Eighth-ranked St. Thomas advanced to the Division III Final Four for the third time in six years by beating top-ranked Augustana 86-76 on its home floor Saturday night in Rock Island, Ill.
The Tommies (28-3) trailed 56-55 when they went on a 15-2 run to take a 12-point lead with six minutes left. Augustana (29-2) closed to five points several times, but St. Thomas held on.
Junior guard Grant Shaeffer played all 40 minutes and led the Tommies with 24 points. They will open the Final Four on Friday in Salem, Va., against Christopher Newport (Va.).
Division II men
Jon Fuqua had 28 points for Minnesota State Mankato in an 85-81 victory over NSIC rival Minnesota State Moorhead in the opening round of the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament on Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Mavericks (22-9) shot 57.4 percent and advanced to a second-round matchup Sunday against Northwest Missouri State.
Tanner Kretchman led the Dragons (30-6) with 27 points, including a three-pointer that gave MSU Moorhead a 45-42 halftime lead, and became the Dragons' career assist leader with 267.
The Dragons shot 11-for-23 from beyond the arc.
The Mavericks took their biggest lead in the seesaw game on a pair of clinching free throws with 3 seconds remaining.
Division II women
Winona State, despite 28 points from Alexis Foley, lost 66-62 to Emporia State in the second round of the NCAA Central Regional in Pittsburg, Kan. The Warriors finished 30-4. Sandra Ngoie's 14 points led four double-digit scorers for the Hornets (28-5).
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