St. Thomas men have the spotlight, but the Tommies women’s basketball team is surging, too

The last time these teams played seven weeks ago, the Kansas City Roos outrebounded, outplayed and outscored the St. Thomas women’s basketball team 76-69 in the Tommies’ own gym.

Or not.

Nearly a month later, the Summit League awarded St. Thomas a forfeit victory after Kansas City self-reported a violation of NCAA and league rules the conference did not specify. Stats from the game stand, but the original outcome does not.

Once seventh in Summit League play, the Tommies now are 7-5 and in fourth place after Kansas City’s victory was overturned. St. Thomas, riding a senior class that arrived on campus in 2021 for the program’s first Division I season, also has won its last three games by double digits.

It’s a streak the Tommies take to Kansas City on Thursday afternoon for the rematch with four games remaining before the Summit League tournament.

“They came in and just played their tails off,” said St. Thomas center and Elk River native Jo Langbehn, a member of that senior class. “We underestimated them. Our defense has improved so much compared to the first time. We lost that game, but we got the win. But I want a real win against them.”

Langbehn credits the recent surge to “a lot of connectiveness,” while coach Ruth Sinn calls it a newfound belief, particularly among that senior class that includes Langbehn, forwards Sammy Opichka and Jordyn Lamker, guards Jade Hill and Phoebe Frentzel.

“Our seniors came in here, and they want to make a difference,” said Sinn, who won her 400th career game last month. “They came in really invested in creating this program and putting it on the map. They’re really doing it. Sometimes you want it so bad, you don’t slow down and take your time and relax. But now it’s starting to come.”

Or as Lamker said, “Our leadership has been off the charts the last few weeks.”

St. Thomas went 4-14 in conference play during its first Division I season, went 7-11 and 7-9 the next two seasons and now is 7-5 with games left against Kansas City, South Dakota, Oral Roberts and mighty South Dakota State before the Summit League tournament.

“It’s a bittersweet moment now that we’re finishing it out with this same group,” said Opichka, whose return from injury has coincided with the recent streak. “It has been a lot of fun.”

St. Thomas hasn’t played Kansas City since they opened conference play on Jan. 2.

“They’ve developed these last few weeks, and so have we,” Hill said. “We’re learning how to attack them better than the first time. We are a way different team than we were three weeks ago.”

They’re also a long way from that first Division I season. None of the senior class played for the Division III Tommies.

“We didn’t know what we didn’t know,” Sinn said of the transition. “We asked about the travel and the schedule and the preparation for each opponent. These last three years have been much better because we have an understanding mentally, physically, emotionally how to prepare for the season.”

The women’s team in this fourth Division I season might be surfing a wave from the St. Thomas men’s team, which is 20-7 overall, 10-2 and in first place in the Summit League. Neither team is eligible to play in the NCAA Tournament until next season as part of the NCAA’s probationary period for programs making the move to Division I.

“We want to follow suit, there’s no question,” Sinn said. “The men have got it going. They play such a great style of basketball. They play off each other. They play in space. We want the girls to play with their skills, play with freedom and create opportunities not only for themselves but each other.”