SAINT PAUL, Minn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive grit and a dominant individual performance, the Army women’s basketball team remained undefeated Saturday, fending off a persistent challenge from the University of Saint Thomas to secure a 67-61 victory at Schoenecker Arena.

The Black Knights, now 2-0 to start the young season, leaned heavily on a monumental double-double from junior forward Kya Smith, whose 20 points and 11 rebounds provided the necessary offensive firepower and interior presence to withstand a late push from the Tommies.

From the opening tip, the contest was a back-and-forth affair. Army established an early rhythm, outpacing Saint Thomas 19-17 in a high-scoring first quarter. The Black Knights’ offense, however, hit a wall in the second period as the Tommies’ defense tightened. Saint Thomas outscored Army 18-11 in the quarter, taking a narrow 35-30 lead into the halftime break and energizing the home crowd of 984.

The third quarter proved to be the turning point. Army emerged from the locker room with renewed focus, immediately erasing the deficit. A key factor was the team’s ability to stifle the Tommies’ offensive flow while finding their own. The Black Knights won the quarter 18-16, closing the gap and setting the stage for a tense final ten minutes, with Saint Thomas clinging to a slim 51-48 advantage.

The fourth quarter belonged to Army. The Black Knights’ defense intensified, holding the Tommies to just 10 points while their own offense matched their first-quarter output with 19 points. Smith was instrumental down the stretch, scoring critical baskets and controlling the defensive glass to limit Saint Thomas to a single possession. The Tommies, now 0-2, were unable to find an answer for Army’s closing execution, seeing their second-half lead evaporate and their chances for a first win slip away.

Smith, a 6-foot-1 native of Lubbock, Texas, was the undeniable catalyst for the Black Knights. In 34 minutes of action, her stat line of 20 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots underscored her all-around impact on both ends of the floor. She received crucial support from Reese Ericson, a 5-6 guard from Lake Oswego, Oregon, who logged 38 minutes and contributed 12 points. Taylor Wilson, a 5-10 sophomore from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, also reached double figures with 11 points off the bench.

For Saint Thomas, the loss was a tough lesson in finishing games. The Tommies were led by a strong effort from Savannah McGowan, a 6-2 forward from Plymouth, Minnesota. McGowan shouldered the scoring load with a team-high 18 points to go along with six rebounds. Fellow frontcourt player Alyssa Sand, a 6-3 sophomore from Albany, Minnesota, was a force defensively, recording 14 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in a game-high 36 minutes.

The orchestrator of the Tommies’ offense was point guard Jada Hood. The Saint Paul native, playing in her hometown, dished out seven assists and grabbed five rebounds in 39 minutes of play, though she was held to five points. Autumn McCall, a 6-2 forward from Blaine, Minnesota, added seven points for the home side.

Army’s backcourt balance was also a key component of the victory. Brooke Wilson, another Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania product, tallied five points and four assists, while Camryn Tade of Southlake, Texas, matched her with four assists and six points. Soleil Montrose, a 5-10 freshman from Irvine, California, provided a spark off the bench with six points and three rebounds.

The victory continues a strong start for Army under first-year head coach, whose team opened the season with a commanding 86-50 win over Pace on Monday. The Black Knights will look to carry this momentum into a challenging stretch of their schedule. They return home to host Siena on Thursday, Nov. 13, before embarking on a difficult road trip to face national powerhouse Oregon on Sunday, Nov. 16.

For Saint Thomas, the narrow defeat follows a lopsided season-opening loss on the road to Iowa State, 85-36, this past Monday. Despite the 0-2 start, the Tommies showed significant improvement and competitive spirit against an Army squad that was projected to be the underdog according to Interstat’s ELO system, which gave Saint Thomas a 51.20 percent probability to win. The Tommies will seek their first win of the campaign when they return to Schoenecker Arena to host Eastern Michigan on Friday, Nov. 14.

The game ultimately hinged on Army’s ability to execute in the final quarter and the standout performance of Smith, whose inside dominance proved too much for the Tommies to handle over the full 40 minutes. The result gives Army an early-season road victory and valuable momentum, while Saint Thomas is left to build on the positives of a hard-fought performance that fell just short.