ST. PAUL, Minn. — Second-ranked St. Thomas avenged its only loss of the season in a big way Saturday, thrashing 11th-ranked Wartburg 85-56 in the NCAA women’s basketball Elite Eight.
The Tommies (30-1) led just 19-14 after the opening quarter, but gradually pulled away from there.
Wartburg (27-4), routed St. Thomas 60-40 in the Knights’ holiday tournament back on Dec. 30, but it was a much different story on the Tommies’ home court.
St. Thomas shot 59.6 percent overall, including a sizzling 53.3 percent from 3-point range where it buried 16 of 30 attempts. The Tommies had just eight turnovers and outrebounded the Knights 29-23.
Wartburg shot 37.8 percent overall and had three players finish in double figures. Adrienne Boettger led the Knights with 12 points while Amanda Brainerd and Payton Draper pitched in 10 each.
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St. Thomas 85, Wartburg 56
WARTBURG (27-4) — Gerdes 2-7 0-0 5, Brainerd 1-5 8-9 10, Hazard 2-3 3-4 7, Boettger 4-8 4-4 12, Conrad 1-6 2-2 4, Anderson 0-0 0-0 0, Morkel 0-0 0-0 0, Lindeman 0-1 0-0 0, Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Murphy 0-0 0-0 0, Shoen 0-1 0-0 0, Kimball 0-0 0-0 0, Naig 0-1 2-2 2, Volesky 3-5 0-0 6, Draper 4-87 0-2 10. Totals 17-45 19-23 56.
ST. THOMAS (30-1) — Porter 5-9 0-0 12, Spaulding 6-8 2-4 16, Renikoff 8-13 1-1 22, Cox 4-10 3-6 15, Brazil 1-2 1-2 4, Brendefur 2-3 0-0 5, Radtke 0-0 0-0 0, Hatlestad 2-3 0-0 4, Krynski 0-0 0-0 0, Krogseng 2-2 0-0 5, Wallin 0-0 0-0 0, Darge 0-0 0-0 0, Rolland 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 31-52 7-13 85.
Wartburg 14 13 14 15 — 56
St. Thomas 19 24 24 18 — 85
3-point goals — Wartburg 3-8 (Gerdes 1-2, Conrad 0-3, Draper 2-3), St. Thomas 16-30 (Porter 2-3, Spaulding 2-2, Renikoff 5-9, Cox 4-9, Brazil 1-2, Brendefur 1-2, Hatlestad 0-1, Krogseng 1-1, Rolland 0-1). Rebounds — Wartburg 25 (Brainerd 5, Volesky 5), St. Thomas 29 (Spaulding 14). Assists — Wartburg 12 (Gerdes 4), St. Thomas 20 (Renikoff 6). Turnovers — Wartburg 11 (Gerdes 3, Hazard 3, Conrad 3), St. Thomas 8 (Renikoff 6). Blocks — Wartburg 1 (Brainerd), St. Thomas 9 (Rolland 3). Steals — Wartburg 3 (Gerdes 2), St. Thomas 6 (Krogseng 2). Total fouls — Wartburg 11, St. Thomas 14. Fouled out — none.