Senior guard Macy Hatlestad led all scorers with 16 as St. Thomas women’s basketball took down undefeated Gustavus Adolphus College 77-64 in their last senior night in the MIAC and likely the first senior night ever with no parents allowed.
With two minutes remaining, the Tommies (5-1, 4-1 MIAC) only led by three points in a game that seemed like it would come down to the final seconds. However, a pair of St. Thomas 3-pointers provided the dagger that extended their lead to nine with two minutes remaining.
“It was just a really good night because all of us were playing for each other and celebrating one another,” Hatlestad said.
Gustavus (5-1, 5-1 MIAC) sophomore forward Caitlin Rorman led all scorers with 20 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Gusties to hold onto their perfect record.
“We didn’t play perfectly by any means,” junior guard Noelle Tomes said. “But you could tell our goal the whole game was to win and find any way to do that.”
Despite the COVID-19 rules barring spectators from games, senior forward Kaia Porter’s family stood outside the arena doors the entire game, the first game they have watched her play in person in two years after Porter’s season-ending injury in 2019.
“I was like, ‘you guys should just come tomorrow night, like what the heck,’ and so that means a lot,” Porter said of her family’s attendance.
Due to injuries, coach Ruth Sinn featured two first-year players, guard Katelyn Stanley and center Kate Burns, who combined for 16 points.
“You know, these injuries are hard, but they have also really shown the character of our young women on our team, and I’m really proud of them,” Sinn said.
In a season where players haven’t seen many people outside of each other, Sinn and the seniors said the team has come together.
“When somebody scores it isn’t my basket, it’s our basket,” Sinn said.
The Tommies play their last game of the 2021 season and as a Division III team in the MIAC conference 2 p.m. Saturday at Bethel.
Cam Kauffman can be reached at cam.kauffman@stthomas.edu.
Mia Laube can be reached at mia.laube@stthomas.edu.