Senior guard Cortez Tillman scored a game-high 18 points and the No. 6-ranked Tommies ran their season winning streak to 10 and opened a two-game at the halfway point of the 20-game conference men's basketball race with Wednesday night's 75-66 win over second-place St. Olaf at Schoenecker Arena

St. Thomas (14-1 overall, 9-1 MIAC) came into the game ranked fifth in Division III in field-goal shooting at 51.1 percent. The Toms shot 66 percent from the field (29-of-44).

The Oles (9-6, 7-3) cut an 11-point deficit to three in the final 2:00 but were outscored 6-0 over the final 1:15. Grant Shaeffer's floater with 1:15 left pushed the St. Thomas lead to five, and his steal on the next St. Olaf possession helped close out the victory.

Four teams are tied for second place at 7-3 in the conference race: St. Olaf, Bethel, Carleton and St. John's. The Tommies play Saturday at Carleton, the lone team it has lost to, 67-66 at home back on Dec. 5.

Tillman, who added a game-high seven rebounds, scored 16 first-half points on 5-of-5 shooting, including three treys, plus 3-of-3 at the line.

UST senior center Ryan Saarela scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half. Shaeffer chipped in nine of his 15 points after halftime. Jimmy Remke scored 10 points off the bench.

St. Olaf had just six turnovers and shot 47 percent from the floor. Ben Figini had 15 points and six boards; Riley Aeikens scored 12 points; Justin Pahl added 11 points; and Austin Majeskie scored 10.

St. Thomas has won 55 consecutive games against MIAC opponents when it scores 70 or more points.