Tommies basketball to debut in new arena against Army in November

Originally posted on Bring Me The News | By Joe Nelson | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 4:57 PM ET

University of St. Thomas was officially instated as a full Division I program this week and that means the Tommies are eligible to qualify for NCAA tournaments and championships — and on Wednesday the St. Paul-based university announced that its men's and women's basketball teams will play Army next season.

The Tommies' 2025-26 home opener will be against Army West Point on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the brand new Lee & Penny Anderson. Start times haven't been announced, but it appears to be a men's and women's basketball doubleheader.

“We are thrilled to host Army in Tommie basketballs’ first ever contests in Lee & Penny Anderson Arena,” said UST Director of Athletics Phil Esten. “These games will be a celebration of so many things, including Lee Anderson and the Tommie Athletic Department as a whole. Year five of Division I competition promises to be our most exciting yet, and we can’t wait for fans to get their first glimpse of the new era of St. Thomas basketball on November 8.”

The Army connection will go deep in the home opener as Lee Anderson played football and basketball at West Point before graduating with a civil engineering degree in 1961 and later served at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Andersons donated $75 million to the Tommies in 2024, helping fund the new $175 million basketball and hockey arena in St. Paul.

The new arena officially opens Oct. 24 when St. Thomas men's and women's hockey face Providence.

Meanwhile, the full Tommies basketball schedules have not been released. One of the big questions is if either the men's or women's teams will face the crosstown Minnesota Golden Gophers. The only thing we know for certain is that both St. Thomas' John Tauer and Minnesota head coach Niko Medved welcome the idea.

This article first appeared on Bring Me The News and was syndicated with permission.

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