Sophomore guard Kendall Blue’s 13-point double-double helped St. Thomas to a commanding 88-61 victory over the University of Nebraska Omaha Thursday night at Schoenecker Arena.
The Tommies (18-12, 8-7 Summit) avenged a Feb. 1 69-65 loss to the Mavericks (14-17, 7-9 Summit) and continued its reign as the top defense in the conference and held Omaha to just 20 first-half points.
“I thought that was as good as our connectedness had been on defense. Understanding that we’re not playing a bunch of one-on-one games, that we’re playing five guys in a shell together,” coach Johnny Tauer said.
The 20 points is the lowest a Summit League opponent has scored on St. Thomas in the first half since the conference opener against North Dakota on Dec. 29.
Omaha’s star player and leading scorer, junior forward Frankie Fidler, entered Schoenecker Arena averaging 19.5 points per game but was held to just 10.
“I love his game and how he plays and so we were fortunate he missed some shots tonight that he typically makes,” Tauer said.
This victory puts St. Thomas at fourth in the Summit League standings and keeps them in the running for a potential second seed, which would give them a bye in the conference tournament. For this to happen, they must win their final game against Denver while North Dakota, Kansas City, and North Dakota State all lose.
St. Thomas started off hot with a 12-0 scoring run from the combined efforts of Blue and graduates guard Raheem Anthony and forward Parker Bjorklund. The trio combined had 26 points and 17 rebounds in the first half. By the end of the game, Blue had a career-high 11 rebounds.
Tauer lauded Blue for his performance, especially for his impact that can’t be measured by the box score.
“I thought it was probably the best game of his career, because of the game within the game,” Tauer said. “The nuanced things: the way he was closing out with urgency, the way he’s communicating with his teammates.”
Blue’s fellow guard, Anthony, turned defense into offense by running transition and finishing with contact around the rim. He scored 15 points and dished six assists.
“We’re really an unselfish team and you know, it could be anybody’s night. This night just happened to be Raheem and I’s,” Blue said. “I think like we just love to see each other succeed.”
It wasn’t just the starters that succeeded. All Tommies that played significant minutes scored at least seven points, and the bench combined for 30. Redshirt first-year center Carter Bjerke and junior guard Ben Nau shot a combined 5-11 from the three-point line.
Bjerke has played increased minutes for the Tommies since he scored eight and sixteen points in their recent road games against North Dakota State and South Dakota State, respectively.
“I think Carter has just continued to get better and better as a redshirt freshman. The dynamic he brings in, not just as a shooter,” Tauer said.
Four Omaha players scored in double digits, including Fidler, but the balanced offensive attack from St. Thomas proved to be too much to handle. Eleven Tommies scored out of the 12 that played.
St. Thomas played in front of 1,526 fans on Thursday, and the student section was packed with fans wearing their country-themed cowboy hats. Coaches and players alike were excited to have such a large fan presence at Schoenecker Arena.
“We kind of feed off the crowd’s energy with big plays, defensive stops, rebounds, and it was just a fun atmosphere to be out there,” Blue said.
At one point, during an Omaha free throw, a referee had to keep students at bay as they got a little too close to the court in an attempt to distract the shooter.
“Our students were outstanding. To see them pack the student section 25 minutes before tip-off, I don’t remember that happening,” Tauer said.
The Tommies will host Denver for the final game of the season in a matchup of the conference’s best offense and best defense. St. Thomas will also honor its seniors and graduate students for a senior night celebration at Schoenecker Arena. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 2.
The Summit League Championship begins Friday, March 8 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
“When you look at conference tournaments, it’s the teams that love playing together, who are tough and connected and trust each other through the tough times. Those are the teams that can withstand three games in three or four days,” Tauer said.
Adam Mueller can be reached at muel7541@stthomas.edu.