points per game. Norling is connecting on 46 percent (83-of-179) of her shots from the field and 39 percent (31-of-79) 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 (3-12)
Illinois State (8-7)
South Carolina State (0-14)
Presbyterian (6-7)
Cal Poly (1-11)
North Texas (7-5)
Northern Iowa (9-5)
Chicago State (2-11)
Idaho State (9-6)
Omaha (6-10)
Denver (5-12)
Western Illinois (11-4)
Oral Roberts (7-8)
Kansas City (11-3)
North Dakota State (6-10)
North Dakota (9-8)
South Dakota State (9-8)
South Dakota (13-4)
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 14 games and averages a team-high 35.0 minutes per game...averages 12.6 points per game and 2.8 assists per game.
#12 Jordyn Glynn: 5-9, Jr., G…2021-22: Appeared in 14 games with 10 starts...averages 3.4 points and 4.6 rebounds through 14 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 11 games for the Purple...scored 16 points and hauled in 19 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 14 games...averages a team-best 14.9 points per game...connecting on 46 percent (83-of-179) of her shots from the field and 39 percent (31-of-79) of her shots from behind the arc...scored a career-high 34 points against NDSU...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 seven games...averages 2.0 points and 1.9 rebounds per game, while playing 3.3 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 five games for St. Thomas...contributed 10 points and 16 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 14 games with six starts...averages 7.2 points and 3.9 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 13 games she's played...averges 5.9 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
