COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Senior forward Elijah Hannah led the floor in rebounds, but the No. 2-ranked Tommies came up short, losing to No. 1-ranked St. John’s 82-63 in the men’s basketball MIAC championship at Sexton Arena Saturday night.
Both teams tied for the regular season MIAC championship, with a coin flip determining the No. 1 seed, which St. John’s won.
The Johnnies (25-2) started the game on an 11-0 run and never looked back, with their starters scoring a combined 67 points.
“Of course we don’t like it, but we just got to get back to it and just know our game plan,” Hannah said.
Hannah put away 15 points for St. Thomas (24-3), the team’s second best behind sophomore guard Anders Nelson, who knocked down 16.
A team that averages almost 11 3-pointers per game, the Tommies only shot 4-21 from beyond the arc. The Johnnies shot 50% from the three and were 12-24 in 3-pointers.
“Our guys competed with a lot of tenacity and belief in each other,” coach John Tauer said. “While we came up short, I certainly appreciate and am grateful for them always playing that way.”
Less than three minutes into the game, senior forward Tommy Anderson was injured and didn’t see the court again.
A team known for its depth, Hannah commended his teammates for their positive attitude.
“We’re always together,” Hannah said. “We’re always rooting for each other.”
Two of the Tommies’ three losses this season have come from St. John’s, but Tauer remains positive.
“These guys,” Tauer said, “I love coaching them, and they’ve performed really well throughout the entire season. This game certainly doesn’t define our season.”
St. John’s receives an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament, and St. Thomas is expected to receive an at-large bid. Both teams will learn their next opponents and playing locations on March 2 at 11:30 a.m.
Looking forward, the Tommies have one thing on their minds.
“Keep getting better,” Hannah said. “It’s win or you’re done.”
Kat Barrett can be reached at barr1289@stthomas.edu.