University of St. Thomas Athletics
16-12,8-7Summit League
Oral Roberts
22-7,12-4Summit League
Tommies down Golden Eagles in final game in Schoenecker Arena
2/26/2025 10:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ST. PAUL, MINN. – One last time… the University of St. Thomas women's basketball team played in Schoenecker Arena.
One last time, the University of St. Thomas women's basketball team won in Schoenecker Arena.
The final home game of 2024-25 wasn't just the last game in Schoenecker Arena for the season. It was the last game in Schoenecker Arena for all time. With the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena set to open in the fall, the Tommies upended Oral Roberts University 79-76, downing the No. 2 team in the conference to improve to 17-11 overall and 9-6 in Summit League play. St. Thomas also closed its storied tenure in Schoenecker Arena with a "W", ending a 15-year stretch with a 168-38 home-court record.
RECAP:
It was all St. Thomas early and often in its final home game of 2024-25, as the Tommies raced out to a 19-8 first quarter lead over the Golden Eagles. St. Thomas' top scorers Jo Langbehn (Elk River, Minn. / Elk River), Amber Scalia (Stillwater, Minn. / Stillwater) and Jade Hill (Minneapolis, Minn. / South) played a large role in the early lead, scoring the Tommies first 11 points of the game to race out to an 11-5 advantage. Faith Feuerbach (Sycamore, Ill. / Sycamore, Phoebe Frentzel (Pewaukee, Wis. / Arrowhead), Sammy Opichka (Green Bay, Wis. / Green Bay) and Alyssa Sand (Albany, Minn. / Albany) also got on the offense train, showcasing St. Thomas' depth during that early 19-8 run. However, Oral Roberts quickly proved why it own the hottest offense in the Summit League, as the Golden Eagles outscored the Tommies 8-5 in the closing minutes of the first, whittling the lead to 24-19.
The second quarter was abysmal, as both teams struggled to generate any type of offense. After the first quarter scoring barrage, both St. Thomas and Oral Roberts went cold, though the Tommies maintained their lead early in the quarter. Baskets from Hill and Frentzel and free throws from Langbehn helped St. Thomas to a 29-20 lead. The Golden Eagles continued to hang around, though, outscoring the Tommies 18-10 to take a 32-31 lead into the locker room at half.
Down one after two quarters, St. Thomas went to work in the third, tying the game at 33-33 on free throws by Opichka. The Tommies then took the lead on a layup a Langbehn, a lead they basically never relinquished. Though Oral Roberts managed to tie the game at 35-35, St. Thomas' inside presence, specifically Langbehn, proved too much for the Golden Eagles to handle. Lay up after lay up went in for the senior, who closed the game with 28 points on 10-13 shooting. However, Oral Roberts managed to hang around, and the two teams were deadlocked at 49-49 entering the fourth and final quarter.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Tommies. Thanks to strong play by the seniors, St. Thomas raced out to a 63-57 lead, with Hill and Langbehn trading baskets. Scalia reentered the chat, scoring a basket to extend the Tommies lead to 69-63 with 2:50 left on the clock. Although Oral Roberts made things interesting, St. Thomas success at the free throw line secured the team's 79-76 victory, the final at Schoenecker Arena.
TOP TOMMIES
- Jo Langbhen (Elk River, Minn. / Elk River) closed her career at Schoenecker Arena with a bang, scoring 28 points on 10-13 shooting with an 8-8 mark from the free throw. Langbehn also led the team with seven rebounds in the win.
- Jade Hill (Minneapolis, Minn. / South) added 25 points in the win with three assists, one rebound and two steals.
UP NEXT
St. Thomas will conclude its regular season in Brookings, South Dakota, as the Tommies take on the top team in the Summit League: South Dakota State. Tip off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., the final game of the regular season.
