St. Ambrose relied on its defense to defeat Thomas 76-47 at the West Palm Beach Invitational Wednesday afternoon.

The Bees limited the Night Hawks to 31 percent shooting, including a 2-of-16 performance from 3-point range. SAU also forced 19 turnovers and turned those into 46 points.

St. Ambrose (6-6) trailed by four points early and was down 8-7 nearly halfway through the opening quarter.

But over the final five minutes of the first, SAU harrassed Thomas (8-7) into four turnovers and 1-of-5 shooting as the Bees closed the period with a 10-2 run. Abby Wolter scored four of those points, while Payton Calouette, Jayla Stirgus and Erin Jolin had two points apiece to help SAU to a 17-10 lead.

Jolin and Wolter each scored to start the second quarter to push the lead to 21-10.

After taking a 31-22 lead into the halftime break, St. Ambrose broke things open in the third.

Caitlyn Thole (nine points), Stirgus (six), Wolter (five) and Isabella Hutchinson (three) combined for all 23 points in the frame, and the defense forced eight turnovers as the lead ballooned to 54-31 entering the fourth.

SAU kept up the pressure in the fourth to close the Florida trip with the 29-point victory.

The Bees shot better than 45 percent from the field and collected 25 assists on 32 made field goals.

Thole and Wolter each topped 20 points.

Thole led all scorers with 22 points. She added six rebounds, five steals and three assists.

Wolter recorded a 21-point, 16-rebound double-double, while also contributing six assists, four steals and a pair of blocked shots.

Stirgus gave the Bees three players in double figures as she dropped in 13 points. She also handed out six assists.

Jolin came off the bench to net nine points. Calouette and Hutchinson each scored four, and Olivia Harter added three points and four assists.

The Bees will have a break until visiting Clarke on Dec. 31.