HOUSTON, Texas – St. Thomas men's basketball team secured its first 20-win season in five years with a 79-69 win over Texas College in the final regular season game Saturday.
The Celts (20-10, 11-7 Red River Athletic Conference) will be the No. 4 seed in the RRAC Tournament March 7-9 in Longview, Texas.
Orowo Eleyae (SR/Houston, Texas) had 25 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Sam Flores (SR/El Paso, Texas) had 15 points and five steals. Nathan Thormaehlen (JR/Katy, Texas) finished with 15 points, nine boards and three blocks. Paris Marquez (SR/Atascocita, Texas) had 14 points, eight rebounds and two steals.
Eleyae scored four minutes into the second half to give UST a 39-32 lead. Michael Walker canned a three as the Steers cut it to 44-42 with 11:30 to go before Eleyae converted a three-point play at the other end. Kennard Robinson (JR/Houston, Texas) hit a one-handed runner off the glass with over 7:00 left to push the Celts' lead to five, but Jerry Murphy hit a three on the Steers next possession to make it a two-point game.
Thormaehlen hit a deep three with 5:52 to go to put the Celts ahead, 60-53. Texas College stormed back to pull within two. Thormaehlen struck again, burying another triple from the wing with 3:45 left to make it 65-58. The Steers drew within two possessions, but Marquez hit back-to-back threes, and Eleyae glided in for a dunk as the Celts ran away with it down the stretch.
UST shot 48.6 percent in the second half, overcoming a 27.6 percent shooting effort in the first. Texas College shot 40 percent in the second half and 38.7 percent in the first. The Celts went 10 of 31 from three-point range. The Steers were 9 of 28.
Thormaehlen and Flores hit back-to-back threes as St. Thomas took a 14-12 lead. Thormaehlen picked up a loose ball and soared in for monstrous dunk to push the Celts' lead to four. The Steers went on a 10-4 run to take a 22-20 advantage. Walker grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to put Texas College up, 26-22. Flores scooped up a loose ball and scored, and Kennard Robinson buried a triple to give the lead back to UST, 28-26. The score was tied at 29 at halftime.
UST shot 8 of 29 in the first half. Texas College was 12 of 31. The Celts were 9 of 12 from the free throw line. The Steers did not attempt a free throw in the first half.
Robinson had eight of UST's 13 assists. He also scored eight points.
UST finished 10-6 at the Jerabeck Center this season.
