Unheard Cinderella: Best College Basketball Story
St. Thomas’s Unique Journey to Division I Basketball
Table of Contents
- St. Thomas’s Unique Journey to Division I Basketball
- St. Thomas Basketball: A Unique Division I Journey – Q&A
- Key Questions About St. Thomas Basketball
- What makes St. Thomas’s transition to Division I basketball unique?
- Who is Johnny Tauer, and what is his background?
- How does Tauer’s background in psychology influence his coaching?
- What is the team’s ethos, and how has it been tested in Division I?
- how triumphant has St. Thomas been as transitioning to Division I?
- What offensive strategies does St. Thomas employ?
- what is the new arena being built at St. Thomas, and what does it signify?
- How does the Johnny Tauer Basketball Camp fit into the program’s vision?
- Key Stats and Highlights of St.Thomas Basketball
- What are St Thomas’ Ambitions for the future?
- Conclusion
- Key Questions About St. Thomas Basketball
ST. PAUL, Minn. – despite a “feels-like temperature of 7 degrees,” the atmosphere inside is electric.It’s Beach Night, and the first 250 students receive purple aloha shirts, showcasing a true commitment. Decades of st. Thomas men’s basketball alums gather for a private reception, reviewing rosters and information about the soon-to-open $175 million arena, setting the stage for one of their own.
Johnny Tauer, Ph.D., arrives at 6:26 p.m., his four-shot almond milk latte in hand.
Five years prior, he was a Division III coach and tenured psychology professor at his alma mater, driving a forest green minivan and living in his childhood home. Now, Tauer is a Division I coach who no longer teaches or drives a minivan but still resides in the same house, just five minutes from campus. His team is vying for first place in the Summit League. It’s remarkable to achieve unprecedented success without leaving home.
At 52, Tauer is where he belongs.He is among people he played with, coached at his summer camp, or at St. Thomas. He jokes about a free orange juice during his recruiting visit, calls out Petey, Lau, and Tommy, and mimics the timeout calls of his old coach, Steve Fritz, who is also present. Tauer apologizes for the warmth, noting it might not be much better in the sold-out 1,800-seat gym.
You kind of pinch yourself as these are the nights that are about as good as it gets in college basketball, short of March Madness,
Tauer says.
That last part is notable. St. Thomas Tommies,essentially removed from Division III six years ago,boldly made a first-of-its-kind leap to Division I. Led by a local who quotes Aristotle and Kant, thay are good enough to earn an NCAA Tournament bid but are ineligible until 2026 due to transition rules.
It’s a Cinderella story, but without a slipper.
The school’s identity is being tested, balancing ambition with tradition. before leaving the reception, Tauer urges alums to capitalize on this momentum, aiming to be the most special mid-major program in the contry, maintaining their values and making sound decisions.
In many ways, it’s a metaphor for life,
Tauer says. You get the ball; what are you going to do with it?
The Psychology Behind the Game
blue remarks,I think it’s just another reason why they shoudl let us go,you know?
Blue laughs,acknowledging the complexity of the situation.
St. Thomas aims to be both familiar and different, quickly. It raises the question of whether it’s worth the effort, especially when college basketball and hockey don’t guarantee national Division I prominence.
Johnny Tauer, a doctor in the house, specializes in understanding motivations.
While playing on state championship basketball and baseball teams at Cretin-Derham Hall High, Tauer wondered why more talented players weren’t as driven as he was. He followed his father to St. Thomas, but diverged from finance.Aptitude tests suggested actuarial science, but a sophomore-year psychology course changed everything.
I was getting like a D-plus, and I loved it,
Johnny Tauer says. That’s what fascinated me. What makes people tick.
Doing something for the love of it is his life’s work.
Tauer has published extensively on sports psychology, including “WOSPs” (Well-Intentioned, Overinvolved Sports Parents). his paper, Winning Isn’t everything: Competition, Achievement Orientation, and Intrinsic Motivation,
argued that competition increases enjoyment for those highly motivated to achieve. His 2004 paper, The Effects of Cooperation and Competition on Intrinsic Motivation and Performance,
concluded that combining cooperation and competition optimizes motivation.
