SEATTLE (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive struggle defined more by missed shots and miscues than offensive artistry, the Seattle Redhawks methodically pulled away from the Saint Thomas Tommies for a 67-52 victory in a non-conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at a sparsely attended Key Arena.

The game, which saw both teams combine to shoot under 38% from the field, was ultimately decided by Seattle’s superior efficiency at the free-throw line and its ability to capitalize on a torrent of Saint Thomas turnovers. The Redhawks (21-13) converted 18 of 22 attempts from the charity stripe, while the Tommies (24-10) managed only 5 of 8. More critically, Seattle turned 19 Saint Thomas turnovers into 13 points, while the Tommies could only muster 11 points off 10 Redhawk giveaways.

The contest’s most important sequence came not in a flurry of scoring, but in a decisive defensive stand that bridged the halves. Saint Thomas, led by Nolan Minessale’s 15 points, took a narrow 31-30 lead into the locker room after a first half featuring 10 lead changes and neither team leading by more than five points. The Tommies’ last basket of the half, a layup by Isaiah Johnson-Arigu with 1:17 remaining, gave them that one-point edge.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to Seattle. The Redhawks opened the period on a crippling 15-2 run over the first seven minutes, transforming their one-point deficit into a 45-33 command. The run was fueled by the defensive intensity that plagued Saint Thomas all night. The Tommies committed five turnovers during this stretch and missed seven of their first eight shots from the field, their offensive rating of 74.5 for the game a testament to the struggles. Seattle’s Brayden Maldonado, who led all scorers with 15 points, and Will Heimbrodt, who added 13 points and three blocks, were central figures in the surge. A Heimbrodt layup at the 13:10 mark capped the run and Saint Thomas never recovered, never cutting the deficit to single digits again.

Seattle’s defense was omnipresent, recording nine steals and seven blocks. They consistently challenged Saint Thomas shooters, holding the Tommies to 5-of-22 shooting from beyond the arc and forcing them into a disjointed offensive performance with only six assists on 21 made field goals. Johnson-Arigu finished with 12 points for Saint Thomas, and Nick Janowski added 10.

While the Tommies won the battle in the paint, 28-18, and managed nine offensive rebounds to Seattle’s five, they could not overcome their self-inflicted wounds and frigid perimeter shooting. The Redhawks, conversely, found just enough offense, shooting 9-of-21 from three-point range. Jojo Murphy provided a key spark off the bench with 10 points, while Jun Seok Yeo and John Christofilis each chipped in 12.

The game’s final margin was Seattle’s largest lead, as they slowly extended their advantage through the latter stages, ultimately holding Saint Thomas to just 21 second-half points on 7-of-27 shooting. The Tommies’ 52 total points marked a season low, well below their season average.

The victory gives Seattle a winning conclusion to its regular season, while Saint Thomas will look to regroup after seeing a three-game winning streak snapped ahead of postseason play. The combined point total of 119 fell dramatically under the pregame over/under line of 145.5, underscoring the defensive nature of the contest. Seattle, a slight 1.5-point pregame favorite, covered the spread with the 15-point victory.