University of St. Thomas Athletics
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Army
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Tommies come up short in arena opener
11/8/2025 6:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Lee & Penny Anderson Arena is officially open for basketball. The University of St. Thomas women's basketball team opened its new home on Saturday, hosting Army West Point in the first-ever basketball game in the arena. While the Tommies battled, the Black Knights were ultimately victorious, defeating St. Thomas 67-61. With the loss, the Tommies move to 0-2 on the season.
QUICK HITS:
- Savannah McGowan (Plymouth, Minn. / Armstrong) impressed in her first performance at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena, scoring a team-leading 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting. She also added six rebounds.
- Alyssa Sand (Albany, Minn. / Albany) turned in another double-digit scoring performance, finishing with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a career-high three blocks.
- Jada Hood (St. Paul, Minn. / Rosemont Arena) tallied seven assists in her Lee & Penny Anderson Arena debut and made St. Thomas' lone three-pointer Saturday afternoon.
SCORING SUMMARY:
First Quarter: Abbey Vallance (Sydney, Australia / Tara Anglican School) scored the first points in Lee & Penny Anderson Arena, putting the Tommies ahead 2-0 with two free throws at 8:35. Sand then scored St. Thomas' first field goal in the arena, setting off a back-and-forth quarter that ended with a 19-17 Army lead.
Second Quarter: The Tommies outscored the Black Knights 18-11 in the second quarter, giving them a 35-30 halftime advantage. McGowan led the team with six first-half points thanks to perfect shooting from both the field and the free throw line.
Third Quarter: St. Thomas came out strong to start the third, racing out to a 49-37 lead. However, the Black Knights closed the quarter on an 11-2 run to trim the Tommie lead to 51-48 heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter: The Tommies were unable to regain momentum in the final frame, as Army outscored them 19-10. St. Thomas pulled within two with 22 seconds remaining on a McGowan layup, but late turnovers proved costly as the Black Knights escaped with a 67-61 victory.
TOMMIE TIDBITS:
- McGowan's 7-of-8 shooting performance marked a career-best field goal percentage for the junior, along with a career-high 18 points. Her previous career high was 15 points, set against Evansville in 2024.
- As a team, St. Thomas shot 45.7 percent from the field but just 1-of-7 from beyond the arc, with Hood making the lone three-pointer. The Tommies also struggled at the free throw line, finishing at 69.2 percent.
UP NEXT:
St. Thomas returns to Lee & Penny Anderson Arena on Friday, November 14, when the team hosts Eastern Michigan University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in St. Paul, Minnesota.
