Bench helps as Tommies stay unbeaten, end Bluffton home streak

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Senior All-America center Kaitlin Langer had another banner night with 21 points, nine boards, seven assists and three blocks and No. 5-ranked St. Thomas (10-0) outscored the host team 13-7 over the last 8:00 in Friday's 67-63 comeback road victory at the Bluffton (Ohio) tournament.

Langer was named MVP of the four-team tourney as she averaged 23 points and 9.5 boards in two victories. She was joined on the five-player All-Tournament team by Gabby Zehrer.

Sophomore Lucia Renikoff matched her career high with 16 points, helping the Toms post a 23-2 advantage in bench points.

Maddie Wolkow added eight of her 11 points in the second half.

The Tommies extended their regular-season win streak to 22 and ended Bluffton's home-court win streak at 20.

Coach Ruth Sinn's Toms watched a 13-0 Bluffton run build a seven-point first-quarter lead. The host team still led 37-33 at halftime and later went ahead 44-36 before a 15-6 UST run let it regain the lead.

Five different players scored in St. Thomas' game-closing 13-7 run over the final 8:00. UST's defensive pressure helped limit Bluffton to 26 points and 31-percent shooting in the second half (8-of-26).

St. Thomas returns to action Wed. Jan. 4 at home against 9-2 Bethel.