Senior All-America guard Tyler Nicolai scored 22 of his season-high 28 points in the second half to power No. 8-ranked St. Thomas to a 72-56 win over No. 7-ranked Augustana (Ill.) and claim the school's first men's basketball Final Four berth in 17 seasons.

The Tommies (28-3) won the school's first NCAA men's basketball playoff game on the opponent's court in six all-time tries. In the process they silenced a pro-Augustana crowd of 2,286 fans and handed the Vikings just their second home loss in 16 games this season.

Coach Steve Fritz' Tommies join the 1993-94 St. Thomas team in advancing to the national semifinals. UST will play in Salem, Va., in next Friday's semifinal game against No. 2-ranked Middlebury (Vt.) (27-1).

Nicolai sank six of the Toms' season-high 10 3-pointers. UST raced to a 20-8 lead in the first 7:05, never trailed, and shot 53% from the floor for the second night in a row. Alex Healy had 11 points and five assists, and Tommy Hannon added 11 points and six rebounds.

St. Thomas has won 10 in a row, and its 28 wins are second most in school history. They are 19-0 in Saturday games over the last two seasons.

UST's pressure helped force Augustana (27-4) into 19 turnovers, and limit the host school to just 13 field goals and 33-percent shooting from the field. The Vikings stayed in the game by converting 28-of-38 at the foul line as UST was whistled for 27 fouls.

St. Thomas never trailed in the second half of their last three NCAA playoff wins. On Saturday the Toms led 32-25 at halftime. The Vikings pulled within 45-37 with 14:31 left on a trey by Brian DeSimone, but Nicolai sank 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to push the lead to 54-39.

Bryant Voiles had 22 points and seven rebounds to lead Augustana.

Click here to access box score:

http://www.augustana.edu/athletics/mbasketball/stats/2011ncaasectional/11ncaas3.htm