Erica Nord scored 17 points to lead second-seed Concordia-Moorhead to a 71-61 win over St. Thomas in Saturday's MIAC women's basketball playoff championship game at UST's Schoenecker Arena. 

The Cobbers (21-6), who finished second to UST by one game in the regular-season standings, received the MIAC's automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs. They will learn their first-round draw when pairings are announced at 2 p.m. Tuesday. It's their second playoff crown in the 11-year history of the format as they match their 2006 playoff title.

Emily Thesing scored 15 off the bench for the Cobs and Brittany Jossart added 13 points and seven rebounds. Concordia sank 19-of-25 free throws, including 8-of-8 in the final 1:55.

Freshman Taylor Young scored a collegiate-best 22 points and Jazmin Townsend added a career-high 18 points for the Tommies (20-7). Rachel Booth had eight rebounds.

St. Thomas, looking for a third NCAA berth in four seasons, will wait until Monday to see if it receives an at-large bid. The Toms went 11-2 at home against conference foes -- with both defeats to Concordia.

The Tommies were outrebounded 44-37 and shot only 36 percent from the field.

Concordia never trailed. The Cobbers raced to an 8-0 lead in the first 3:09 and led by as many as 15 late in the first half. UST used a 7-0 run to pull within 35-28 at halftime.

UST built an 11-4 run in the first four minutes of the second half to pull within 37-36 but never took the lead.