University of St. Thomas Athletics
11-11,3-6Summit League
North Dakota State
15-7,7-2Summit League
Tommies fourth quarter rally comes up short at NDSU
2/1/2025 3:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
FARGO, N.D. – The University of St. Thomas women's basketball team was right on the cusp of something great. For the second time in two weeks, the Tommies were poised to upset one of the top-2 teams in the Summit League, hanging with or leading North Dakota State University for the majority of Saturday's contest. A late fourth quarter run by the Bison, though, put St. Thomas upset bid on pause, as the Tommies fell by a final score of 81-74. With the loss, St. Thomas overall record now stands at 12-10 and the team is 4-5 in Summit League play.
RECAP:
Like the first meeting between the two teams, it was a tight contest between the Tommies and Bison. Though NDSU rushed out to a 6-0 lead, St. Thomas quickly caught up, using threes from Alyssa Sand (Albany, Minn. / Albany) and Sammy Opichka (Green Bay, Wis. / Notre Dame) to fuel an 8-0 run that eventually led to an 8-6 lead. By the end of the first, the Tommies extended their lead to 23-19, as all five starters scored at least one basket for St. Thomas in the opening 10 minutes of play.
The Bison had the hot hand to open the second quarter, tying the game at 24-24 by the seven minute mark. NDSU eventually regained the lead on a technical foul by the St. Thomas bench, claiming the Tommie subs never checked in with the table. A strong defensive game plan, though, allowed St. Thomas to hang around, until the Tommies found themselves with a 35-30 lead thanks to baskets from Amber Scalia (Stillwater, Minn. / Stillwater) and Jade Hill (Minneapolis, Minn. / South). The Bison made a late push, tying the game at 35-35, but free throws by Hill gave St. Thomas a 36-35 lead entering the locker room at halftime.
Like the first two quarters, NDSU was once again the strong offensive team to open the third, regaining a slim lead over the Tommies just minutes in. Thanks to the efforts of Scalia, though, St. Thomas continued to remain in the game, as the junior's 7-0 scoring run kept the Tommies within striking distance. Eventually, baskets from Opichka and Hill gave St. Thomas the lead, something the team would trade with the Bison for the remainder of the third quarter. Standout defensive plays by Faith Feuerbach (Sycamore, Ill. / Sycamore) helped limit NDSU to 18 points as well, as the two teams entered the fourth quarter knotted 54-54.
Again, it was the Bison who jumped out to a lead in the fourth, using a 4-2 run to jump ahead 58-56 with 7:30 to play. Unlike the first three quarters, the Tommies were unable to answer, as NDSU's offense contained St. Thomas' biggest offensive weapons while continuing to put points on the board. The 4-2 scoring run eventually turned into a 9-2 scoring run, as the Bison extended their lead to 63-56 with 6:30 left in the game. The Tommies mounted a comeback, whittling the lead to six points at 68-62 with baskets by Opichka and Jordyn Lamker (Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove) before Scalia cut the lead to 72-68 with a little over one minute remaining in regulation.
St. Thomas continued to push, as baskets from Opichka and Hill pulled the Tommies within five at 79-74. NDSU's early 9-0 run, though, proved too much to overcome, as St. Thomas' comeback bid came up short at 81-74.
TOP TOMMIES
- Amber Scalia (Stillwater, Minn. / Stillwater) rebounded from Thursday by scoring a season-high and team-leading 26 points in the loss. She also closed the game with five rebounds and two steals for St. Thomas.
- Sammy Opichka (Green Bay, Wis. / Notre Dame) closed Saturday's contest with 15 points on 6-9 shooting and a team-leading six rebounds.
- Jade Hill (Minneapolis, Minn. / South) scored 13 points and added six assists.
UP NEXT
St. Thomas will return to Schoenecker Arena for its next Summit League contest. The Tommies are slated to host the University of Nebraska Omaha for National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on February 5, 2025. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the first 250 fans will receive a FREE St. Thomas scrunchie. Additionally, the Tommies will host a NGWSD panel, starting at 5:30 p.m. in the AARC Tommie Room. The panel is free of charge and will start at 5:30 p.m.