This is sports psychology at its core, aimed at uniting a group towards a common goal. The cooperation and competition paper even quotes former Twins first baseman Kent Hrbek: I’d much rather win the World series.then you can go out and get drunk with 25 other guys. If you win the MVP, you get to go out and get drunk by yourself. What fun is that?
Tauer didn’t seek to be a Division I coach. He calls himself wildly boring,
content with biking and listening to podcasts. He was happy teaching and coaching in a world that allowed him to be home by 10:15 p.m.
When you feel like you can have all the things personally and professionally that you want,
Tauer says, you better be careful messing with happy.
Johnny Tauer didn’t have to choose. He loves basketball and St. Paul. He could probably run for mayor and be unaffiliated with a party, and he’d have a legitimate chance to win a seat,
says former assistant Dennis Harrington. Becoming a Division I coach just happened.
It was easy for me to get on board in the sense of, what an chance,
Tauer says. So now part of the question is, how good can we get?
The program’s Ethos and Early Division I Challenges
The program’s ethos – VALUE YOUR TEAMMATES. VALUE THE BALL – was tested by tougher competition. In their first Division I season,the Tommies had one dunk but nearly broke the NCAA record for fewest turnovers per game.They won 10 games with a roster of former Division III players. despite a 12-game losing streak and a bout of vertigo for Tauer, these struggles were the best pressure test of our culture, ever,
in Tauer’s view.
St. Thomas won 19 games the following season, and their 71 total Division I wins are second-most through the first four years of transition. Their 197-spot improvement in the NCAA’s NET rankings over four years was the fifth-largest nationally. This 22-win season is proof of concept.
Like many analytically driven teams, St. Thomas prioritizes layups, free throws, and unguarded 3-point shots. They ranked high nationally in effective field goal percentage (58.0), 2-point percentage (58.4), 3-point percentage (38.3), and free-throw accuracy (78.4).No player averaged more than Miles Barnstable’s 14.7 points per game, and the team-wide turnover rate was 13.8 percent.
Be unselfish and be smart,
says Barnstable. You’ll end up being in the flow of the game if you’re unselfish.
Drake Dobbs adds, A lot of places, it’s really structured and you get to almost be robotic. Which isn’t a bad thing. That’s just how some programs are. But here it’s pretty much complete freedom.
The offense blends Princeton offense concepts with John Beilein’s scheme, plus serendipity. Tauer appreciated West virginia’s offenses but didn’t know Maker was an assistant coach there. They developed an attack that’s hard to scout as they’re movements based on how the defense is guarding you, and you need to take advantage of that,
Maker says.
It’s a ideology rooted in Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative: I ought not to act except in such a way that I can also will that my actions should become universal law.
Tauer can have coffee dates with his wife, Chancey, and daughter, Issa, and keep tabs on his sons. He runs a program that competes with power league squads and allows bus driver Stevie Lanz to eat takeout ribs during film sessions. Life isn’t easy.But it can be simple,
Tauer tells his players.
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior,
Tauer says. If I wanted to go somewhere else, then I would have gone somewhere else a long time ago.
A $175 Million Audacity: The New Arena
On a quiet February afternoon, a stroll through Lee & Penny Anderson Arena requires a hard hat and imagination. Hydrotherapy tubs are covered, and one basketball practice gym is a dining area for workers. Nine cranes clutter the arena floor.
This is a $175 million audacity.
There’s not another school that has this,
says Cory Chapman, St.thomas’ deputy athletic director for internal development. It’s truly a unicorn.
It’s based on seven sports operating out of one facility, signaling the school’s ambition, including aspirations about catching the attention of the Big East.
Simultaneously occurring, Tauer runs practice in the same complex that hosts his summer camp, now in its 30th year. The camp has grown from 25 kids to 2,000, with names like Chet Holmgren and Jalen Suggs attending. Things have started small and grown big here before.
The johnny Tauer Basketball Camp will remain inside the current 1,800-seat home gym and on the intramural courts. It’s a constant amidst the Division I transition. The rest of the year,everyone awaits what’s at the end of the track.
