MORRIS, Minn. - The College of St. Scholastica men's basketball team opened its 2025-26 campaign with a road victory Friday night, defeating Minnesota-Morris 84-70 at Jim Gremmels Court.
The Saints came out firing, dominating the first half 41-22 behind a flurry of three-pointers and transition baskets. Junior guard
Tanner Thomson (Woodbury, MN/Stillwater HS) led the charge, pouring in a game-high 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.
St. Scholastica's energy and depth proved decisive as the bench contributed 33 points, paced by
Conner Barney's (Cloquet, MN/Cloquet HS) 15-point performance on an efficient 5-for-6 from the field.
Davion Butler (South Phoenix, AZ/) added 10 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals, providing steady leadership on both ends, while
Koy Nelson (Port Wing, WI/South Shore HS) chipped in 9 points.
Defensively, the Saints forced 20 Cougar turnovers, converting them into 22 points and controlling the tempo with 19 fast-break points. Their defensive pressure also limited Minnesota-Morris to just 24 first-half points, setting the tone for the night.
St. Scholastica dominated the boards, with a 43-36 rebounding edge, led by
Hayden Kloos' (Chaska, MN/Holy Family HS) 6 rebounds and
Jayden Brown's (Grantsburg, WI/Grantsburg HS) 5. The Saints finished the night shooting 43% from the field and 72% from the free-throw line, while connecting on nine three-pointers.
Minnesota-Morris was led by Matt Thompson, who scored 31 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, while Kaden Pieper added 14 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
With the win, St. Scholastica starts the season 1-0. They head to Fargo, North Dakota next to take on North Dakota State in an exhibition game on Wednesday, November 12th. Tip off is set for 7pm.
