Area college basketball roundup: No. 1 Tommies open with a win

Zach Riedeman had 16 points and six assists, Tommy Hannon had 14 points and 13 rebounds and No. 1 St. Thomas beat Aurora (Ill.) 91-62 to open the NCAA Division III men's basketball playoffs Saturday in St. Paul.

UST (27-1) improved to 15-0 at home this season, holding the Spartans (21-7) to 34 percent shooting. The Tommies will play No. 22 Wheaton (Ill.) next Saturday at a site to be announced.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point 71, Northwestern (Roseville) 54: Jordan Giordana scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half as the host Pointers (22-4) rallied past the Eagles (21-7). Tom Gisler scored 16 to lead Northwestern.

WomenSt. Thomas 53, Cornell (Iowa) 52: Kelly Brandenburg scored 15 points as the Tommies (24-5) outlasted the host Rams (25-2) in the second round. The Rams missed two three-pointers in the final 45 seconds.

STAFF REPORTS

Division IINSIC QUARTERFINALS • MEN

• UPPER IOWA 73, ST. CLOUD STATE 55: Tucker Wentzien had 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Peacocks (20-10) won at St. Cloud for the second time this season, defeating the NSIC North champion Huskies (20-8) in the second round of the conference playoffs Saturday. Upper Iowa shot 50 percent from the floor compared to 34.6 percent for the Huskies.

• MINNESOTA STATE MANKATO 87, MINNESOTA STATE MOORHEAD 63: Assem Marei had 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead the host Mavericks (24-4) past the Dragons. In his final college game, former Minnetonka High School standout Anthony Tucker scored 16 points to lead the Dragons (19-11).

• AUGUSTANA 85, NORTHERN STATE 61: Cameron McCaffrey had 26 points and went 14-for-14 from the free-throw line as the Vikings (21-7) defeated the Wolves (20-11) in Aberdeen, S.D.

NSIC QUARTERFINALS • WOMEN

• CONCORDIA (ST. PAUL) 80, NORTHERN STATE 65: Anika Whiting scored 19 points and the host Golden Bears (23-5) routed the Wolves (16-12).

• WINONA STATE 47, ST. CLOUD STATE 45: Marieanna Dulas' three-pointer with seven seconds remaining lifted the Warriors past the host Huskies. The Huskies had taken a 45-44 lead on a basket by Morgan Lof with 30 seconds remaining.