North Dakota Edges St. Thomas in Thrilling Finish
Thursday, January 29, 2026, 8:00 PM ET · Lee & Penny Anderson Arena
North Dakota Fighting Hawks 81, St. Thomas Tommies 80, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won North Dakota Fighting Hawks vs St. Thomas Tommies?
North Dakota Fighting Hawks beat St. Thomas Tommies 81-80 at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena on January 29, 2026.
Who was favored in North Dakota Fighting Hawks vs St. Thomas Tommies?
St. Thomas Tommies were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -850 (about 89% implied). The underdog won.
In a tightly contested matchup, the North Dakota Fighting Hawks narrowly defeated the St. Thomas Tommies 81-80 at the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. This victory marked a significant moment for North Dakota, who had previously lost to St. Thomas earlier in the season. The Fighting Hawks improved their record to 14-12, while St. Thomas fell to 17-7.
Both teams entered the game with impressive recent form. St. Thomas had a record of 9-1 in their last ten games, with an average of 87.0 points scored and 73.6 points allowed. They were riding a two-game winning streak, having recently defeated the South Dakota Coyotes and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Their home record stood at 5-0, showcasing their dominance at the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena.
In contrast, North Dakota had a record of 7-3 in their last ten games, averaging 81.3 points scored and 77.0 points allowed. They were on a three-game winning streak, having secured victories against the Denver Pioneers, Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, and South Dakota Coyotes. Their away record was 3-2, indicating a solid performance on the road.
The previous meetings between these two teams favored St. Thomas, who had won all four encounters leading up to this game. Their last matchup on January 16, 2026, ended with St. Thomas winning 91-80. However, North Dakota turned the tables in this latest clash.
In terms of injuries, the block did not specify any players missing from either team, suggesting both squads were at full strength for this critical matchup.
The betting market, as reported by DraftKings, had St. Thomas as 11.5-point favorites, with a money line of -850 for the Tommies and +575 for the Fighting Hawks. The total for the game was set at 152.5, with the over priced at -115 and the under at -105.
The game was played under competitive conditions, and the excitement was palpable as both teams fought for every point. The final moments were particularly thrilling, with North Dakota making critical plays to secure their victory. Notable scoring plays included a driving layup by Anthony Smith III, a turnaround jump shot by Nick Janowski, and a decisive layup by Eli King that ultimately put North Dakota ahead.
Viewers were treated to a showcase of skill and determination, with both teams displaying their offensive prowess throughout the game. The final score of 81-80 reflected the closely matched nature of the contest, making it a memorable fixture in the NCAAB season.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | STMN -11.5 | 152.5 o -115 / u -105 | North Dakota Fighting Hawks +575 · St. Thomas Tommies -850 |
Leaders
- PointsNolan Minessale24St. Thomas Tommies
- AssistsAustin Herro6St. Thomas Tommies
- ReboundsAustin Herro8St. Thomas Tommies
- PointsGarrett Anderson20North Dakota Fighting Hawks
- AssistsGarrett Anderson3North Dakota Fighting Hawks
- ReboundsEli King6North Dakota Fighting Hawks
Recent form
St. Thomas Tommies
Last 10: 9-1Streak W287 scored · 73.6 allowed per game5-0 at home
- W90-78at South Dakota CoyotesJan 24
- W74-69vs South Dakota State JackrabbitsJan 23
- L65-68at North Dakota State BisonJan 17
- W91-80at North Dakota Fighting HawksJan 16
- W82-71at Oral Roberts Golden EaglesJan 11
- W99-86vs South Dakota CoyotesJan 8
- W92-88vs Denver PioneersJan 4
- W105-59vs North Central RamsDec 28
- W92-78vs UC Riverside HighlandersDec 21
- W80-59at UNC Asheville BulldogsDec 13
North Dakota Fighting Hawks
Last 10: 7-3Streak W381.3 scored · 77 allowed per game3-2 away
- W93-86at Denver PioneersJan 24
- W79-62at Oral Roberts Golden EaglesJan 23
- W96-80vs South Dakota CoyotesJan 17
- L80-91vs St. Thomas TommiesJan 16
- W81-79at Kansas City RoosJan 11
- L79-90at Omaha MavericksJan 9
- W90-87vs South Dakota State JackrabbitsJan 3
