ST. PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — Jada Hood scored 22 points and Faith Feuerbach added 12 as Saint Thomas (Minn.) outlasted Denver 74-65 in overtime Thursday night in a Summit League women’s basketball game at Schoenecker Arena. The Tommies (8-8) dominated the extra period 15-6 after Denver’s Coryn Watts hit a tying 3-pointer late in regulation. Saint Thomas led by 11 after the first quarter, but the Pioneers (7-9) rallied to force overtime behind Laia Monclova’s 17 points and Watts’ 17. Both teams shot 26-for from the field, but Saint Thomas capitalized at the free-throw line, making 13 of 18 attempts to Denver’s 6 of 13, and held a 13-4 edge in offensive rebounds.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by dramatic momentum swings and a gritty comeback, the Saint Thomas Tommies outlasted the Denver Pioneers 74-65 in overtime in a Summit League women’s basketball contest Thursday night at Schoenecker Arena. The Tommies, who led by as many as 14 points in the first half and saw that lead evaporate completely in the final minutes of regulation, dominated the extra period to improve to 8-8 overall. Denver, which fought back from a double-digit deficit to force overtime, fell to 7-9. The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Trailing 59-53 with under two minutes to play, Denver mounted a desperate 6-0 run to tie the game. The surge was capped by a driving layup from Anna Rosenberger, who was fouled on the play with 43 seconds remaining. She missed the ensuing free throw, leaving the score knotted at 59. Saint Thomas had two chances to win in regulation. Savannah McGowan missed a layup with 35 seconds left, and after a Denver timeout, the Pioneers’ Coryn Watts was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 3 seconds on the clock. With a chance to give Denver its first lead since the first quarter, Watts missed all three free throws. Alyssa Sand secured the rebound for Saint Thomas, but her full-court heave was off target, sending the game to an extra period. The overtime belonged entirely to the Tommies, who scored the first six points and outscored Denver 15-6. Jada Hood, who led all scorers with 22 points, keyed the run with a layup and two free throws. Faith Feuerbach then sealed the victory with a crucial 3-pointer from the wing, assisted by Hood, to put Saint Thomas up 72-65 with just 18 seconds left in overtime. The game’s opening quarter foreshadowed little of the drama to come, as Saint Thomas blitzed Denver with a 23-point period, fueled by early inside scoring from McGowan and Feuerbach and a pair of 3-pointers from Laura Hauge. The Tommies led 23-12 after one and extended their advantage to 34-23 late in the second quarter. Denver began its methodical climb back in the third quarter, primarily through the play of Laia Monclova and Coryn Watts. Monclova, a junior from Mallorca, Spain, finished with 17 points and six assists, orchestrating the Pioneer offense for 44 minutes. Watts, a guard from Aurora, Colorado, matched Monclova’s 17 points. The Pioneers finally drew even late in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for the frantic finish and overtime. Denver’s comeback was hampered by poor free-throw shooting, as the team made only 6 of 13 attempts from the line, including the critical misses at the end of regulation. For Saint Thomas, Hood’s 22-point, five-assist performance was complemented by Feuerbach’s all-around line of 12 points, three assists and a block. Hauge added 13 points, and McGowan chipped in 10 points and two blocks. The Tommies won despite shooting only 38.8% from the field, leveraging a 13-4 advantage in offensive rebounds and making 13 of 18 free throws. Denver’s Ana Conde, a freshman from Madrid, Spain, provided a spark off the bench with 10 points. Statistically, the game was a contrast in efficiency. Saint Thomas scored 74 points on 73 possessions for an offensive rating of 102.0. Denver managed 65 points on 74 possessions, an offensive rating of 87.6. The Tommies’ ability to create extra chances, evidenced by their 13 offensive rebounds, proved decisive in a contest where both teams committed a similar number of turnovers. The announced attendance was 206 at Schoenecker Arena. Saint Thomas returns to Summit League action Saturday at home against South Dakota. Denver continues its road trip with a game at South Dakota State on Jan. 15.

Preview: Denver at Saint Thomas (Minn.) Women’s Basketball ST. PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — Two teams seeking momentum in Summit League play will meet when the Denver Pioneers visit the Saint Thomas Tommies on Thursday night. Both teams enter the contest at Schoenecker Arena with identical 7-8 overall records. Denver is looking to rebound from a lopsided 81-44 home loss to North Dakota State last Saturday. Saint Thomas also aims to recover after a 67-49 defeat at South Dakota State on Jan. 1. The matchup features two of the conference’s standout forwards. Denver will rely on Laia Monclova, who scored 15 points in the loss to NDSU and is averaging 15 points per game over her last five contests. She erupted for 30 points in a win over Colorado Christian on Dec. 17. For the Tommies, Alyssa Sand has been a consistent force. She recorded a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds against South Dakota State and has been a defensive presence, tallying multiple blocks in three of her last five games. Denver’s season has been marked by volatility, following a three-game winning streak in mid-December with its recent 37-point loss. Saint Thomas has shown a similar pattern, with dominant non-conference wins over Drake and Northern Illinois bracketing a home loss to Northern Iowa. This game begins a critical stretch for both squads. The Pioneers continue a road swing at South Dakota State and South Dakota next. The Tommies host South Dakota on Saturday before hitting the road for two games. Thursday’s winner will climb above .500 and gain an early edge in the conference standings, while the loser will face increased pressure to avoid an 0-2 start to the league slate. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at Schoenecker Arena.