NKyTribune staff
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Balanced scoring and stingy defense keyed Thomas More’s 72-47 victory over Dakota State (S.D.) on Saturday during the NAIA national quarterfinals.
Thomas More placed four players in double figures and held Dakota State to 27.8 percent shooting from the field. Taylor Clos and Summer Secrist each scored 12 points for the Saints, who improved to 28-1 with their 13th straight win.
Briana McNutt and Alexah Chrisman added 10 points apiece for Thomas More, which is ranked No. 1 nationally in the NAIA. The Saints bolted out to a 21-4 lead after one quarter and extended that bulge to 42-20 at halftime, then coasted into the national semifinals.
Thomas More also snapped Dakota State’s 23-game winning streak. The Trojans (27-4) had not lost since Nov. 17.
Clos drained four 3-pointers and dished out five assists. Thomas More finished 9-for-31 from beyond the arc and won the rebounding battle against the bigger Trojans by a 43-37 margin.
Emily Simon grabbed nine rebounds to pace the Saints on the boards. She also dished out seven assists and scored eight points. McNutt and Chrisman both grabbed eight rebounds, while Secrist collected four steals.
The Thomas More defense held Morgan Koepsell to just two points on 1-for-8 shooting from the field. During Dakota State’s 91-77 win over previously unbeaten Sterling (Kan.) on Thursday, Koepsell finished with 27 points.
Zoie Barth added nine points and four rebounds for Thomas More. Courtney Hurst finished with eight points and three assists.
Thomas More will play the winner of the Morningside (Iowa)/Concordia (Neb.) game on Monday night at 7 p.m. in the national semifinals.
Thomas More is seeking its fourth national championship in seven years. The Saints won back-to-back NCAA Division III national championships in 2015 and 2016. Thomas More added a third national crown in 2019 before transitioning to the NAIA last season.
(Information compiled from the NAIA and staff reports)