Senior center Ryan Saarela collected 19 points and 14 rebounds and led six Tommies scoring in double figures as No. 8-ranked St. Thomas pulled away late for a 94-81 victory over No. 18 Elmhurst (Ill.) in a second-round Division III men's basketball playoff game at Schoenecker Arena.

The Tommies (26-3) improved to 17-5 all-time in on-campus NCAA playoff games, including eight wins in a row, and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in eight seasons.

The Toms will learn their travel schedule on Sunday but could be headed to Rock Island, Ill., for a four-team sectional hosted by No. 1-ranked Augustana. The St. Thomas women have also reached the Sweet 16 playoff round and have priority to host a four-team sectional on March 11-12.

The Toms trailed 64-63 midway through the second half when the game's leading scorer, Elmhurst's Kyle Wuest, rolled his ankle. Wuest scored 33 points -- including five treys and 8-of-8 free throws -- in the first 29 minutes on the clock before he limped off the court.

UST scored on that possession on a Saarela basket and started a 30-12 run, with Wuest sidelined for half of that 9:00 run.

St. Thomas had only seven turnovers, outrebounded Elmhurst 37-33, shot 48 percent from the floor, and sank 28-of-37 free throws.

Grant Shaeffer had 18 points; Taylor Montero had 14 points and eight rebounds; Cortez Tillman had 15 points; Jimmy Remke scored 12 points off the bench; and Ryan Boll scored eight of his 10 points in the second half.

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