ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – St. Thomas men's basketball took down top-ranked Augustana 86-76 Saturday night in Elite 8 tournament play, to advance to the NCAA Division III Final Four for the third time in six years.

The No. 8-ranked Tommies (28-3) trailed 56-55 when they went on a 15-2 run to take a 12-point lead with six minutes left in the game. Augustana (29-2) closed to five points several times, but St. Thomas held on to win.

Junior guard Grant Shaeffer played all 40 minutes and led the Tommies with 24 points, followed by four teammates scoring in double figures, all seniors: Ryan Saarela had 18 points and 11 boards for his 12th double double of the season; Cortez Tillman recorded 15 points, all in the second half; Taylor Montero 13 points; and Jimmy Remke 12.

The Tommies shot 47 percent from the floor, including 8 of 14 from 3-point range. They also knocked down 26 of 34 free throws and had a 41-31 rebounding edge.

St. Thomas fell behind 39-32 late in the first half and cut it to four at the break on a three-point play by Shaeffer.

Coach John Tauer's team will open the Final Four on Friday in Salem, Va., against Christopher Newport (Va.), which topped Wooster (Ohio) on Saturday.

This is the first time St. Thomas men's basketball has beaten a No. 1-ranked team since polls began 17 years ago. UST also ended the Vikings' 22-game home win streak (15-0 this season until Saturday).

The current Tommie senior class is 104-15 in its four-year era, including a 13-5 postseason record.