Senior center Ryan Saarela scored a career-high 25 points and led a 15-4 second-half run that let No. 8-ranked St. Thomas record 78-66 home men's basketball win over Central (Iowa) in Friday night's NCAA first-round playoff game at Schoenecker Arena.

Senior forward Taylor Montero added 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. Junior guard Grant Shaeffer (13 points) and senior Jimmy Remke (seven points) scored all 20 of their points in the second half for UST (25-3).

The Tommies will play Elmhurst (22-6), a 73-63 winner over UW-Oshkosh. Elmhurst made 34-of-40 free throws to tp the Titans (18-10). Tip-off is 7 p.m. Saturday in Schoenecker Arena.

St. Thomas shot 50 percent from the field, had a 43-28 rebounding edge, and had just 10 turnovers. UST also had a 15-3 margin in second-chance points.

Pete Walker scored 16 points, and Colby Taylor had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Central (19-10).

Trashawn Boyd's layup with 15:42 to play gave the Dutch their last lead at 41-40. But UST countered with a 15-4 run for a 55-45 lead. Central climbed within 65-61 with 5:35 left but a knockout 13-2 run by the Tommies pushed the lead to 15.