OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — Saint Thomas (Minn.) used consistent scoring and a strong defensive third quarter to defeat Omaha 81-68 in a women’s Summit League basketball game Thursday night at Baxter Arena. The Tommies improved to 9-9 overall, reaching .500 by leading wire-to-wire before an announced crowd of 794. Alyssa Sand led Saint Thomas with 15 points and eight assists. Faith Feuerbach added 17 points. Omaha (2-18) was paced by Ali Stephens’ game-high 18 points. The Mavericks cut into a 21-point deficit with a 23-point fourth quarter but could not complete the comeback. Saint Thomas held Omaha to just 11 points in the pivotal third period.

OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — The Saint Thomas Tommies used a balanced offensive attack and a disruptive defensive effort to secure a wire-to-wire 81-68 victory over the Omaha Mavericks in a Summit League women’s basketball game Thursday night at Baxter Arena. The Tommies (9-9, 2-3 Summit) never trailed, building a steady lead by consistently outpacing the Mavericks in each of the first three quarters before holding off a late Omaha push. The Mavericks fell to 2-18 overall and 0-5 in conference play. Saint Thomas established control early, leading 20-19 after a competitive first quarter. They then tightened their defense, holding Omaha to just 15 points in the second period to take a 41-34 advantage into halftime. The Tommies delivered their decisive blow in the third quarter, outscoring the Mavericks 20-11 to extend their lead to 61-45, effectively putting the game out of reach despite a 23-point fourth-quarter surge from Omaha. The most critical phase of the contest was the third quarter, where Saint Thomas’s defensive intensity overwhelmed Omaha’s offense. The Tommies forced seven Maverick turnovers in the period, converting those mistakes into easy transition opportunities while holding Omaha to just 4-of-13 shooting from the field. This defensive stand turned a seven-point halftime cushion into a commanding 16-point lead, providing a buffer that proved insurmountable even as Omaha shot aggressively in the final frame. Alyssa Sand, a 6-foot-3 sophomore from Albany, Minnesota, orchestrated the Tommies’ offense with a game-high 15 points and eight assists, adding three steals and a block. Faith Feuerbach, a junior from Sycamore, Illinois, contributed 17 points, while Autumn McCall added 12. The Tommies shot efficiently from deep, connecting on 10 of 21 three-point attempts, and capitalized at the free-throw line, making 25 of 31. Omaha was led by Ali Stephens of Fort Wayne, Indiana, who scored 18 points. Sarai Estupiñan finished with 13 points and four assists, and Leekaya Burke-Perryman added 11 points. The Mavericks, while perfect on 13 free-throw attempts and hitting 13 three-pointers, were hampered by 17 turnovers and managed only four assists as a team, struggling to generate consistent offense against Saint Thomas’s pressure. Saint Thomas dominated key hustle categories, recording 10 steals and 10 assists compared to Omaha’s four in each, and out-rebounded the Mavericks 34-28. The Tommies’ offensive rating of 121.4 on 67 possessions starkly outperformed Omaha’s 96.9 on 70 possessions, underlining the efficiency gap. An announced crowd of 794 watched the game. Saint Thomas will look to build on the win when they travel to face Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday. Omaha continues its search for its first league win with a road game at Oral Roberts, also on Saturday.

OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — Two Summit League women’s basketball teams on divergent paths will meet Thursday when the Saint Thomas Tommies visit the Omaha Mavericks at Baxter Arena. The Tommies (8-9, 1-2 Summit) enter the contest seeking consistency after splitting their first two conference games last week. They fell 72-65 to South Dakota on Saturday following a 74-65 overtime victory over Denver on Jan. 8. Guard Jada Hood has been a catalyst, averaging 15.8 points and 5.0 assists over her last five games. She scored 22 points against Denver and followed with 13 points and seven assists against South Dakota. Omaha (2-17, 0-4) is mired in a seven-game losing streak, most recently a 94-39 road loss to North Dakota State on Saturday. The Mavericks’ last win was a 90-81 non-conference victory over Briar Cliff on Dec. 27. Forward Avril Smith provides a bright spot, leading the team in rebounds and blocks. She grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds to go with four blocks in the loss to NDSU. Saint Thomas has found more offensive success, averaging 66.2 points per game compared to Omaha’s 52.6. The Tommies also hold opponents to 61.9 points on average, while the Mavericks allow a league-worst 78.2 points per contest. This is the first meeting of the season between the programs; they will play again in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Feb. 14. Saint Thomas will look to build momentum before a quick turnaround at Missouri-Kansas City on Saturday. Omaha continues a challenging stretch, visiting Oral Roberts on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Thursday at Baxter Arena.