Sophomore guard Nolan Minessale dunks on an Omaha defender. The Tommies beat the Omaha Mavericks 53-68 February 28, 2026 at the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena. (Evan Neubauer/The Crest) 
First-year guard Nick Janowski stretches for the ball. (Evan Neubauer/The Crest) 
Tommie fans celebrate senior night. (Evan Neubauer/The Crest) 
Redshirt junior Carter Bjerke walks onto the court before starting Saturday. (Evan Neubauer/The Crest)
Sophomore guard Nolan Minessale’s 20 points led St. Thomas to a 68-53 win against Omaha Saturday at the Lee and Penny Anderson Arena.
St. Thomas remains undefeated at home against Omaha since joining the Summit League as Minessale shot 7-9 from the field and 2-3 from three-point range against the 2025 Summit League champion Omaha. The Tommies (23-8, 12-4 Summit) led by 20 points against the Mavericks (15-16, 8-8) heading into the final stretch of the game.
“The thing I was most pleased with was our defensive intensity,” coach Johnny Tauer said. “I really thought that was one of the best lengthy stretches of defense we’ve had all year.”
St. Thomas entered the night ranked fifth in the nation in field goal percentage at 51.5%, but beat the Mavericks in a different fashion. After a 98-94 shootout in their previous meeting, the Tommies held Omaha to a season-low 53 points.
The Tommies trailed by nine with five minutes left in the first half before flipping the game with a 12-0 run to close the half. St. Thomas then opened the second with a 19-7 run, which included five straight three-pointers.
“I want to thank our crowd,” Tauer said. “There’s a feeling in this arena when you get on a run. I think our guys really play off the crowd. We played defense, we rebounded, we got out and ran, and moved the ball. We do those four things, and then we give the crowd a reason to cheer.”
Sophomore guard Austin Herro finished with eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals, leading the Tommies in each category, while also scoring eight points.
Redshirt first-year guard Nick Janowski grabbed six rebounds to set the St. Thomas Division I single-season record with 160, surpassing Raheem Anthony’s mark from 2023-24.
The regular season finale also marked senior night at Lee and Penny Anderson Arena, honoring managers Tony Tan Vo and Jack Schumacher, as well as graduate guard Jack Tauer, senior forward Carter Bjerke and Ryan Dufault.
Dufault began his career as a walk-on and was with St. Thomas throughout its reclassification from Division III to Division I.
“You just gotta star in your role,” Dufault said. “Everyone has their role on the team. You embrace it, you make energy plays, and you just have fun with it.”
Tauer credited Dufault’s leadership in the program’s Division I transition.
“He’s one of the most unique players in all college basketball,” Tauer said. “He’s a leader. In many ways he embodies our whole program. If anybody wants to have fun watching college basketball, just watch Ryan because he plays with a joy that’s contagious.”
Dufault says the team is peaking at the right time.
“We’re willing to be unselfish, and do the right things on defense, and hopefully that can transition to the playoffs next week.” Dufault said.
The Tommies will play Thursday against the No. 7 seed South Dakota State at the Summit League Championship 25 minutes after the 6 p.m. game ends at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Reagan Boschulte can be reached at bosc3829@stthomas.edu.
