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SALEM, Va. — For the first time in St. Thomas’ history, the men’s basketball team is the last team standing.

Junior Tommy Hannon and sophomore John Nance led the Tommies with 16 points each as St. Thomas crushed the College of Wooster 78-54 Saturday to win the Division III national championship.

“So thrilled for our kids,” coach Steve Fritz said. “As young guys all through their life, [the players] aspire to be here today and come home a winner. … This is a huge day for us.”

The 24-point victory margin tied a record for largest in a championship game, and the Tommies are the first MIAC men’s basketball team to win the national title.

With the Tommies leading 78-54 with 51 seconds left, Fritz substituted five bench players in for his starters, and the sideline celebration began.

“I just wanted to give coach [Steve Fritz] a big hug and tell him that I loved him,” senior Tyler Nicolai said. “I can’t actually describe it in words.”

The Tommies beat four top-10 teams in their championship run. Nicolai credited those wins to the team’s challenging regular-season schedule.

“It was really tough, but we were battle-tested,” Nicolai said. “We always schedule a really tough non-conference schedule to get us ready for games like that and to beat [Wooster] at a neutral site was amazing.”

The Tommies started off trailing 11-2 before Nance provided a spark off the bench after the first five minutes. The sophomore guard scored 10 points and snatched a steal from Wooster senior guard Ian Franks in his first few minutes on the floor.

“We decided we were going to sub early and see if someone could get us going a little bit, and luckily John [Nance] came in and did that,” Fritz said.

A flurry of 3-point plays, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Nance, helped the Tommies create a 23-5 run to take a 25-16 lead. And it wasn’t over. A Nicolai nailed a 3-pointer, junior Tommy Hannon made a layup and senior senior Alex Healy followed with another 3-pointer. Senior Anders Halvorsen added three more points to give the Tommies a 36-16 lead, part of a 34-5 run that lasted 10:02 in the first half.

Combined with St. Thomas’ stifling full-court press, the Tommies never trailed the rest of the game. In the first half alone, the Tommies scored 25 points off Wooster’s 11 turnovers. Wooster finished the game with 18 turnovers.

“If we can’t lead with our pressure in our press, we get in trouble,” Fritz said. “Early on we got into trouble. [The press] has to be key to the way we play.”

Wooster’s Franks hit a buzzer-beater jumper before halftime, cutting the Tommies’ lead to a comfortable 43-26. But the Tommies weren’t content at halftime.

“We told everyone that it’s 0-0, and we have to win the second half, and from there everything will take care of itself,” Healy said.

Tommies hold strong in second half

The Fighting Scots cut the lead to 10 with 17:39 remaining in the second half, but a Healy layup, a jumper by senior Teddy Archer and a Nicolai 3-pointer brought the score to 53-36 with 14:41 remaining. The Tommies pressed harder than in the first half, keeping the Fighting Scots off-balance.

Wooster never came within 16 points of the Tommies after Hannon’s layup with 8:40 remaining increased the Tommies’ lead to 59-43. Hannon scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists.

“We double team a lot in practice, so once you get into games and you get single coverage, it seems second nature,” Hannon said about his 16 points.

The Tommies shot 54 percent from the field and 57 percent from the 3-point line. The team scored 37 points off 18 Wooster turnovers.

Ervin and Nance, two bench players, combined for 22 points, five rebounds, six assists and five steals. The Tommies’ bench outscored Wooster’s 24-12.

“We believe we have more than five starters, and that makes a big difference, too,” Fritz said.

Making history

Saturday’s victory was Fritz’s first national championship in 44 seasons as a player and coach at St. Thomas.

“Coach Fritz is a legend,” Hannon said. “To be able to be a part of the team that brings him his first national championship is something special and something that we’ll cherish forever.”

Healy had 15 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Nicolai had 11 points in the seniors’ final game as Tommies. Archer, Ervin and Halvorsen all finished their career with a win.

“To have that kind of experience in your lineup pays off,” Fritz said. “You don’t have that without seniors. … That’s exactly why we’re here today, [because] we have five great seniors.”

Five seniors who went out on top.

“Walking off the court for the last time knowing that you won the last game that you played in college is something that not many people can say,” Nicolai said. “It’s just amazing.”

Miles Trump can be reached at mttaylorjohn@stthomas.edu.