Near perfect first half helps Men's Basketball down Denver

St. Paul, Minn. – Parker Bjorklund recorded another efficient shooting night to score 26 points and lead three St. Thomas scorers in double figures as Tommie Men's Basketball held off a late Denver charge to post an 81-71 win in Thursday night's Summit League game at Schoenecker Arena.

The Purple (12-6 overall, 3-2 Summit) remained unbeaten at home with an 8-0 mark in its second Division I season. Riley Miller and Andrew Rohde each scored 16 points.

Bjorklund played 27 minutes and converted 8-of-12 from the floor and 9-of-10 from the foul line.

The Tommies built a 26-point lead and still led 70-48 with 9:00 to go before an 18-4 Pioneer run pulled them within eight points with 2:25 left to go. Denver (10-7, 1-3) shot 57 percent in the second half.

Bjorklund and redshirt freshman guard Ryan Dufault scored late baskets in the paint, and Miller sank two free throws to help deny Denver's comeback bid. The winners had only nine turnovers and sank 19-of-22 at the foul line.

Coach Johnny Tauer was pleased with the way his team helped limit a dangerous Denver offensive unit.

"I thought our guys came out with a lot of resolve on defense," Tauer said. "I was really happy with the way our guys competed, led by Parker Bjorklund's 26 points. It was a really fun, electric atmosphere in Schoenecker Arena."

St. Thomas ran its two-season home-court win streak to nine games, tops among Summit League teams. Tauer's team is 9-0 this season in games when it leads at halftime.

Fast Start

A nearly perfect first half saw the Tommies limit the league's top-shooting offense to a 39-percent clip in the first half. The Pioneers entered the game shooting 50 percent from the field. The incredible defensive effort set up the host team for an efficient offensive showing in the first half which generated 12 assists on 17 made baskets and only three turnovers.

A three-pointer by grad student Brooks Allen 29 seconds into the game set the tone for the Tommies' offensive effort as he helped St. Thomas jump out to an 18-6 lead. The Purple's offensive outburst was fueled by a 6-of-10 shooting effort from the field, including a mark of 3-6 behind the arc.

The Tommies never took their foot off the gas in the first half. St. Thomas shot 59 percent (17-of-29) from the field -- 43 percent (6-of-14) from behind the arc -- and converted 88 percent (7-of-8) from the stripe. The efficient start gave the Purple a 47-25 lead going into intermission.

Bjorklund led the Tommies' perfect first half with a perfect stat line of his own. The grad student poured in 17 points in the first half on a 6-of-6 effort from the stripe, and a 5-of-5 showing from the field which included a three pointer. Rohde added 10 points in the first half.

After opening a 26-point lead at 55-29 three minutes into the second half, Denver diligently chipped away at the Tommie lead, but it was too little, too late.

Next Up

St. Thomas is home Saturday Jan. 7 to face Omaha (6-10, 2-2) with a 7 p.m. tip off. The Mavs took a Thursday night Summit League road win at Western Illinois.

Near perfect first half helps Men's Basketball down Denver

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Team Stats

Parker Bjorklund

Andrew Rohde

Riley Miller

Ahjany Lee

Players Mentioned

Brooks Allen

Parker Bjorklund

Ryan Dufault

Riley Miller

Andrew Rohde

University of St. Thomas Athletics