Box Score  | GameDay Preview

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The last time the Saint Mary's University women's basketball team squared off against St. Thomas, the Cardinals rallied from an early 15-2 deficit to beat the then-nationally ranked Tommies 62-56 at the SMU Gym.

The two teams squared off again Thursday evening in the semifinals of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, and again the Tommies opened an early lead.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, there would be no second-half, come-from-behind heroics this time around, as St. Thomas used a game-ending 12-4 run to turn a one-point UST lead into a nine-point, 69-60 Tommie victory at Schoenecker Arena.

With the win, the second seeded Tommies earned a spot opposite top-seeded and regular-season champion Concordia in the conference tournament title game on Saturday. Concordia rolled past fourth-seeded Saint Benedict 64-48 in Moorhead, Minn., in Thursday's other semifinal game.

The Cardinals found themselves in familiar territory after the opening 20 minutes Thursday. For the second time in as many playoff games — and the 11th time this season — the Cardinals headed into the locker room at trailing at the half.

Just two days after falling behind by nine, 45-36, at the break against Gustavus, SMU rallied from a nine-point first-half deficit, but still trailed after 20 minutes, 31-28.

Four different Cardinals accounted for SMU's first four baskets, as SMU trailed 10-8 early in the opening half. Fueled by a 17-10 run, UST pushed that advantage to 27-18 with 5:48 remaining, but SMU responded with a half-ending 10-4 surge to cut the gap to three, 31-28, at the break.

The teams proved to be mirror images of each other in the first half, as both SMU and UST made 13 field goals — on 28 attempts. And both teams boasted an eight-point leading scorer, as Jamie Stefely (Lisle, Ill.) knocked down four field goals for the Cardinals, while Jenna Dockter went 4-for-5 from the field for the Tommies.

After going 13-for-14 from the line in the first half — and 32-for-37 for the game — against Gustavus, the Cardinals did not attempt a free throw in the game's opening 20 minutes against the Tommies.

UST came out flying in the second half, pushing its lead to 44-35, only to have the Cardinals begin one of their patented second-half comebacks. SMU scored 10 of the next 13 points — capped by a 3-pointer from Stefely that made it a two-point game, 47-45, with 9:32 remaining.

The Cardinals pulled to within one, 57-56 with 3:43 left in regulation, but this time around, there would be no late-game heroics, as UST — taking advantage of three straight SMU turnovers — scored the next 12 points to ice the win.

And eliminate the Cardinals from post-season play for the second straight year.

Stefely led the Cardinals in scoring for the third straight game, finishing with a team-high 17 points in her final collegiate game. Jessica Thone (Woodbury, Minn.), also playing in her final game as a Cardinal, chipped in 12 points, while Courtney Euerle (Litchfield, Minn.) tallied 10.

St. Thomas also boasted three players in double figures, led by Jenna Dockter with a game-high 19 points. Anna Smith chipped in 14 and Kellie Ring netted 11 for the Tommies, who shot 47 percent from the field (26-for-55).

SMU closes out the season with a 22-5 overall record — the most wins under SMU coach Mandy Pearson and just two wins shy of the school record 24 wins, set in 1984-85 and equaled in 1985-86.