Janowski ties career high 22 points, adds 11 rebounds in 82-74 loss at Montana State

BOZEMAN, Mont. – St. Thomas saw its Big Sky dominance halted Wednesday night in Bozeman Mont., falling 82-74 to Montana State despite a career night from Nick Janowski, who matched his best with 22 points and posted his first double-double with 11 rebounds.

The Tommies (6-4) shot 52 percent from the field and held the Bobcats (4-5) to 43 percent, but MSU's 12 made 3-pointers, 18 points off turnovers and a 22-for-29 effort at the free throw line proved too much to overcome as UST dropped its first Big Sky–Summit Challenge game in program history.

SCORING SUMMARY:
First Half: St. Thomas opened the night in command, turning an early Montana State turnover into points and surging to a 7-0 lead behind Ben Oosterbaan, Nick Janowski and Austin Herro. The Bobcats countered with a barrage from deep—three 3-pointers in the first four minutes—to erase the deficit, and the teams traded small runs throughout a tightly played half. Nolan Minessale delivered timely punches with a three-point play and a transition and-one, while Ryan Dufault and Tim Franks added key scoring to keep the Tommies level during a stretch in which MSU pushed ahead 22-15. A 10-3 Tommie response, capped by a Jermaine Coleman 3-pointer and Franks' three-point play, tied the game at 24-24 before another MSU push from the arc restored the Bobcat advantage.

The half closed with the Tommies chasing from behind despite producing balanced offense—six different players scored—while the Bobcats relied on second-chance points and seven made 3-pointers to keep control. Oosterbaan's late 3-pointer pulled St. Thomas within one, 38-37, before MSU answered in the paint and the Tommies missed three attempts from deep in the final seconds, trailing 40-37 at halftime. St. Thomas shot 52 percent and hit six 3-pointers but was undone by six turnovers and a 7-0 MSU advantage in second-chance scoring opportunities.

Second Half: St. Thomas opened the second half with poise, stringing together three straight layups from Austin Herro, Nick Janowski and Nolan Minessale to erase a three-point deficit and reclaim a 45-42 lead. The Tommies repeatedly answered Montana State's early punches—Janowski scored eight straight for St. Thomas during one stretch, including back-to-back layups and a corner 3-pointer as part of a 13-1 run to erase a 56-47 deficit and take a 60-57 lead. Minessale's pull-up jumper with 8:37 to go was the start of four consecutive lead changes, capped by back-to-back baskets from Oosterbaan and Carter Bjerke for a 67-63 lead.

Montana State surged late behind Seth Amunrud, whose three 3-pointers in the final five minutes pushed the Bobcats ahead for good. The Tommies continued to fight—Herro converted a pair of free throws in the final two minutes and Dufault finished a late layup off a Minessale steal to trim the deficit to 74-78—but missed 3-pointers down the stretch and MSU's free-throw shooting sealed the outcome. St. Thomas generated 20 of its 34 points in the paint in the second half, but Montana State's eight made 3-pointers and 13 offensive rebounds after halftime proved decisive in an 82-74 finish.

TOMMIE TIDBITS

Montana State turned 14 St. Thomas turnovers into 18 points, while UST generated eight points off seven Bobcat giveaways. The 14 turnovers are the second most for the Tommies this season.
The Bobcats held an edge at the line, shooting 76 percent (22–29) to the Tommies' 69 percent (11–16).
St. Thomas shot a strong 52 percent from the floor (27–52), outpacing MSU's 43 percent (24–56), though the Bobcats countered with 12 made 3-pointers on 32 attempts.
The loss snapped UST's nine-game winning streak against Big Sky opponents and marked its first setback in the Big Sky–Summit Challenge after two unbeaten seasons.
Nick Janowski matched his career high with 22 points (8–16 FG) and secured his first career double-double with a career-best 11 rebounds—the program's first double-double since Ryan Lafferty on Dec. 15, 2024.
Nolan Minessale finished with 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and four turnovers.
Austin Herro tied his career high with 10 points, going 3-for-3 from the field and 4-for-4 at the line, adding four rebounds and three assists.
Ben Oosterbaan added nine points on 4-of-8 shooting and collected five rebounds.

UP NEXT
St. Thomas continues the Big Sky-Summit Challenge against Weber State at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7 in Lee & Penny Anderson Arena.

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Janowski ties career high 22 points, adds 11 rebounds in 82-74 loss at Montana State

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Team Stats

Nick Janowski

Nolan Minessale

Austin Herro

Ben Oosterbaan

Players Mentioned

Carter Bjerke

Jermaine Coleman

Ryan Dufault

Tim Franks

Austin Herro

Nick Janowski

Ryan Lafferty

Nolan Minessale

Ben Oosterbaan

University of St. Thomas Athletics