With five seniors scoring double-digits, including guard Anders Nelson’s 20 points, the St. Thomas men’s basketball team handily defeated University of Nebraska-Omaha 95-74 Saturday at Schoenecker Arena on senior night.
The Tommies (10-20, 4-14 Summit League) celebrated senior night by starting all seniors or graduate students. St. Thomas’ roster featured five seniors – Nelson, Riley Miller, Parker Bjorklund, Kevin Cunningham and Zach Theisen – and two graduate students – Ryan Lindberg and Burt Hedstrom.
“I’m really thrilled to get a victory tonight on senior night with seven guys who have meant so much to our program,” coach John Tauer said. “I thought we played a really tough, unselfish game against a really athletic, well-coached team in Omaha and the energy in the gym was great.”
The Mavericks (5-24, 4-14) kept pace to start, going back and forth with the Tommies for the first 10 minutes. The first half ended with the Tommies leading 47-36 backed by a 22-12 run over the last 8:17.
The Tommies were able to keep their momentum going into the second half, which led to an opportunity for each of the seven seniors to have a last moment on the court. Each player was applauded and embraced by their coaches and teammates as they were substituted out.
In addition to praising the seniors, Tauer celebrated the success of junior forward Brooks Allen, who had nine points in 23 minutes.
”He played backup as a JV guy his freshman year, last year I think he played 34 total minutes the whole season and this year going into the season we didn’t know if he was going to be on the team.”
Allen started five games this season and scored 140 points for the Tommies.
Tauer reflected on the Tommies first Division I season and acknowledged the adaptation of the seniors throughout their time at St. Thomas.
“These seven guys who’ve been through so much when you think about COVID and us being removed from the MIAC and then ending up in Division I, none of them knew any of this was going to happen,” Taurer said.
He also expressed the importance of focusing on qualitative goals, rather than winning, especially in the time of change and growth for the team.
“Build things the right way, don’t rush and get victories over our culture, our values, our integrity,” Taurer said.
The game against the Mavericks concluded the inaugural Division I season for the team.
Angelica Franaschouk can be reached at fran8528@stthomas.edu.