I’ve said I think this is the coolest story in college basketball,
Tauer says. That doesn’t make it right. But I think it is. So it’s right for me.
St. Thomas Basketball: A Unique Division I Journey – Q&A
St. ThomasS transition to Division I basketball is a compelling story of ambition, tradition, and a unique program beliefs. Led by coach Johnny Tauer, the Tommies have quickly become a program to watch. This Q&A explores the key aspects of their journey, offering details and insights into their success.
Key Questions About St. Thomas Basketball
What makes St. Thomas’s transition to Division I basketball unique?
St. Thomas’s jump from Division III directly to Division I is unprecedented. Most schools transition through Division II first. Their rapid success, driven by a strong team culture and analytical approach, further distinguishes their journey. Despite being ineligible for the NCAA Tournament untill 2026 due to transition rules, the Tommies are making waves and challenging the status quo.
Who is Johnny Tauer, and what is his background?
Johnny Tauer, Ph.D., is the head coach of St. Thomas basketball. Previously a Division III coach and psychology professor at St.Thomas, Tauer has a deep understanding of sports phsycology with multiple published papers. His academic background greatly influences his coaching style, emphasizing cooperation, intrinsic motivation, and a player-first approach.
How does Tauer’s background in psychology influence his coaching?
Tauer’s knowlege of sports psychology is central to his coaching philosophy. He focuses on creating a team environment that fosters intrinsic motivation, cooperation, and shared goals. He uses psychological principles to unite the team, optimizing individual performance and collective success. his research-backed approach helps in understanding athlete mindsets.
What is the team’s ethos, and how has it been tested in Division I?
The team’s ethos centers on valuing teammates and valuing the ball. In the face of tougher Division I competition,The Tommies emphasized layups,free throws,and unguarded 3-point shots. The team’s culture was put to the test but ultimately strengthened the team’s bond and resolve.
how triumphant has St. Thomas been as transitioning to Division I?
St. Thomas has quickly exceeded expectations in Division I. Thay have won a considerable number of games despite an initial losing streak. The team made improvements in the NCAA’s NET rankings over the beginning of the transition. Their performance demonstrates that their values and approach work even at a higher level of competition.
What offensive strategies does St. Thomas employ?
St.Thomas employs a mix of Princeton offense concepts, John Beilein’s scheme, and game time player serendipity. their offensive sets are designed to adapt to how the defense is positioned, so players can exploit any advantage available. This makes the team difficult to scout against.
what is the new arena being built at St. Thomas, and what does it signify?
St.Thomas is building a $175 million arena, a facility designed to house seven different sports. This arena, described as a “unicorn,” symbolizes the school’s ambition and commitment to its athletic programs. It also signals their aspirations to elevate their profile and potentially attract attention from major conferences like the Big east.
How does the Johnny Tauer Basketball Camp fit into the program’s vision?
The Johnny Tauer Basketball Camp, with its long history and growth from 25 to 2,000 kids, represents the program’s roots and commitment to the community. Remaining in the current home gym amidst the Division I transition provides a sense of continuity and tradition. It serves as a reminder of where the program came from while looking toward the future.
Key Stats and Highlights of St.Thomas Basketball
| Category | Stat | Significance |
| :—————————- | :——— | :———————————————– |
| Effective Field Goal % | 58.0 | High efficiency in scoring |
| 2-Point % | 58.4 | Excellent inside scoring efficiency |
| 3-Point % | 38.3 | Strong shooting from beyond the arc |
| Free-Throw Accuracy | 78.4 | Reliable scoring from the free-throw line |
| Team-Wide Turnover Rate | 13.8 | Taking care of possession |
What are St Thomas’ Ambitions for the future?
The primary goal for the Tommies is to grow into a nationally recognized respected mid-major powerhouse.
Conclusion
St. Thomas’s journey in Division I basketball is truly remarkable. With a blend of strategic thinking, strong leadership, and a commitment to values, they are building a program poised for success. As they continue through their transition, the Tommies are setting a unique standard for college basketball.