Senior Taylor Montero recorded 24 points and seven boards and junior Grant Shaeffer added 13 points and a career-high nine assists to lead the No. 5-ranked Tommies (8-1 overall, 3-1 MIAC) to Saturday's 89-70 home-court win over Hamline (3-6, 1-3) in MIAC men's basketball play in Schoenecker Arena.

St. Thomas never trailed over the final 37:00 on the clock but couldn't shake the stubborn Pipers until late. Hamline pulled within 36-35 in the final 30 seconds of the first half but a Jimmy Remke putback before the buzzer pushed UST's halftime lead to three.

Hamline freshman Connor Knutson scored 15 of his career-high 18 points after halftime, including 11 points during a 2:51 span in the middle of the half. The Pipers pulled within 62-58 with 10:30 to play on Travis Van Elsberg's layup.

But six Tommies scored during a 15-0 run over the next 3:34 -- including treys by Ryan Johnson, Jacob Hansen and Shaeffer -- to push the lead to 19 points.

St. Thomas had only five turnovers, sank 12-of-24 from 3-point range, and posted a 37-25 rebounding advantage. Cortez Tillman scored 13 points; Ryan Saarela added nine points, seven boards and three blocks; and Ryan Johnson had a career-high eight points.

Hamline, which played without injured starting guard Dylan See-Rockers, shot 49 percent and had only eight turnovers. Herbert Tarpeh and Van Elsberg each scored 12 points.

The Tommies, who play Wednesday night at Gustavus, sit one-half game out of the conference lead behind 4-1 St. Olaf.