Tommy Hannon had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Teddy Archer tied a career high with 13 points as the first-place Tommies (15-1 overall, 10-1 MIAC) held off a late run by the visiting Johnnies (7-8, 3-7) in Saturday's 62-59 MIAC men's basketball victory at UST's Schoenecker Arena.
No. 4-ranked St. Thomas has won nine in a row against the Johnnies, and 15 of the last 18 games in the series.
It was St. Thomas' 51st consecutive MIAC on-campus win. The Tommies maintained a one-game lead atop the conference standings on Carleton and Gustavus, which each posted narrow road wins on Saturday.
An Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex record crowd of more than 1,400 watched the Tommies build a 53-38 lead with 6:11 to go on Tyler Nicolai's 3-point basket. But the Johnnies used a 21-8 run to pull within 61-59 in the final 30 seconds.
Alex Healy made one of two free throws with 16 seconds left to push the lead to 62-59. St. John's Sam Blank missed a tying 3-point shot as time ran out.
Todd Herman scored a game-high 25 points to lead the St. John's comeback. Aaron Barmore scored 12 points, and Aaron Burtzel added 10 points and seven rebounds.
UST shot 54% in the first half and built a 31-21 halftime lead, thanks in large part to Archer's 10 first-half points.
Both teams shot poorly at the foul line (each 9-of-17), but the Toms had a 38-31 rebounding edge and only 10 turnovers.
Healy added 11 points, and Brady Ervin added six points off the bench.
The Timmies are home Wednesday to face Augsburg.
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