NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The third-ranked University of St. Thomas outlasted the St. Olaf College men's basketball team by a 76-69 margin, as Riley Miller hit a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down in a one-point game with just over a minute remaining, on Wednesday evening at Skoglund Center.

With St. Thomas (22-2, 18-1 MIAC) clinging to a 70-69 lead, Miller hit a step-back three-pointer from the top of the key with the shot clock at three to give the Tommies a four-point cushion. After a turnover by St. Olaf (11-13, 8-11 MIAC), Miller sank a pair of free throws with 34 seconds to go to all but seal the win.

Despite the loss, the Oles still control their playoff fate, as a win over Macalester on Saturday would get St. Olaf in as the No. 6 seed. If St. Olaf loses, Gustavus (with a win over Augsburg) or Carleton (with a Gustavus loss) would clinch the final playoff spot.

Senior Troy Diggins Jr. led all scorers with 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting in the game while adding five rebounds and two assists. Classmate Noah Beck added 15 points and fellow senior Nate Albers fell one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Ryan Lindberg led four Tommies in double figures with 14 points, while Andreson Nelson had 13. Elijah Hannah and Zach Theisen combined for 25 points off the bench for the visitors, as Hannah had 13 points and seven rebounds, while Theisen was 3-for-5 from behind the arc on his way to 12 points.

St. Olaf raced out to an early 8-2 lead thanks to a three-point play by first year Michael Meriggioli and a three-pointer by Diggins Jr. in the first three minutes. The Oles held the lead until pair of free throws by Nelson gave St. Thomas its first lead of the game at 19-18 midway through the half.

Later in the half, St. Olaf used a mini 5-0 run to go back ahead, 25-24. The Tommies led by five, their largest advantage of the half, on three occasions before a late layup by Albers made it a three-point game, 37-34, at the break.

In the second half, St. Thomas led by between one and five points until a three-pointer by first year Charlie Haff with 12:25 to go put the Oles up by one, 51-50. The Tommies took their largest lead of the game at the time at 61-55 with 8:25 to go on a three-pointer by Nelson, but the Oles answered with a 10-2 run, capped by a four-point play by Beck, to take a 67-65 lead with 4:16 remaining.

Lindberg responded with a three-pointer a minute later to swing the lead back to St. Thomas by a point. With the Tommies still up by one, Miller's three-pointer with 1:06 to go gave the visitors breathing room. After going just 3-for-13 (23.1 percent) from three-point range in the first half, St. Thomas was 6-for-11 (54.6 percent) from deep in the final 20 minutes.

St. Olaf held an 11-0 advantage in second-chance points in the game, while St. Thomas enjoyed a 28-11 advantage in bench points thanks to the double-digit efforts from Hannah and Theisen.

The Oles will celebrate their four seniors, along with their families, prior to Saturday's 1 p.m. tip-off against Macalester at Skoglund Center.