Senior forward Connor Bair leaps in the air while attempting a three-point shot. Bair scored 12 points while collecting five rebounds. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
Senior guard GT Johnson dribbles down the court towards the end of the first half. Johnson played 28 minutes for the Tommies, the second most on the night. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
Senior guard Michael Hannon shoots a three-point shot in the second half. Hannon scored 9 points, all of which were three-point shots. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
Coach John Tauer celebrates a victory by fist-bumping first-year guard Anders Nelson. This is Tauer’s 19th year with St. Thomas. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
Sophomore Burt Hedstrom prepares to pass to a teammate in the first half. Hedstrom was recently awarded the MIAC’s “Sixth Man of the Year” award. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
First-year Anders Nelson looks on as he shoots a free throw in the second half. Nelson scored 7 points while collecting 10 defensive rebounds. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
Sophomore Ryan Lindberg celebrates late in the second half with teammate Michael Hannon. Lindberg led the Tommies in scoring with 15 points. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
First-year guard Anders Nelson prepares to inbound a ball after the Tommies were fouled. Nelson played 23 minutes for the Tommies. (Jacob Schneider/TommieMedia)
LINCOLN, Neb. — Sophomore guard Ryan Lindberg’s 15 points, three rebounds and four assists led the No. 13 St. Thomas men’s basketball team over the defending national champion and top-ranked Nebraska Wesleyan 70-58 Saturday at Snyder Arena and advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
In a sold-out arena, the Tommies (24-4) earned their biggest win yet with a victory over the Prairie Wolves (27-2) to move on to next weekend’s game.
“(I’m) incredibly proud of our team. Nebraska Wesleyan really is the gold standard right now in the country and as defending national champs, the number one ranked team in the country,” coach John Tauer said. “We were thrilled to get the chance to play them tonight.”
The Tommies struck early with three-point shooting to give the team a 10-point lead. The Prairie Wolves rallied back to tie midway through the first half and took the lead with less than a minute to go, igniting the fans. The Tommies trailed the Prairie Wolves 38-37 at halftime.
Lindberg led the Tommies with 14 points at the half, scoring the Tommies’ first eight points of the game. First-year guard Anders Nelson led the team with seven rebounds and five assists.
“I mean, it was a lot of fun to start off a game like that,” Lindberg said. “On the contrary, they didn’t miss any shots at the beginning too, so we knew we had to kinda (lock down) on defense.”
Wesleyan started the second half by scoring the first six points, but the Tommies hit their stride and went on an 11-0 run to retake the lead. Tensions arose midway through the half with technical fouls being dealt to Tommie forward Elijah Hannah and Prairie Wolf forward Ryan Garver. Following the technicals, the Tommies led 48-44 with 10 minutes to play in the half.
The Tommies were eventually able to push their lead back to double digits. A mid-range jumper by senior guard G.T. Johnson and a 3-point jumper by senior guard Michael Hannon put the team up 62-48 with 3:29 left to play.
Wesleyan tried desperately to make a late comeback by going on a brief run to lower the deficit to nine, but the Tommies made key free throws that sealed the victory.
In 1995, his senior year at St. Thomas, Tauer’s team lost to the Prairie Wolves in the NCAA Tournament.
“The (players) were saying, ‘Hey, this one’s for you coach,’” Tauer said. “24 years ago… it was in the second round, it was on our home court, we were undefeated at the time… but to get to play in a game like this was an honor… It’s special to see these guys (win).”
Forward Connor Bair feels good about the team’s chances as they prepare for the Sweet Sixteen.
“I have a lot of faith in our guys,” Bair said. “Right now, this game gives us a lot of confidence moving forward.”
The Tommies will play Guilford College Friday in the Sweet Sixteen.
Matthew Curry can be reached at curr1523@stthomas.edu.