University of St. Thomas Athletics
7-7,0-0Summit League
NIU
2-10,0-1MAC
Defense dominates in Tommies 64-46 win over NIU
12/29/2025 4:43:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The University of St. Thomas women's basketball team ended 2025 on a high note. The Tommies defeated Northern Illinois University 64-46 in their final nonconference and game in the 2025 calendar year. St. Thomas controlled the game defensively and used a decisive third quarter surge to pull away, improving to 7-7 on the season.
QUICK HITS:
- Jada Hood (St. Paul, Minn. / Roseville Area) led the Tommies in scoring, tallying 15 points with six assists as the starting point guard.
- Alyssa Sand (Albany, Minn. / Albany) put together her most well rounded game of the season, scoring 11 points with nine rebounds, three blocks and four steals. Laura Hauge (West St. Paul, Minn. / St. Croix Lutheran) scored 10 points for St. Thomas as well.
- The Tommies held an opponent to under 50 points for the fourth time this season, limiting NIU to just 46 points on .319 shooting, including a .242 clip in the first three quarters.
SCORING SUMMARY:
First Quarter: St. Thomas opened the game with active defense, blocking three shots on the Huskies first offensive of the game and five in the first quarter. NIU's defensive game plan was also strong, as the Tommies were limited to just 14 points in the quarter. Baskets from Alyssa Sand (Albany, Minn. / Albany) and Jada Hood (St. Paul, Minn. / Roseville Area) helped St. Thomas build a five point lead, as the team closed on a 5-0 run to take a 14-9 advantage into the second quarter.
Second Quarter: The Tommies steadily extended their lead in the second quarter, holding the Huskies to just nine points. A late 15-2 run proved pivotal, highlighted by second-chance baskets and free throws from Sand and Laura Hauge (West St. Paul, Minn. / St. Croix Lutheran). St. Thomas went into halftime up 33-18 after outscoring the Huskies 19-9 in the period.
Third Quarter: St. Thomas delivered its most dominant stretch after the break, opening the third quarter with a 17-0 run to push the lead to as many as 24 points. The Tommies forced turnovers, controlled the glass, and converted inside as Sand, Mikayla Werner (Hortonville, Wis. / Hortonville), and Hauge fueled the surge. NIU managed just eight points in the quarter as St. Thomas carried a 48-26 lead into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter: The Huskies showed some late fight, scoring 20 points in the final period, but the Tommies never allowed the lead to dip into single digits. St. Thomas answered each push with timely baskets and finished the game strong at the free-throw line to secure the 18-point victory, 64-46.
UP NEXT:
After two months, St. Thomas finally open Summit League play. The Tommies will ring in the New Year and open conference play at South Dakota State on Thursday, January 1. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in Brookings, South Dakota.
