St. Thomas (Minn.) came into Thursday night with the better résumé and left with the cleaner result. The Tommies beat South Dakota State 77-62 on Feb. 5, 2026, pushing their record to 18-6 and handing the Jackrabbits another hit in a season that’s now 11-12.
With the venue listed as TBD and no period-by-period scoring available, the story is still clear in the final: St. Thomas created separation and maintained it, finishing with a 15-point margin that reflected a steadier 40 minutes.
Game flow: St. Thomas finds daylight and keeps it
South Dakota State entered with a 11-12 record and a WLLWL recent form line — flashes of traction, followed by stalls. Against an 18-6 St. Thomas team that has been more consistent (WLWWL), the margin for error was thin.
The Tommies didn’t need overtime and didn’t let the game drift into coin-flip territory late. They won the scoreboard battle decisively, 77-62, and in games like this, that usually means they dictated terms when it mattered — getting the kinds of stops and clean possessions that turn a competitive night into a comfortable finish.
Turning point: The closing stretch belonged to the Tommies
Without quarter splits, the inflection point has to be read through the final margin. A 15-point result in a road win typically signals a late push — a sequence where one team strings together quality possessions while the other gets stuck trading tough shots for empty trips.
That’s where St. Thomas separated: the Tommies were the team that closed. South Dakota State, meanwhile, never found the counterpunch needed to swing momentum back.
What it means going forward
St. Thomas (18-6)
This is the kind of win that travels — a controlled, two-possession game that turns into a double-digit finish. At 18-6, the Tommies continue to bank results that matter, and a 77-point night underscores an offense that can generate enough scoring to avoid late-game volatility.
South Dakota State (11-12)
The Jackrabbits’ season remains a grind at 11-12, and the WLLWL form line now has another data point: when the opponent is stable and efficient, South Dakota State has to be sharper to keep the game within reach late. The 62-point output also highlights the urgency to find more reliable offense — especially in the stretches where the game tilts.
Final
St. Thomas (Minn.) 77, South Dakota State 62 — Feb. 5, 2026.