Senior guard Lucia Renikoff drives for a layup against Wartburg defender Emma Gerdes. Renikoff scored three 3-pointers in the first half. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
Guard Lucia Renikoff’s 22 points led St. Thomas to a 85-54 victory over Wartburg College in the NCAA Elite Eight Saturday at Schoenecker Arena.
This was the second matchup between the two teams this season after the Knights (24-4) handed St. Thomas (30-1) a 60-40 loss on Dec. 30. That game was the Tommies’ only loss of the season.
Center Hannah Spaulding put in 16 points and 14 rebounds. Tommies guard Kelsie Cox scored 15 points and Wartburg center Adrienne Boettger led the team in scoring with 12 points.
The Tommies tied the school record with 16 made 3-pointers in the game.
The Tommies, who won their last national championship in 1991, will now face Bowdoin College in the NCAA Division III Final Four on March 15 in Salem, Virginia. This will be St. Thomas’ second Final Four appearance in three years.
Justin Amaker can be reached at justin.amaker@stthomas.edu.