University of St. Thomas Athletics
7-5,0-0Summit League
Drake
6-5,0-0MVC
Tommies chase Bulldogs, come up short in loss
12/21/2024 3:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ST. PAUL, MINN. – It was everything the University of St. Thomas women's basketball team hoped for in its 2024 finale. The Tommies hosted the two-time reigning Missouri Valley Conference championship Drake University in their final home game of the 2024 calendar year. St. Thomas impressed on multiple levels, scoring a season-high (against a DI opponent) 81 points on .528 shooting and led the Bulldogs after the first quarter of play. However, the Tommies were unable to pull off the victory, as Drake won by a final score of 92-81. Entering the holiday break, St. Thomas is now 7-5 overall.
RECAP:
Things looked a bit dicey for the Tommies through the first three minutes of play, as Drake raced out to a 12-4 lead, forcing head coach Ruth Sinn to take an early timeout. Down nearly double digits, the St. Thomas defense took over, with Sammy Opichka (Green Bay, Wis. / Notre Dame Academy) and Alyssa Sand (Albany, Minn. / Albany) coming up with steals on back-to-back Bulldog possessions. The stingy defensive play did not result in points, though, for a handful of minutes, but once the Tommies stopped scoring, they simply didn't stop. St. Thomas outscored Drake 14-0 over the next 3:29, as the Tommies went 6-6 from the floor and jumped ahead 18-12.
By the end of the first quarter, St. Thomas led the Bulldogs 24-14 and seemingly had a somewhat commanding lead. However, the Tommies old nemesis, the second quarter, reared its ugly head dramatically. St. Thomas' offense went cold, scoring just four points in the first five minutes of the quarter, and Drake's started to heat up. In fact, the Bulldogs outscored the Tommies 14-4 by the media timeout, tying the game at 28-28 with 4:00 left in the second.
St. Thomas managed to hang with Drake through the remaining four minutes of play, but the Bulldogs held all the momentum and a 40-39 advantage. In the third, it was off to the races. Drake's defense contained the Tommies top three scorers and the Bulldog offense with on a 15-4 run, extending their lead to 60-49. However, St. Thomas chipped and battled its way back into the game, trailing 65-58 entering the fourth and final quarter of play.
The first three minutes of the fourth quarter moved faster than Santa's sleigh across the Atlantic. Free throws from Jade Hill (Minneapolis, Minn. / South) and a layup from Riley Wright (Marion, Iowa / Marion) kept the Tommies within striking distance of the Bulldogs, but they were severely hindered on the defensive side of the ball. Hill, Opichka and Jo Langbehn (Elk River, Minn. / Elk River) were all playing with four fouls and were either kept off the court or unable to apply pressure to Drake's offense. The result was another impressive scoring run for the Bulldogs, as they extended their lead to 85-69 with five minutes remaining in regulation.
The Tommies managed to pull back within 10 with one minute left in the game, with Hill and Jordyn Lamker (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove) leading St. Thomas' offensive charge. In the end, the Tommies couldn't match Drake's firepower, falling by a final score 92-81.
TOP TOMMIES
- Jade Hill (Minneapolis, Minn. / South) scored 20+ points for the second consecutive game, leading St. Thomas with 24 points on 8-15 shooting. Hill also tallied three assists, two steals and one rebound in the loss.
- All five Tommie starters scored in double-digits for the first time this season. Amber Scalia (Stillwater, Minn. / Stillwater) closed the game with 19 points, while Sammy Opichka (Green Bay, Wis. / Notre Dame Academy) and Jo Langbehn (Elk River, Minn. / Elk River) each scored 11. Opichka also led the team with five rebounds and five assists.
- Jordyn Lamker (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove) closed the game with 10 points on 4-5 shooting.
UP NEXT
St. Thomas will play one final game in 2024, though it will be on the road. The Tommies will travel to Ypsilanti, Michigan for a match up with Eastern Michigan on Saturday, December 28 before opening Summit League play in the new year. Tipoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. CT in Michigan.
