University of St. Thomas Athletics
Saturday, February 24
Brookings, S.D. / Frost Arena
2:00 p.m. Central
17-12,7-7Summit League
72
at
77
South Dakota State
17-12,10-4Summit League
1
2
F
St. Thomas (MN)
39
33
72
South Dakota St.
32
45
77
Team Stats
UST
SDSU
FG%
.491
.591
3FG%
.375
.412
FT%
.846
.720
RB
27
25
TO
13
15
STL
9
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Collin Boyles
St. Thomas falls at South Dakota State, 77-72
2/24/2024 4:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Carter Bjerke scores career high, ties Drake Dobbs with team-high 16 points
BROOKINGS, S.D. -- Freshman Carter Bjerke scored a career high 16 points, tying senior Drake Dobbs for the team lead, as St. Thomas men's basketball fell at South Dakota State 77-72 on Saturday afternoon in Brookings, S.D.
The Tommies (17-12, 7-7 Summit League) led by seven points at halftime and extended to a game-high nine early in the second half while shooting 49.1 percent (26-53) overall and 85 percent (11-13) from the free throw line. The Jackrabbits shot 59.1 percent (26-44) from the field, including 70.0 percent (14-20) in the second half.
Bjerke went 5-of-6 shooting overall, including 4-of-5 from long range, and added three rebounds. He topped his previous career high of 14 points set Nov. 12, 2023. Dobbs also made five field goals, including two 3-pointers, and shot 4-of-4 from the free throw line to end with 16 points.
RECAP
The Jackrabbits began the game on a 9-2 run before five different Tommies scored to take their first lead of the game, 15-14, near the 10-minute mark. Following an 11-3 run by SDSU, grad student Raheem Anthony hit the first of his two 3-pointers in the game to start the Purple's late half push to take a lead again. St. Thomas closed the half on a 21-7 run, holding the Jackrabbits to 1-of-7 shooting with two turnovers over the final 3:49, to take a 39-32 lead into halftime.
Dobbs sank two free throws out of halftime to extend the lead to a game-high nine points, 41-32, that held until the 14:07 mark when Anthony scored his final basket of the day. Back-to-back and-one conversions were part of a 10-0 run in less than a minute that gave the lead back to SDSU. Two Dobbs free throws snapped the run but three missed field goals and four turnovers allowed the Jacks to another 10-0 run and a 60-51 lead with 8:50 remaining.
Bjerke tied his career high on his fourth and final 3-pointer to keep the deficit at single digits, which was followed by a layup from junior Ryan Dufault to cut SDSU's lead to four, 60-56. Bjerke converted his final field goal of the game with 6:18 to play followed by a 3-pointer from Dobbs to beat the shot clock and get within two points, 65-63. St. Thomas missed its next three shots to allow South Dakota State to hold off for the win.
TOP TOMMIES
· Senior Drake Dobbs and redshirt freshman Carter Bjerke led the Tommies with 16 points each, both with five field goals. Bjerke set a career high in scoring and went 4-of-5 from 3-point range, along with three rebounds. Dobbs scored at least 16 points for the sixth time this season.
· Grad student Raheem Anthony scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-4 from long range, while he added six rebounds, four assists and three steals. He led the Tommies in rebounds in back-to-back games and for the 11th time overall this season. Saturday was his first game of the season with at least 10 points and at least three rebounds, assists and steals.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Johnny Tauer on a tough loss Saturday against the Summit League's first ranked South Dakota State:
"Our guys competed at a really high level against a top team. A hostile environment and an excellent program. Early we got down and I thought the last 12-14 minutes of the first half we were really, really good to go up seven at halftime. There was one stretch in the second half where they got three straight baskets and fouls and quickly it was a one-possession game again.
"I thought our guys shared the ball well. Thirteen turnovers is more than we would like, certainly, and we turned them over 15. So we were plus-two there and plus-two rebounding and outscored them from the field by two points. I thought all-in-all our guys played really, really well against a tough veteran team."
UP NEXT
St. Thomas closes the 2023-24 regular season with a home stand Feb. 29 against Omaha and March 2 against Denver in Schoenecker Arena.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Men's Basketball, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TommieMBBall and on Instagram at @TommieHoops
JOIN US
To reserve your seat to be a part of the Tommies' 2023-24 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
The Tommies (17-12, 7-7 Summit League) led by seven points at halftime and extended to a game-high nine early in the second half while shooting 49.1 percent (26-53) overall and 85 percent (11-13) from the free throw line. The Jackrabbits shot 59.1 percent (26-44) from the field, including 70.0 percent (14-20) in the second half.
Bjerke went 5-of-6 shooting overall, including 4-of-5 from long range, and added three rebounds. He topped his previous career high of 14 points set Nov. 12, 2023. Dobbs also made five field goals, including two 3-pointers, and shot 4-of-4 from the free throw line to end with 16 points.
RECAP
The Jackrabbits began the game on a 9-2 run before five different Tommies scored to take their first lead of the game, 15-14, near the 10-minute mark. Following an 11-3 run by SDSU, grad student Raheem Anthony hit the first of his two 3-pointers in the game to start the Purple's late half push to take a lead again. St. Thomas closed the half on a 21-7 run, holding the Jackrabbits to 1-of-7 shooting with two turnovers over the final 3:49, to take a 39-32 lead into halftime.
Dobbs sank two free throws out of halftime to extend the lead to a game-high nine points, 41-32, that held until the 14:07 mark when Anthony scored his final basket of the day. Back-to-back and-one conversions were part of a 10-0 run in less than a minute that gave the lead back to SDSU. Two Dobbs free throws snapped the run but three missed field goals and four turnovers allowed the Jacks to another 10-0 run and a 60-51 lead with 8:50 remaining.
Bjerke tied his career high on his fourth and final 3-pointer to keep the deficit at single digits, which was followed by a layup from junior Ryan Dufault to cut SDSU's lead to four, 60-56. Bjerke converted his final field goal of the game with 6:18 to play followed by a 3-pointer from Dobbs to beat the shot clock and get within two points, 65-63. St. Thomas missed its next three shots to allow South Dakota State to hold off for the win.
TOP TOMMIES
· Senior Drake Dobbs and redshirt freshman Carter Bjerke led the Tommies with 16 points each, both with five field goals. Bjerke set a career high in scoring and went 4-of-5 from 3-point range, along with three rebounds. Dobbs scored at least 16 points for the sixth time this season.
· Grad student Raheem Anthony scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 2-of-4 from long range, while he added six rebounds, four assists and three steals. He led the Tommies in rebounds in back-to-back games and for the 11th time overall this season. Saturday was his first game of the season with at least 10 points and at least three rebounds, assists and steals.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Johnny Tauer on a tough loss Saturday against the Summit League's first ranked South Dakota State:
"Our guys competed at a really high level against a top team. A hostile environment and an excellent program. Early we got down and I thought the last 12-14 minutes of the first half we were really, really good to go up seven at halftime. There was one stretch in the second half where they got three straight baskets and fouls and quickly it was a one-possession game again.
"I thought our guys shared the ball well. Thirteen turnovers is more than we would like, certainly, and we turned them over 15. So we were plus-two there and plus-two rebounding and outscored them from the field by two points. I thought all-in-all our guys played really, really well against a tough veteran team."
UP NEXT
St. Thomas closes the 2023-24 regular season with a home stand Feb. 29 against Omaha and March 2 against Denver in Schoenecker Arena.
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Men's Basketball, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TommieMBBall and on Instagram at @TommieHoops
JOIN US
To reserve your seat to be a part of the Tommies' 2023-24 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
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