GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A 12-point lead with 5:30 left in the fourth quarter and Kaitlin Langer’s twelfth double-double of the season weren’t enough for the Tommies to earn their 32nd-straight win and a berth in the NCAA Division III national finals.
The St. Thomas women’s basketball team suffered its first and final loss of the season, falling 60-57 to Tufts University in the semifinal round.
The Tommies (31-1) trailed Tufts (30-2) for a majority of the game. At the end of the first half, the Tommies were only 9-22 shooting from the field and 3-6 from behind the arc.
“In the first half, we felt that they did a better job of shutting down the lane on us,” St. Thomas head coach Ruth Sinn said in the postgame press conference. “We couldn’t get them in rotation, we couldn’t get the ball (from the) inside out, which would have opened up some of our shooters.”
After a fairly dormant first half, the Tommies offense came alive in the third and fourth quarters. The team led by as many as 12 points in the third.
“I think that was the difference: We were getting them in rotation, we were getting open looks because we were getting the ball inside better,” Sinn said.
One of the leaders of the second half resurgence was senior center Kaitlin Langer, who posted 20 points and 20 rebounds. 16 of those points and 12 of those rebounds came in the second half.
“I think it was just confidence, kind of the feel and the energy of the game,” Langer said about her offensive surge. “I was getting good touches and … I got good looks. When that stretch started working for me, I just rolled with it.”
However, the Langer-led surge wasn’t enough to hold off Tufts, who came roaring back in the final five minutes of the game. The Jumbos went on a 19-4 run in the final 5:30 of the game. Six of those points came off turnovers.
“We were a little careless with the ball at the end of the game,” Sinn said.
The loss marks the first and only blemish on the Tommies’ otherwise perfect record. Even though they were still fresh off that defeat, players acknowledged that this season is something to be proud of.
“I’ve never been a part of a team like this before,” senior guard Gabby Zehrer said. “It’s been a fantastic experience. I would do it all over again for sure.”
“It really speaks to our senior leadership,” sophomore guard Lucia Renikoff said. “Gabby, Kaitlin and Paige (Gernes) is amazing. We worked so hard to get here, and even though we didn’t win, I think we deserved to be here.”
Had the team advanced, it would have had the opportunity to fight for the second national championship in team history. The last one came in 1991.
Despite being eliminated, the Tommies’ season was one for the record books. They ranked in the top three in every major offensive and defensive statistical category in the MIAC. They won the MIAC regular season championship and were one of only four undefeated teams in all of D-III women’s hoops.
Kaitlin Langer was named All-American for the second-consecutive year. Guard Paige Gernes won the the NCAA Elite 90 Academic Award, which recognizes both athletic and academic success.
Sinn said that is why this season can be called a success.
“They’re amazing, strong, confident young women,” Sinn said. “That’s what everything is about in Division III, and I am so proud to be their coach.”
The Tommies graduate three seniors this year: Gernes, Zehrer and Langer. Despite losing three of its centerpieces, the team is confident it will have a good chance at the Finals again next year.
“We’ll be back,” junior guard Maddie Wolkow said. “I know we’ll be back.”
Tufts will face undefeated Amherst College in the finals March 18 at 7:30 p.m. EST.
Noah Brown can be reached at brow7736@stthomas.edu