- W72-61vs Oral Roberts Golden EaglesJan 1
- W88-56vs Dakota State TrojansDec 28
- L55-78at Nebraska CornhuskersDec 22
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State | 27-8 | - | 14-2 |
| St. Thomas | 24-10 | 2 | 12-4 |
| North Dakota | 18-17 | 4 | 10-6 |
| South Dakota | 16-16 | 6 | 8-8 |
| Omaha | 16-17 | 6 | 8-8 |
| Denver | 15-17 | 7 | 8-8 |
| South Dakota State | 14-18 | 7 | 7-9 |
| Oral Roberts | 10-23 | 10 | 4-12 |
| Kansas City | 4-27 | 13 | 1-15 |
Box score
| Stat | North Dakota Fighting Hawks | St. Thomas Tommies |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 31-62 | 28-57 |
| Field goal % | 50 | 49 |
| Three-pointers | 9-26 | 7-20 |
| Three-point % | 35 | 35 |
| Free throws | 10-15 | 17-23 |
| Free throw % | 67 | 74 |
| Rebounds | 31 | 34 |
| Offensive rebounds | 9 | 9 |
| Defensive rebounds | 22 | 25 |
| Assists | 17 | 22 |
| Steals | 7 | 5 |
| Blocks | 2 | 2 |
| Turnovers | 8 | 10 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 2 | 1 |
| Technical fouls, total | 2 | 1 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 1 |
| Points off turnovers | 11 | 13 |
| Fast-break points | 7 | 7 |
| Points in the paint | 42 | 42 |
| Fouls | 18 | 14 |
| Largest lead | 6 | 10 |
| Lead changes | 8 | 8 |
| Time in front | 29 | 65 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half42-48Nolan Minessale makes 27-foot three point jumper (Nick Janowski assists)
- 2nd Half45-48Garrett Anderson makes 23-foot three pointer
- 2nd Half48-48Garrett Anderson makes 28-foot three point jumper (Reggie Thomas assists)
- 2nd Half48-51Carter Bjerke makes 23-foot three point jumper (Nick Janowski assists)
- 2nd Half50-51Reggie Thomas makes driving layup
- 2nd Half50-52Nolan Minessale makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half50-53Nolan Minessale makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half52-53George Natsvlishvili makes 7-foot hook shot
- 2nd Half53-53George Natsvlishvili makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half53-56Nick Janowski makes 23-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half53-58Nick Janowski makes driving layup (Ryan Dufault assists)
- 2nd Half53-60Austin Herro makes driving layup
- 2nd Half56-60Eli King makes 23-foot three point jumper (Anthony Smith III assists)
- 2nd Half56-62Nick Janowski makes layup (Austin Herro assists)
- 2nd Half58-62Josh Jones makes 0-foot tip in layup
- 2nd Half59-62Greyson Uelmen makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half61-62Anthony Smith III makes layup
- 2nd Half61-64Nolan Minessale makes 0-foot dunk (Austin Herro assists)
- 2nd Half61-66Nolan Minessale makes layup (Ryan Dufault assists)
- 2nd Half64-66Eli King makes 23-foot three point jumper (George Natsvlishvili assists)
- 2nd Half64-68Ben Oosterbaan makes layup (Ryan Dufault assists)
- 2nd Half64-70Nick Janowski makes driving layup (Isaiah Johnson-Arigu assists)
- 2nd Half66-70Zach Kraft makes layup (George Natsvlishvili assists)
- 2nd Half69-70Garrett Anderson makes 26-foot three point jumper (George Natsvlishvili assists)
- 2nd Half69-71Isaiah Johnson-Arigu makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half69-72Isaiah Johnson-Arigu makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half69-73Austin Herro makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half69-74Austin Herro makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half71-74Zach Kraft makes driving layup
- 2nd Half72-74Josh Jones makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half73-74Josh Jones makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half73-75Nolan Minessale makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half73-76Nolan Minessale makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half73-78Austin Herro makes layup (Nolan Minessale assists)
- 2nd Half74-78Eli King makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half75-78Eli King makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half77-78Anthony Smith III makes driving layup
- 2nd Half77-80Nick Janowski makes 14-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half79-80Josh Jones makes layup (Greyson Uelmen assists)
- 2nd Half81-80Eli King makes layup
Win probability
Above the line favours St. Thomas Tommies, below favours North Dakota Fighting Hawks.
Venue
- Lee & Penny Anderson ArenaSaint Paul, MN
- OfficialsMichael Irving, Tim Stewart, Andy O'Brien
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