HOME OF BULLDOG WOMEN'S BASKETBALL - 1993, 2004, 2010 SCIAC Champions

St. Thomas Prevails over Chapman in Opening Game of the Redlands Tip-off Classic

In the first game of the 26th Annual University of Redlands Women’s Basketball Tip-Off Classic, the Tommies of the University of St. Thomas (MN) pushed past the Panthers of Chapman University by a score of 80-75. In a game plagued by 63 turnovers and 61 fouls, the Tommies prevailed by shooting well at 53.5%, compared to Chapman’s mark of 35.1%.

The first half saw a back-and-forth battle between the teams with St. Thomas earning a slight edge in rebounding in an otherwise even game.

Tied at 35, Chapman surged ahead in the final seconds of the half by converting a Tommie turnover into a three-pointer by junior guard Christina Ly (San Gabriel, CA) after freshman guard Emily McCoy (Villa Park, CA) hit two free throws.

Holding a five-point lead, Chapman continued to pressure St. Thomas into turning over the ball. With 25 of them coming in the second stanza, the Tommies showed their resilience by fighting back with a stellar shooting percentage of 66.7%. They also came up with crucial three-pointers down the stretch.

St. Thomas took the lead with 8:14 to go in the game when sophomore center Sarah Smith (Grand Forks, ND) nailed two free-throws.

However, the Panthers fought back with persistent defense as back-to-back turnovers led to a jumper by senior guard Lindy Ly (San Gabriel, CA) to tie the game at 71 with just over two minutes remaining.

After exchanging free throws, the team reached another stalemate at 73 all.

From here, it was all St. Thomas, who went on a 7-2 run to finish out the game and earn the 80-75 victory.

The Tommies gained a game-high 20 points from sophomore forward Ali Johnson (St. Louis Park, MN), while junior guard Becky Theisen (Elko, MN) added 16 points. Junior center Rachel Booth (Minneapolis, MN) controlled the boards with an impressive 17 rebounds.

For Chapman, junior forward Simone Ibbotson (Huntington Beach, CA) contributed 18 points, while junior guard Tara Glennon (Yorba Linda, CA) chipped in 17. L. Ly also registered double digits with 13.

St. Thomas faces the University of Redlands in tomorrow’s 5:30 p.m. game of the Tip-Off Classic in Currier Gym.