Will DeBerg scored 21 points and Tommy Hannon chipped in 16 as No. 11-ranked St. Thomas scored a 104-81 victory over Whitman in a non-conference men's basketball game Thursday night in Walla Walla, Wash.
The Tommies (1-0) shot 65% from the floor (41-of-63) in the season-opening game for both teams. They scored 78 points in the game's last 27:13, and the 104 total was UST's most in a season debut game in 24 seasons. St. Thpoams scored 93 in an exhibition win over Division II Winona State two weeks earlier.
Thirteen different players scored for UST. Connor Nord had 12 points and six rebounds; Erik Tengwall had nine points and four assists; Zach Riedeman had eight points.
The Tommies used a 16-2 run late in the first half to build a 48-32 halftime lead. Whitman never got closer than 10 in the second half. UST used a 28-15 run over the last 8:08 to pull away.
Ben Eisenhardt had game highs with 22 points and eight rebounds for Whitman, which finished 18-8 last season and 19-8 in 2011-11.
St. Thomas plays Saturday at No. 14-ranked Whitworth.
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