Cortez Tillman scored 16 points and Taylor Montero knocked down 15 points as No. 7-ranked and top-seed St. Thomas scored a 63-46 home victory over fifth-seed Bethel in Friday night's MIAC men's basketball playoff semifinals at Schoenecker Arena.

The Tommies (24-2) have won 20 of their last 21 games and reached the MIAC playoff title game for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons. St. Thomas improved to 17-0 on campus in MIAC playoff semifinal games since 1991-92.

Grant Shaeffer added 14 points and Ryan Saarela chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds for UST, which will play host to second-seed St. Olaf in Sunday's 2 p.m. title clash. The Oles scored 50 first-half points and topped third-seed St. John's, 91-80.

The Toms are attempting to win the MIAC playoff crown for the ninth time in 11 seasons. Their seniors improved to 100-14 in their four-year era.

Both teams struggled to score early. Bethel (18-9) led at 8-5 with 12:00 to go before halftime, but UST countered with a 9-0 run and never trailed again.

BU's Brycen Wojta hit a fast-break 3-pointer at the buzzer to close the gap to 26-19 at the break. St. Thomas started the second half with a 13-0 run to build a 39-19 lead. The Royals would pull within nine points with 8:55 to play at 44-35, but a 16-5 Tommie run sealed the victory.

UST overcame 16 turnovers and 39-percent shooting. They outrebounded BU 43-30, made 14 of 16 foul shots, and outscored the Royals 27-9 from 3-point range.

Bethel, which made an eight-hour round trip to Moorhead two days earlier in playoff round one, shot 31 percent from the floor including just 3-of-15 from behind the arc.

Trevor Hall led Bethel with 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals, and Tim Hanson had 10 points and nine boards.